The University of Iowa does not offer programs in the following areas of study: mortuary science, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic, or veterinary medicine. However, students can complete selected classes in preparation for professional programs elsewhere. A specialized advising staff will help you plan your course work in each of these tracks, determining semester hours (s.h.) and grade-point averages (GPAs) required. Once you earn an undergraduate degree from Iowa, you can pursue professional programs in these areas at other institutions.

For more information about preparing for these professional programs, you can also consult the Academic Advising Center web site.

• Mortuary Science
• Podiatry, Optometry, Chiropractic Medicine
• Veterinary Medicine

Mortuary Science
Funeral direction is controlled by state licensing boards. Requirements for licensure vary considerably from state to state, ranging from a high school education to two years of college. Contact the board in the state in which you would like to practice to learn more about the state's regulations.

If you would like to go into this field in Iowa, contact the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319, or phone 515-281-4287. Register with them before attending a mortuary education program.

The process in Iowa is to complete 60 s.h. at an accredited college, not including any vocational courses, with a GPA of 2.00 or higher; complete a mortuary education course of 12 months or longer; register with the Iowa State Board of Mortuary Science; and complete a 12-month internship under the supervision of a board-approved mortician.

Courses you may find useful include those in communication, both writing and speaking; natural sciences, such as general chemistry, biology, anatomy, physiology, or microbiology (some of these have prerequisites); business skills; and the humanities.

If you are interested in practicing in another state, visit the web sites of the American Board of Funeral Service Education or the National Funeral Directors Association.

Podiatry, Optometry, Chiropractic
These graduate-level health professions all require a specific set of undergraduate courses and usually an undergraduate degree for entry. Requirements are mostly in the sciences, including one year each of introductory courses in chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biology, each with accompanying labs. Also required is the mathematics prerequisite to physics. Acceptance into these programs is usually competitive.

Entrance requirements may change from year to year, so research the requirements for the school(s) you are considering, to make sure you have the most current information.

Podiatry: Podiatrists are professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat people with diseases or disorders of the foot and related structures. Podiatrists treat corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, bunions, heel spurs, and arch problems; ankle and foot injuries, deformities, and infections; and foot complaints associated with diseases such as diabetes. To treat these problems, podiatrists prescribe drugs, order physical therapy, set fractures, and perform surgery. They also fit corrective inserts called orthotics, design plaster casts and strappings to correct deformities, and design custom-made shoes.

There are eight colleges/schools of podiatric medicine. Prerequisites for admission to a college of podiatric medicine include the completion of at least 90 s.h. of undergraduate study, an acceptable GPA, and suitable scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Some colleges also may accept the Dental Admission Test or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). All of the colleges require 8 s.h. each of biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics, as well as 6-8 s.h. of English. Potential podiatric medical students also are evaluated on the basis of extracurricular and community activities, personal interviews, and letters of recommendation. About 95 percent of podiatric students have at least a bachelor’s degree. For more information on podiatry, refer to the web sites of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine or the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Optometry: An optometrist treats patients with various common vision problems. There are 18 optometry colleges, and they differ somewhat in specific course requirements for admission. Visit the web sites of the colleges that interest you for specific information.

Along with your required courses, you’ll also need to submit scores from a national entry examination, the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). It is administered twice a year by the Optometry Admission Testing Program. For more information on optometry, visit the web site of the American Optometric Association or the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.

Chiropractic medicine: Chiropractors, also known as doctors of chiropractic or chiropractic physicians, diagnose and treat patients whose health problems are associated with the body’s muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems, especially the spine. Chiropractors believe that interference with these systems impairs the body’s normal functions and lowers its resistance to disease. They also hold that spinal or vertebral dysfunction alters many important body functions by affecting the nervous system and that skeletal imbalance through joint or articular dysfunction, especially in the spine, can cause pain.

The chiropractic approach to health care is holistic, stressing the patient’s overall health and wellness. It recognizes that many factors affect health, including exercise, diet, rest, environment, and heredity. Chiropractors provide natural, nondrug, nonsurgical health treatments and rely on the body’s inherent recuperative abilities. They also recommend lifestyle changes—in eating, exercise, and sleeping habits, for example—to their patients. When appropriate, chiropractors consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners.

Students interested in becoming chiropractors must complete a minimum of 90 s.h. Courses required for admission vary from college to college; it is important to research the programs to which you may want to apply. Professional training for the 17 accredited programs offered at chiropractic colleges vary in length. For more information on chiropractic medicine, visit the following web sites: the Council on Chiropractic Education; the Association of Chiropractic Colleges; or the American Chiropractic Association.

Veterinary Medicine
Veterinarians play a major role in the health care of pets, livestock, zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems. Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical knowledge, and in applied research, developing new ways to use knowledge.

Prospective veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine and must obtain a license to practice. There are 28 colleges in 26 states that meet accreditation standards set by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education. The prerequisites for admission vary. Many of these colleges do not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance, but all require a significant number of credit hours—from 45 to 90 s.h.—at the undergraduate level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an undergraduate program. Applicants without a bachelor’s degree find it difficult to gain admittance.

In addition to satisfying pre-veterinary course requirements, applicants must submit test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), depending on the preference of the college to which they are applying. Currently, 22 schools require the GRE, 4 require the VCAT, and 2 accept the MCAT.

For additional information on careers in veterinary medicine and for information on veterinary education, visit the American Veterinary Medicine Association web site.