Lackawanna College campus

Pre-Med Planning Guide

Pre-Med at Lackawanna College

Scranton, PA

Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna College offers focused programs in Health Sciences and Nursing that support students aiming for medical careers. While it does not have a dedicated pre-med major, students can complete essential pre-med coursework and gain practical experience in healthcare fields.

Lackawanna College provides foundational preparation for pre-med students through its health sciences and nursing programs, although students should plan carefully to meet competitive medical school prerequisites.

Pre-Med Strength

6.4/10

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

Why Students Choose Lackawanna 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 Scranton
  • Active pre-health community with 3+ student organizations
  • Undergraduate research through collaborations with local healthcare providers and community health initiatives
  • Personalized planning tools in Pre-Med OS tailored to Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna College.

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

Collaborations with local healthcare providers and community health initiatives

LimitedModerateStart: Sophomore Year

Summer Research Programs

Participation in faculty-led health sciences projects

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 Scranton, PA.

Geisinger Community Medical Center

On campus / < 5 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

Regional Hospital of Scranton

5–15 mi

Volunteer

Medium

Shadowing

Medium

Research

Medium

Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono

15–30 mi

Volunteer

Medium

Shadowing

Medium

Research

Limited

Pre-Health Student Organizations

Build leadership, service, and networking depth for AMCAS.

Pre-Med Society

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

Leadership: Officer roles in programming and outreach

Networking: Peer mentors and alumni physician connections

Health Sciences Club

Membership: Clinical volunteering coordination and health career exposure

Leadership: Event leads and volunteer site captains

Networking: Connections to hospital volunteer coordinators

Nursing Student Association

Membership: National pre-health honor society recognition

Leadership: Chapter officers and service project leads

Networking: Inter-chapter and national pre-med network

AI Assessment

Pre-Med Fit at Lackawanna College

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 Scranton

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. Leverage local hospital partnerships to gain early clinical exposure and strengthen medical school applications.

How Ready Are You For Medical School?

Estimate your readiness profile while planning at Lackawanna College.

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 Lackawanna College 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 Lackawanna College college profile

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