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Health Careers

health careers

Alternative Grade Policies for S/NS & CR/NC:

*UPDATED MARCH 2023*

Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory and Credit/No Credit Policies for Michigan Professional Health Programs:
Acceptance of Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory (S/NS) and Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) by Michigan professional health programs in place of numerical grades are outlined in the attachment below.

While a professional health program may accept prerequisite courses graded in the binary S/NS or CR/NC system, they may still request that you report your numerical grades for those courses when applying to their programs. It is important that you check the policies of each program that you plan to apply to.

View Michigan Professional Schools Grade Alternative Policies Chart HERE

MSU Resources:
Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory Grading Policy
Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory Grading Policy FAQs
Credit/No Credit Grading Policy FAQs

Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory Policies for U.S. Professional Health Programs:
Below you will find statements from professional schools across the country related to admission and S/NS grades during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Advisors for Health Professions website also provides pertinent information for future applicants.
- Medical Schools
- Dental Schools
- Physician Assistant Schools
- Physical Therapy Schools
- Pharmacy Schools
- Optometry Schools

Anesthesiologist assistants are highly skilled professionals who work under the direction of licensed anesthesiologists (specialist physicians) and as part of the anesthesia care team to design and implement anesthesia care plans. They accompany the patient before, during and after anesthesia to ensure quality and continuity of care.

Chiropractic medicine focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health.

Dentistry is the branch of the healing arts and sciences devoted to maintaining the health of the teeth, gums and other hard and soft tissues in and around the mouth.

Genetic counselors provide personalized counseling to help patients understand inherited medical conditions as they’re making decisions about their genetic health.

Physicians treat and prevent human illness, disease and injury. There are two types of physicians: the M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) and the D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine).

Occupational therapists treat injured, ill, or disabled patients of all ages through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). They help these patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for working, recreation and daily living, like getting dressed, cooking, eating and driving.

Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry are independent primary health care providers who specialize in the examination, diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures, as well as the diagnosis of related systemic conditions.

Under direction of a pathologist, the pathologists' assistant performs surgical and autopsy functions leading up to, but not including, diagnosis. Pathologists' assistants also conduct gross dissection of human tissue and surgical specimens for testing and evaluation.

During cardiac surgical procedures, the perfusionist operates a heart-lung machine and artificial blood pump, assuming the function of the heart and/or lungs while the surgeon operates on the heart.

Pharmacists are experts in the science of medications and the art of medication therapy. Pharmaceutical care encompasses the full range of pharmacist’s skills, knowledge and abilities in providing medication services to patients.

Physician assistants, under a physician’s supervision, perform many patient care tasks which were traditionally conducted by doctors. They may perform complete physical examinations, give treatment, and prescribe certain drugs and counsel patients on their health problems.

Physical therapists work with people who have been physically disabled by illness or accident or who are born with a handicap. Physical therapist works to develop and deliver appropriate treatment programs.

Podiatric medicine is a branch of the medical sciences devoted to the study of human movement with medical care of the foot and ankle as its primary focus.

Graduates of the Schools of Public Health work primarily in the public sector in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention. They are distinct from other health professionals in that they are oriented to the community and prevention, rather than to curing individuals.