An Occidental College student interning in a City of Hope laboratory

An Occidental liberal arts education nurtures well-rounded and competent healthcare providers through a broad, interdisciplinary curriculum that brings together scientific exploration and humanistic inquiry.

As an aspiring healthcare worker studying the liberal arts, you will develop intellectual and practical skills that will help you become a better communicator and optimize your ability to work as part of an effective team. You will gain analytical and problem-solving skills, and have opportunities to apply them to real-world situations. Patient care experience and research opportunities are woven into the academic curriculum, and cross-cultural competencies are cultivated by working in the local community.

Endless Opportunities, at Your Doorstep

Thanks to Oxy’s prime location in the heart of a bustling metropolitan area, you'll be surrounded by renowned teaching hospitals, two prestigious medical schools, cutting-edge biomedical research labs, and a variety of clinics that serve diverse communities. This invaluable access is paired with the support of Occidental’s Office of Pre-Health Advising (OPHA). OPHA can connect you to a range of experiences tailored to your goals, including volunteering and preceptorship at Huntington Hospital, clinical research at City of Hope, and public health internships delivering street medicine to unhoused populations. 

Dedicated Support for Students and Alumni

OPHA partners with Oxy students and alumni interested in pursuing careers in medicine, allied health, and the biotech industry. Through individualized advising sessions and group workshops, we help pre-medical, pre-health and STEM students make well-informed career decisions. We provide guidance and highlight opportunities as you select your academic courses and engage in co-curricular activities such as research, volunteering, and clinical patient interactions. We also offer application review, practice interviews, and step-by-step assistance when you’re ready to apply for graduate school.

Meet Pre-health Director Kat Wang

We strongly encourage Oxy students and alumni to engage with our office early and often. Our weekly digest curates workshops, info sessions, events, graduate school fairs and conferences in addition to providing important updates as you plan and prepare for graduate programs in various health professions.

The Office of Pre-Health Advising will assist you in the exploration of health careers through advising in the following areas:

Pre-medical

  • dentistry
  • medicine (allopathic, osteopathic)
  • podiatry

 

Biotech Industry

  • life sciences
  • biotechnology

Allied Health

  • genetic counseling
  • nursing
  • occupational therapy
  • optometry
  • physician assistant
  • physical therapy
  • pharmacy
  • speech-language pathology
  • veterinary medicine

Beyond the top-notch, well-rounded liberal arts education that instills critical thinking and communication skills, Oxy provides the framework to start understanding topics like equity, social justice, and social determinants of health. These concepts are integral for grounding your healthcare work.

–Hollie Adams ’20

M.D. Candidate ’27, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Contact Pre-Health Advising
Hameetman Career Center

Room 109G
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041