Saginaw Valley State University

Discover something new when you come to SVSU

At Saginaw Valley State University, our health and medicine programs go above and beyond to prepare Cardinals to achieve in their medical careers. Our hard-working students are determined to challenge themselves and soar to new heights. The Cardinals in Pre-health programs care deeply about their community and are dedicated to helping the people they serve. They study neuroscience, biochemistry, biology, and more. They become supportive caregivers, dedicated doctors, committed dentists, and compassionate veterinarians. Our students develop into leaders who continually rise to the challenge and overcome obstacles. We combine classroom knowledge with extensive real-world field experiences so our students are prepared and empowered to succeed every step of the way.

Supportive mentorship from experienced professors
We understand the power of one-on-one, personalized mentoring. Our devoted SVSU faculty members are committed to working with students to guide them on the path to success. Because of our small class sizes and experienced professors, our students receive individualized advising for classes, medical school applications, career planning, mock interviews, and more. SVSU is passionate about mentoring students and helping them reach their highest potential.

World-class advisors
To provide support and guidance in your academic pursuits, you'll have the opportunity to work with some of the best advisors in the country, including Heidi Lang, a pre-health professions advisor with over 20 years of experience empowering students seeking medical careers and helping them accomplish their goals. In fact, she was recently honored with the Father Joseph L. Walter Award for Outstanding Health Professions Advising from a 12-state region.

Research and community engagement
At SVSU, we engage with our community and are passionate about providing the best medical care for all. Our funding for research and grants provides students with unique opportunities to extend their learning in engaging ways with the neighboring communities. We have $6 million awarded for undergraduate research and recently received a $2.8 million grant for students in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner post-graduate certificate program to learn about the opioid epidemic in rural Michigan. Beyond these, many students are engaged in original and faculty-mentored research, publishing and presenting their findings at conferences around the globe.

Real-world experience with state-of-the-art simulation centers
We know the importance of hands-on experience, which is why we give our Cardinals every opportunity to learn both in and out of the classroom. Our $28 million state-of-the-art health sciences building features innovative labs and patient simulations that provide students with plenty of practical experience. The University also partners with regional hospitals, providing hundreds of clinical hours working alongside experienced health care professionals. At SVSU, your success is our top priority—we have the resources and opportunities to help you thrive.