Higher Education Leadership
Pathways to Medical School and Careers in Biology
Program Overview
Biology at Bellarmine University offers a hands-on, modern curriculum that blends core biological science with practical training. Students build strong analytical, laboratory, and critical-thinking skills for careers in science or advanced study in medical, dental, veterinary, and other health-related fields.
Two tracks are available. The Pre-Professional Track prepares students for medical and research-focused graduate programs, while the Organismal Track offers flexible coursework aligned to careers such as teaching, law, or journalism, including an accelerated B.S. in Biology to M.A.T. pathway.
Experiential learning is central to the program, with opportunities for faculty-mentored research, study abroad, and marine biology field courses in the Bahamas and Belize.
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AMGEN Biotech Experience
The AMGEN Biotech Experience (ABE) empowers teachers to bring biotechnology to their classrooms. The ABE Kentucky program run through Bellarmine University's Biology Department provides a physical presence, centrally positioned to establish a vibrant contribution to Kentucky education.
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Research in the Bahamas or Belize
In addition to the numerous opportunities our students have to study abroad in over 50 countries, the Biology Department offers tropical marine biology courses at two locations: the Gerace Research Center at the College of the Bahamas on San Salvador Island and the Tropical Research and Education Center on Ambergris Caye in Belize..
"I would do my Biology degree 1,000 times over at BU if I could. The Biology and Biochemistry professors are passionate about their work and students, they provided me with a diverse, heavily integrated curriculum that fosters thorough understanding and curiosity for biology, as well as prepared me for the challenge of medical school. The liberal arts curriculum encouraged me to appreciate how all subjects are connected and how knowledge of all of them builds the foundation for a well-rounded worldview and education."
Rachel Crebessa ’17, Bellarmine Graduate
$75k
Starting Salary (BLS)
50
Study Abroad Destinations
12:1
Faculty-to-Student Ratio
Students graduating with degrees in Biology pursue a wide range of career and advanced
study pathways. Outcomes vary year to year, but approximately 25 percent continue
into professional programs such as medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry,
physical therapy, or pharmacy. Another 5 percent enter the life sciences workforce,
taking roles in areas such as medical supply, pharmaceutical sales, laboratory technology,
or quality control.
Roughly half of graduates continue their education through master’s or doctoral study in biology or related fields. Recent graduates have been accepted into programs at Colorado State University, Auburn University, Boston University, The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville.
Students are supported in exploring these pathways through resources provided by the Career Development Center, including career advising, internship guidance, and professional preparation services.
On Campus Experiences
The Biology Club is a student-run organization open to all Bellarmine students with an interest in biology. The club hosts lectures on topics such as medical and graduate school pathways, participates in service projects, and organizes social and field activities that connect students and faculty outside the classroom. Past experiences include trips to museums, caves, aquariums, research labs, and community-based events.
Biology students have opportunities to engage in independent research alongside faculty across diverse areas, including environmental science, genetics, neurophysiology, cancer, forensic science, biomechanics, ecology, and microbiology. Students are encouraged to begin research early in their academic careers.
Each spring, students present their work during Bellarmine’s Undergraduate Research Week and regularly co-author research posters, abstracts, and presentations at state, regional, and national conferences.
Students and faculty also collaborate with the Louisville Zoological Gardens and use Bellarmine’s on-campus greenhouse in courses such as botany, providing hands-on learning in real-world and natural environments.
Faculty
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Roberta C. Challener PhD | rchallener@bellarmine.edu | |
| Kelly Carroll PhD | kcarroll@bellarmine.edu | |
| Joanne J. Dobbins PhD | Professor Emerita | jjdobbins@bellarmine.edu |
| Caroline Doyle PhD | Co-Chair Division of Natural and Physical Sciences | cdoyle@bellarmine.edu |
| Caroline Driscoll-Braden PhD | cdriscoll-braden@bellarmine.edu | |
| Mary O. Huff PhD | mhuff@bellarmine.edu | |
| Josef J. Jareczek PhD | jjareczek@bellarmine.edu | |
| Paul J. Kiser PhD | pkiser@bellarmine.edu | |
| Mary B. Kroetz PhD | mkroetz@bellarmine.edu | |
| Anthony J. Lentz PhD | Professor Emeritus | |
| David J. Porta PhD | Professor Emeritus | dporta@bellarmine.edu |
| Gail Ramirez-Icaza PhD | gramirezicaza@bellarmine.edu | |
| David L. Robinson PhD | Professor Emeritus | drobinson@bellarmine.edu |
| Steven D. Wilt PhD | Professor Emeritus | swilt@bellarmine.edu |
Accreditation
Bellarmine University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master's, and doctorate degrees.
Contact
Carrie Doyle PhD
Associate Professor of Biology, Division Co-Chair
cdoyle@bellarmine.edu
502.272.7603
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