Bachelor of Science in Microbiology Pre Medicine Track

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Iowa State University

Program Overview

The B.S. in Microbiology at Iowa State University is designed for students who want to understand microorganisms and their roles in human health, agriculture, the environment and biotechnology, while also gaining extensive hands-on laboratory experience. It is particularly suitable for students planning to pursue human medicine or other health professions, with coursework spanning microbiology, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and specialized areas such as immunology, virology and microbial genetics.

Curriculum Structure:

First Year: Students establish a strong scientific foundation through MICRO 1010: Microbial World, BIOL 2110: Principles of Biology I, and CHEM 1770: General Chemistry I, alongside laboratory work in biology and chemistry. In the spring, MICRO 3020: Biology of Microorganisms, MICRO 3000L: Introductory Microbiology Laboratory, and BIOL 2120: Principles of Biology II introduce students to microorganisms, their biology and fundamental laboratory techniques.

Second Year: Students move into more medically and molecularly focused science with MICRO 3100: Medical Microbiology and MICRO 3100L: Medical Microbiology Laboratory, studying infectious bacterial and viral agents and laboratory approaches to medically significant microorganisms. CHEM 3310: Organic Chemistry I, CHEM 3320: Organic Chemistry II, and BIOL 3130: Principles of Genetics build the chemistry and genetics foundation that is particularly relevant to pre-medical preparation.

Third Year: The curriculum advances into molecular and cellular processes through MICRO 3200: Molecular and Cellular Bacteriology, while BIOL 3140: Principles of Molecular Cell Biology strengthens understanding of cellular mechanisms. Students also complete physics and can use microbiology electives to explore areas such as environmental microbiology, immunology, virology or other specialized subjects.

Fourth Year: Students complete advanced laboratory and professional work through MICRO 4400: Laboratory in Microbial Physiology, Diversity, and Genetics and MICRO 4500: Undergraduate Capstone Colloquium, supported by advanced microbiology electives and BBMB 4040/4050: Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II. This final stage emphasizes laboratory competency, research, communication and integration of microbiological knowledge, while the pre-health pathway can support preparation for medical or other professional schools.

Focus Areas: General microbiology, medical microbiology, microbial genetics, physiology, immunology, virology, parasitology, food microbiology, environmental microbiology, molecular and cellular bacteriology, microbial ecology, and microbial genomics.

Learning Outcomes: Graduates are expected to research and critically evaluate microbiology topics, use microbiological laboratory techniques and equipment, explain microbial structure, function, metabolism and genetics, interpret laboratory data, follow laboratory protocols, communicate scientific findings, collaborate across disciplines, and evaluate the relationship between microbiology, society and ethical issues.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The program's official materials state that its core courses are recommended by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and that the degree provides preparation for human medicine and other professional programs; a separate program-specific professional accreditation is not stated on the official Iowa State Microbiology pages.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Iowa State's official Microbiology materials identify preparation for employment in professional settings, including biotechnology firms, pharmaceutical and vaccine development, government laboratories, biomedical research, public health and food safety, but an official program-specific QS, Guardian or other employability ranking is not stated on the university's Microbiology pages.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the B.S. in Microbiology – Pre-Medicine Track at Iowa State University build practical laboratory skills through microbiology coursework that emphasizes hands-on investigation of microorganisms, laboratory techniques and experimental methods. The program is supported by specialized teaching and research facilities, including microbiology laboratories and research opportunities through the Department of Microbiology, while the university’s pre-health resources help students connect their academic preparation with clinical and professional experiences. The curriculum also allows students to pursue undergraduate research and experiential opportunities that complement their preparation for medical school.

