Wilfrid Laurier Health Sciences
Health Sciences programs are consistently popular choices for high school students looking to pursue a career in healthcare. Many universities have adopted an undergraduate health science program to best reflect their values and to set up their students for success in their idea of the healthcare system. With that being said, if health science is something you are interested in, continue reading because I have some important information for you about the Health Sciences (BSc) program at Wilfrid Laurier University. This program provides students with opportunities to learn and develop scientific techniques to analyze public health and learn about the inner workings of health-related fields including but not limited to medicine, dentistry, public health, and many others. Keep reading for more exciting information!
What Courses Will I Take?
I know that it is overwhelming to make that final decision, but it is rather an exciting time that you should be excited for and proud of yourself for doing! For any of you reading this who cannot contain your excitement and want to just start learning already, I have some exciting information that may be very appealing to you! As a first-year Health Sciences student, at Laurier, you will definitely be taking many health courses and I have listed some of them below for you to get a sneak peek into what your schedule next year could look like:
- Biological Diversity and Evolution (science)
- Fundamentals of Chemistry I and II (science)
- Health Issues I and II (science)
- Introductory Calculus for Natural Sciences (science)
- Introduction to Psychology I and II (science)
- Unifying Life processes (science)
- 0.5 Elective credits (other)
Thinking of Specializing?
Health Sciences, as many of you know, is extremely diverse and there are so many different lenses that can be applied to address health issues in our community and on a global public scale. Laurier has certainly acknowledged this diversity and gives you the option to specialize and minor in Biology, Chemistry, Management, or Psychology. Each is extremely unique but will still guarantee you an above-average learning experience in health studies.
Prerequisites
I am sure you are thinking that this program is just right for you and I certainly agree! It is an amazing program for anyone reading this who is passionate about health studies but is also interested in the natural sciences since the opportunities are so diverse ensuring every student finds what they are looking for! With that being said, here comes the information that may or may not be easy to hear, depending on what your high school transcript looks like. Of course, the most popular question that many of you are asking is “How do I apply?” and I have all of that information for you below! To gain admission into the Health Sciences (BSc) program you must have completed the following:
- English 4U (minimum grade of 60%)
- Advanced Functions 4U (minimum grade of 60%)
- Biology 4U (minimum grade of 60%)
- Chemistry 4U (minimum grade of 60%)
Admission Average: The minimum admission range is around the mid-80s but the university has provided some past admission statistics and it turns out that the competitive average for admission was in the low 90s (from the 2022 cycle).
Research Experience/Experiential Opportunities
By this point, I hope I have convinced you of what an amazing program the Health Sciences (BSc) program is, however, there continues to be very convincing information that I am about to share, specifically regarding research opportunities and experiential opportunities during your undergraduate studies. As a student in Health Sciences, you have the opportunity to participate in the experiential learning module from Stand Up for Health (SU4H) as part of an upper-year social determinants course you will take. If you want to learn more about the initiative and the amazing people who have put this module together for upper-year students click this link! In addition, as part of your four years, you will certainly have up close and personal experiences in laboratories to experience anatomy, physiology, and research at its finest. But, outside of the eight months you spend on campus, many students choose to participate in summer internships since research internships are very popular among many science students. Research experience is an amazing way to network with professionals in the industry, apply what you have learned in the classroom to real-life experiments and problems, find solutions, and apply your knowledge to help advance health in your community. With that being said, as a Health Sciences student, you have the opportunity to participate in summer research opportunities at some of the leading institutions for research including SickKids hospital, Sunnybrook and many others. Finally, the Health Sciences program is also offered as a co-op program and allows students to participate in experiential learning outside of the classroom to learn how the health concepts you learn in the classroom apply to the real world. If you are interested in hands-on and in-field work, be sure to check out this option as you advance in your studies!
Future Career paths
Although you may never want to leave, after your four years are up you will officially become a graduate of the Health Sciences program with valuable and highly relevant information to help you succeed as a health professional in the real world, despite the path you decide to take. After you become a Health Sciences graduate, there are a variety of different career pathways you may choose to pursue and one, in particular, may be medicine. In July 2022, Wilfrid Laurier University, specifically the Faculty of Science, announced a partnership with the American University of Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) that allows eligible Laurier graduates to study in their Doctor of Medicine program upon graduation from the Health Sciences program. Their collaboration gives students who meet the AUC School of Medicine’s program requirements direct access to an admission interview with the medical school. Although you will be pursuing an MD degree outside of Canada, graduates of the AUC Medical School are eligible to write exams that allow them to practice in Canada. This is certainly a privilege unlike any other offered by other Health Sciences universities and I am sure that it makes this program extremely appealing to you!
I hope that this review of the Health Sciences (BSc) program at Wilfrid Laurier University helped you in narrowing your choices a little more, whether this program appealed to you or not! It is all about choosing the right university for you! Be sure to check out the program website linked here for an in-depth review of the program and some amazing videos created by students in the program.
About the Writer: Wynter Sutchy is a second-year undergraduate student at McMaster University studying Biology (Physiology) and is from King City, ON. She is very passionate about the healthcare field and enjoys sharing her volunteering experiences through writing. She plans to pursue a career in medicine in the future and plans to explore the field of healthcare through research and volunteering throughout her undergraduate career. In her free time, you can expect her to be watching her favourite show, Greys Anatomy, teaching children how to swim, or baking some delicious desserts!
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