Alpha Epsilon Delta
Alpha Epsilon Delta – WSU is the national health professional honor society. Our chapter at WSU welcomes any students aspiring to enter the field of healthcare. As an academic honor society, it is our goal to encourage excellence in scholarship and to help students prepare for their futures in a healthcare career.
The faculty sponsor of Alpha Epsilon Delta is Sandi Brabb.
Pre-Dental Club
The Pre-Dental Club is a WSU organization for undergraduate students interested in the dental field. The Pre-Dental Club’s purpose is to affiliate students with the option of pursuing dentistry while making a difference in the community. Everything they do as a club is designed to benefit those involved in their pursuit of a career in the field of dentistry. They are actively learning more in the field of dentistry through discussions and pride themselves in the impact theymake in the community through various community projects.
The faculty sponsor of the Pre-Dental Club is Karen Chase.
Pre-Health Club
The Pre-Health Club’s mission is to work to provide guidance to students whose goals are to enter a health profession, but are still deciding on a specific career pathway. They set up volunteer activities to broaden students’ perspectives. They believe that the best advice on how to pursue a healthcare career comes from people that have gone through the application process. Many of their members have done just that, and have remained a part of the club in order to offer that advice to newer members
Pre-Nursing Club: Rho Nu
The Rho Nu Pre-Nursing Club is a volunteer-based club open to all Washington State University Pre-Nursing students. The name of this organization was adopted from the Greek names for the letters RN, which are, in turn, the symbol for Registered Nurse.
Pre-Pharmacy Club
The Pre-Pharmacy Club helps WSU Pullman students become competitive applicants for professional schools of pharmacy. Any dedicated Pre-Pharmacy student, and anyone considering a career in Pharmacy, is welcome to join the club.
The faculty sponsor of the Pre-Pharmacy Club is Marian McDonnell Horton.
Pre-Physician Assistant Club
The Pre-Physician Assistant Club’s purpose of is to organize a community of pre-P.A undergraduates while working cooperatively to gain information and support in preparation for professional school. We are an informative club with meetings based around giving information about the profession, the GRE, CASPA (online application process to all P.A schools), writing personal statements, etc. We also make volunteer opportunities available to all members.
Pre-PT/OT Club
The Pre-PT/OT Club is for all students who are interested in physical and occupational therapy careers. They help each other prepare for graduate school and learn more about the opportunities in the field. Meetings are informative and helpful, but also fun and a good networking tool.
The faculty sponsor of the Pre-PT/OT Club is Charlie Snyder.
Pre-Vet Club (AKA Organization of Future Veterinarians (OFV))
The Pre-Vet Club is an organization for pre-professional students interested in veterinary medicine. It promotes scholarship and provides activities relevant to professional goals in veterinary medicine. The Club emphasizes education about careers in veterinary medicine and information on entrance requirements to veterinary colleges.
To get involved in the Pre-Vet Club, you can email them at wsuofv@yahoo.com.
The faculty sponsors of the Pre-Vet Club are Brooke Wolf and Dr. Patrick Wilson.
Raptor Club and Rehabilitation Program
The Raptor Club promotes wildlife conservation through the use of non-releasable raptors as living representatives in public environmental education programs.
To get involved in the Raptor Club, you can email them at wsuraptorclub@gmail.com.
Zoology Club
The Zoology Club is a WSU organization for undergraduate students interested in animals and conservation. The Zoology Club has regular meetings, participates in public service projects, makes field trips to see wildlife and zoos, and sponsors invited lectures for the university community. Activities of the club aim to give students amazing opportunities with animals.
To get involved in the Zoology Club, please e-mail us at wsuzoologyclub@yahoo.com.
The faculty sponsor of the Zoology Club is Chris Davitt, who can be reached at davcmd@wsu.edu.
Research Oppurtunities
In the School of Biological Sciences, faculty and students engage in wide-ranging research using world-class facilities to solve diverse biological problems. For undergraduates, research experiences offer novel challenges and provide hands-on experience of cutting-edge science. Students involved in research projects not only learn to work with new technologies and techniques but also gain valuable experience in problem-solving and creative thinking. Experience in research can be advantageous to students who want to continue their education in graduate or professional schools.
As a research university, WSU is a place where new knowledge is made. Research universities offer students incredible opportunities not only to learn the newest information in their classes but also to participate in research projects.
Students can enroll in Biology 499 to receive credits for research projects.
Students who are interested in research may want to ask their advisors about opportunities with faculty in the School of Biological Sciences or contact directly faculty whose research interests them. Brief descriptions of faculty research areas are listed below and linked to websites that explain their research in greater detail.
Recent Graduate Recommendations
Course Planning
- Look ahead several years into your course program. This might help you decide if you are in the right major.
- Talk to your advisors about when classes (e.g. alternate year classes) are offered. Plan your schedule to match course availability.
- Take the classes that you interest and on topics you enjoy.
- Take advantage of specialized courses.
- Plan your courses to avoid being overwhelmed in any one semester.
- Don’t take more than 15 credits of science at one time.
- Ask students who are ahead of you in their programs for advice.
- Consider using withdrawals to avoid getting low grades.
- Pay close attention to your freshman Biology and Chemistry classes. Keep your notes, lab reports and materials from introductory classes because you will need them later.
- Consider taking some summer classes. You get more personal attention then and may have better success because you don’t forget between classes.
- Don’t be afraid to take courses outside your major, especially to get a break from hard science. Save some of the GERs for late in your program.
- If you switch majors to sciences, do prerequisites as quickly as possible.
- Get introductory science courses in biology and chemistry done early (i.e., your freshman year).
- Set up a plan of courses. Take charge of your own 4-year plan.
Choosing your Major & Career
- Investigate majors before choosing a direction.
- Know your professional goals and what it will take to achieve them.
- Biology and zoology are hard majors–don’t assume you can keep the same schedule as your friends.
- Think about future your objectives. Try to decide early on your career direction.
- If you are interested in a minor, think about it early on.
- Be prepared to change your mind about your future directions.
- Be honest with yourself about whether you want to be a scientist or health professional.
Time Management
- Balance your classes—think about which you want to take together. Try to take classes that fit well with your personal (activity) schedule. Don’t get over-stressed. Don’t take too many lab courses at once, especially your first year.
- Be prepared to study harder than in high school.
- Use a calendar to keep track of assignments and appointments.
- Read the textbook and other assignments and know your lecture notes!
- Be prepared. Plan to put time into labs.
- Motivate yourself to study. Be disciplined about study and course needs.
- Be responsible for test preparation.
- Get study habits together your first semester.
- Be sure to study and read the textbook well before exams.
- Get help early in courses if needed and don’t fall behind in studying and assignments.
- Form study groups with other students. Find people who are disciplined and want to excel. Take classes and study with these people. Studying with good students can improve your grades. Be smart about these choices.
Oppurtunities
- Take advantage of different opportunities (e.g. research in labs, etc.) so you can determine what you like most. Get involved in clubs to network with people with similar interests and to identify good opportunities in your area.
- Seek out undergraduate research opportunities. Get involved with research or other beneficial, out-of-class activities early in your program; they will help you.
- Consider being an undergraduate TA if the opportunity is available.
- Find out about scholarships and apply for them.
- Get involved early in extracurricular activities related to your interests (clubs, internships). They’re a great way to meet peers, especially as a freshman.
- It’s important to get experience. Unpaid and paid are both important.
- Get to know your professors. They can provide tips on research and other opportunities.
School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman WA 99164-4236 Contact Us: 509-335-3553
The SBS main office is located in 301 Abelson Hall on the Pullman campus.