Practical learning opportunities include:

Microbiology Laboratories: Students develop laboratory skills through courses in microbiology that involve experimental investigation and techniques used to study microorganisms.
Undergraduate Research: The Department of Microbiology provides opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in faculty-led research, allowing them to gain experience with scientific investigation and laboratory research.
Research Facilities: Students can engage with research areas spanning microbial physiology, microbial genetics, pathogenesis, immunology, food microbiology and environmental microbiology.
Laboratory Techniques: Microbiology coursework provides practical experience with methods used to culture, identify and analyze microorganisms and investigate microbial processes.
Pre-Medicine Preparation: The pre-medicine track combines microbiology studies with preparation for professional health programs, allowing students to build the scientific foundation required for medical-school pathways.
Clinical & Professional Experience: Iowa State’s pre-health advising resources help students identify opportunities such as clinical experience, shadowing, volunteering and other activities relevant to professional health-school applications.
Faculty Research: Students may work alongside microbiology faculty on research projects, providing exposure to research methods and the process of communicating scientific findings.
Specialized Research Areas: Department research includes microbial pathogenesis, immunology, microbial genetics, virology, food microbiology and microbial ecology, giving students opportunities to connect laboratory learning with current microbiological research.
Internships & Experiential Opportunities: Iowa State provides undergraduate experiential-learning and internship resources; however, the official Microbiology Pre-Medicine program information does not state that a specific internship is required for the degree.
Specific Software/Digital Tools: The official program information does not identify a specific software package or digital tool as a required component of the Microbiology Pre-Medicine track.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Microbiology – Pre-Medicine Track provides a strong scientific foundation for students planning to enter medical school while also keeping pathways open to graduate study and microbiology-related employment. Iowa State reports that approximately 45% of microbiology graduates continue into graduate school, medical school, pharmacy, veterinary, dental, public health or medical laboratory science programs, while the remaining 55% enter microbiology-related employment.

Career roles: Microbiologist, Food Microbiologist, Vaccine Developer, Immunologist.

Career and progression opportunities:

Pre-med advising: Iowa State's Pre-Health and Pre-Medical Professions Advising team provides personalized academic planning, application assistance, health-profession exploration and guidance on alternative pathways if students' goals change.
Medical-school preparation: The Microbiology curriculum includes Medical Microbiology, Immunology, chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics coursework that helps satisfy science-based prerequisites for professional schools and provides preparation for the MCAT.
Career services: LAS Career Services supports students with medical-school mock interviews, health-related internship searches and résumé preparation.
Graduate outcomes: Iowa State reports that about 45% of each graduating class has continued into graduate school, medical school, pharmacy school, veterinary school, dental school, public health programs or medical laboratory science programs.
Direct employment: About 55% of graduates enter microbiology-related careers, including food microbiology, vaccine development, microbiology, laboratory technician and immunology roles, with graduates working in the private sector, USDA laboratories and academia.
Salary figures: Not stated by Iowa State's official Microbiology undergraduate program pages; therefore, no program-specific graduate salary figure is provided.
Industry connections: Iowa State's industry-partnership network provides opportunities for students to gain practical experience through internships, part-time employment and class projects, while the university's Research Park connects students with global businesses and research opportunities.
Research partnerships: Iowa State's Antimicrobial Resistance Consortium brings together researchers from Iowa State, the University of Iowa, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Mayo Clinic and USDA Agricultural Research Service teams, with an emphasis on multidisciplinary research and industry-academic-government collaboration.
Professional standards: The Microbiology program uses a core curriculum recommended by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), including general microbiology, medical microbiology, microbial genetics and physiology.
Accreditation value: No specific professional accreditation is stated for the B.S. in Microbiology on the official Iowa State program pages; the program instead highlights its ASM-recommended curriculum and professional and technical preparation.
Research progression: Undergraduate Research Assistantships allow eligible juniors and seniors to gain hands-on experience in formal research environments while developing technical and specialized research skills.
Long-term outcomes: The program prepares graduates either to enter the professional microbiology community or to pursue an advanced degree, while the pre-medicine pathway provides structured preparation for medical and other health-professional programs.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor's degree, students can apply to medical school or pursue other professional programs such as dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, optometry, physician assistant programs and medical laboratory science. The degree also provides a foundation for M.S. or Ph.D. study in microbiology, with Iowa State itself offering graduate degrees in microbiology.