Health Careers

Health Career Overview

Are you interested in a health career and want to learn more about health career options?  Central Washington University provides many opportunities for students interested in health careers.  We offer health-related degree programs you can complete right here—such as Food Science and Nutrition, Paramedicine, Public Health, Psychology and Counseling, and Safety and Health Management.  Our science major coursework and social science and humanities elective options offers much of the prerequisite coursework desired by many external graduate or professional health degree programs. 

Choosing A Health Career

You may first think of physicians, dentists, and nurses, but those are only three of the hundreds of careers that provide direct health care. And, there are many more occupations that are essential in the effort to maintain the health and condition of the human body -- through research, program planning and public health services. 

CWU Health Career Degree Programs

Contact your major department as soon as possible to learn of any pre-admission requirements and to connect with the professional advisor for your major.  Your advisor will assist you in developing a plan that accounts for proper course sequencing and pre-health coursework for your desired career choices. Please take advantage of the opportunity to meet with a knowledgeable designated pre-health faculty member, as well as your advisor. 

CWU Pre-Health Coursework & Advising 

The following links to specific health career resources provide contact information for faculty and advisors that can help you or answer any questions you may have, a list of suggested courses you can take here at Central that generally correspond with the prerequisites for further study, and helpful links for learning more about the fields and applying to programs.  While CWU offers many of the necessary “pre-health” prerequisite courses for advanced degree or professional health programs, we do not offer majors or degrees in pre-health. You may complete a bachelor degree in any area; however, most students usually choose a major where some of the prerequisite courses for graduate health programs overlap with graduation and major requirements.  You can complete many of these prerequisites while you also earn a CWU bachelors degree in your field of interest. 

• Chiropractic Medicine
• Dental Hygiene
• Dentistry 
• Medical Technology
• Medicine
• Nursing 
• Occupational Therapy
• Pharmacy 
• Physical Therapy 
• Physician Assistant
• Respiratory Therapy
• Veterinary Medicine

Health Career Scholarships

Apply for Pre-Health Scholarships Within the Scholarship Central Portal:

Dennis W. Farrell Pre-Medicine Scholarship

To provide financial support for students pursuing a degree in pre-medicine who are Washington State residents with a GPA of 3.5 or higher in the biological sciences, the physical sciences or mathematics and a 3.4 accumulative overall GPA. Scholarships are to be used for tuition, fees and books. Learn more today.

Vatheuer Family Foundation Pre-Medicine Scholarship

To provide support for CWU students who plan to pursue a career in medicine.  Applicant must be in the process of preparing for success on the MCAT and entry into medical school, have a GPA of 2.0 or better and must demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA or WASFA. Preference given to undeserved students. 

Arthur and Doreen Parrett Scholarship

To provide financial support for students majoring in engineering, science, pre-medicine or pre-dentistry. Applicant must be a resident of Washington State and have earned at least 31 credit hours.

Rudolph & Jimi Vernie Scholarship

To provide financial support for students majoring in paramedicine (EMT), early childhood education or pre-medicine.  Applicant must have a 3.0 or higher GPA and have earned at least 76 credit hours.