Colorado School of Trades campus

Pre-Med Planning Guide

Pre-Med at Colorado School of Trades

Lakewood, CO

The Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood, CO, is a private, for-profit two-year college focused on technology and trades education. Although it does not offer health or science degree programs, students interested in pre-med pathways should plan to complete prerequisite coursework at other institutions or through post-baccalaureate programs. This approach requires additional planning but can lead to successful medical school applications.

While the Colorado School of Trades is primarily a technical institution with no dedicated pre-med programs, motivated students can still prepare for medical school by supplementing their studies with required science courses elsewhere.

Pre-Med Strength

6.4/10

  • Research
  • Clinical Opportunities
  • Advising
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • STEM Resources

Why Students Choose Colorado School of Trades For Pre-Med

University-specific pre-med advantages and pipeline signals.

  • Structured biology and chemistry sequences for pre-med prerequisites
  • Access to 3+ hospital systems near Lakewood
  • Active pre-health community with 2+ student organizations
  • Undergraduate research through research opportunities are limited on campus due to the school’s trade focus; students are encouraged to seek internships or summer research programs at nearby universities such as the university of colorado denver or colorado state university
  • Personalized planning tools in Pre-Med OS tailored to Colorado School of Trades students

4-Year Plan

Pre-Med Roadmap

Year-by-year milestones from freshman year through application cycle.

  • General Biology
  • General Chemistry
  • Join Pre-Med Club
  • Begin Volunteering

Your Pre-Med Journey

Track each phase in Pre-Med OS.

Successful Pre-Med Student Profile

Competitive targets for students at Colorado School of Trades.

Target GPA

3.5+

Target MCAT

505+

Clinical Hours

250+

Volunteer Hours

150+

Research Experience

1–2 years

Research Opportunities

Structured pathways from freshman exploration to competitive publications.

Faculty Labs

Research opportunities are limited on campus due to the school’s trade focus; students are encouraged to seek internships or summer research programs at nearby universities such as the University of Colorado Denver or Colorado State University.

LimitedModerateStart: Sophomore Year

Summer Research Programs

Apply to REU, hospital affiliate, or campus summer research fellowships.

MediumCompetitiveStart: Sophomore–Junior Year

NIH / Federal Opportunities

Competitive national programs — strong GPA and prior lab experience recommended.

LimitedCompetitiveStart: Junior Year

Clinical Research

Hospital-affiliated clinical studies and patient-oriented research near campus.

LimitedModerateStart: Junior Year

Clinical Opportunities Near Campus

Hospitals and health systems accessible from Lakewood, CO.

Centura Health – Lutheran Medical Center

On campus / < 5 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

SCL Health – St. Anthony Hospital

5–15 mi

Volunteer

Medium

Shadowing

Medium

Research

Medium

HealthONE – Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center

15–30 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

Pre-Health Student Organizations

Build leadership, service, and networking depth for AMCAS.

Pre-Health Club at local community colleges

Membership: MCAT study groups, guest physician panels, application workshops

Leadership: Officer roles in programming and outreach

Networking: Peer mentors and alumni physician connections

Volunteer groups affiliated with local hospitals

Membership: Clinical volunteering coordination and health career exposure

Leadership: Event leads and volunteer site captains

Networking: Connections to hospital volunteer coordinators

AI Assessment

Pre-Med Fit at Colorado School of Trades

Strengths

  • Clinical Opportunities: Hospital and clinic access near campus
  • Advising: Pre-health advising and peer mentor networks
  • Volunteer Opportunities: Community and clinical service pathways
  • Access to multiple hospital systems near Lakewood

Challenges

  • Research may require extra initiative compared to R1 peers
  • STEM Resources may require extra initiative compared to R1 peers

Recommended Strategy

  1. Join research or a structured lab by sophomore year
  2. Begin sustained clinical volunteering freshman or sophomore year
  3. Complete MCAT prep with a diagnostic by spring junior year
  4. Build strong physician and science faculty recommendations over 2+ semesters
  5. Consider enrolling in prerequisite science courses at a nearby community college or university to build a strong foundation for medical school applications.

How Ready Are You For Medical School?

Estimate your readiness profile while planning at Colorado School of Trades.

Enter at least one metric above to see your estimated readiness score.

Track Progress In Pre-Med OS

Start Your Pre-Med Journey

Build your personalized plan for Colorado School of Trades with GPA tracking, MCAT prep, and medical school match tools.

  • GPA Tracking
  • MCAT Planner
  • Clinical Hours Tracker
  • Volunteer Tracker
  • Research Portfolio
  • Medical School Match
  • Application Timeline
  • AI Advisor
View full Colorado School of Trades college profile

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