The Benefits of Self-Paced Online Courses: Flexibility for Your Future
By Amna Qureshi, Assistant Professor of Practice/ Curriculum Coordinator
For many students preparing for careers in medicine, dentistry, or physician assistant programs, time is both precious and limited. Balancing work, family, and school while completing critical prerequisite courses can feel overwhelming. That’s where self-paced online courses—like the ones offered by Doane University’s Open Learning Academy (OLA)—become a powerful solution.
Whether you’re changing careers or trying to fit in one last course before applying to professional school, self-paced online learning can give you the freedom and flexibility you need to move forward confidently. Here's how:
1. Learn on Your Schedule
Traditional semester-based classes can be rigid, with set deadlines and weekly meetings. For working adults or students with unpredictable schedules, this structure can create unnecessary stress.
Self-paced online courses allow you to start when you're ready and move through the material at a pace that suits your lifestyle. Whether you have a full-time job, childcare responsibilities, or just prefer to learn in the evenings or weekends, you can make progress without sacrificing other priorities.
At Doane University, OLA courses are designed with this flexibility in mind. Our asynchronous 5-week Interterm and 5-week Summer Session format means you're in control—no required login times, and no commute.
2. Take the Time You Need (or Speed Ahead!)
One of the biggest advantages of self-paced learning is that it meets you where you are. Struggling with a difficult concept in microbiology? Spend more time reviewing it. Already familiar with cellular biology from past coursework? Move through that unit more quickly.
This individualized approach allows you to master the material—not just memorize it for a test. And in healthcare fields, true understanding is critical. When you're ready to apply that knowledge in professional school or a clinical setting, you’ll be grateful for the time you took to really learn it.
3. Quality and Rigor That Align With Your Goals
At Doane University, our 5-week OLA courses aren’t shortcuts—they’re carefully designed to meet the academic standards required by professional programs. Each course is taught by experienced faculty and includes rigorous content that aligns with admissions requirements for medical, dental, and PA schools.
Our Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, and Microbiology courses are structured to give you the foundational knowledge and lab experience you need—delivered fully online and accessible from anywhere.
4. Earn Credits From a Reputable Institution
Completing your pre-med or pre-PA prerequisites through OLA means you're earning academic credit from a regionally accredited university. These credits are widely accepted by health professions schools across the country and can be submitted with your application through common services like AMCAS, AADSAS, or CASPA.
And because OLA courses are designed with busy students in mind, many of them are completed in just 8 weeks—helping you meet application deadlines without waiting for the next semester to start.
5. Build Confidence and Academic Momentum
There’s something empowering about being in control of your own learning. Students who choose self-paced courses often report greater motivation and a sense of ownership over their education. If you're returning to school after time away, or juggling competing demands, successfully completing a self-paced course can boost your confidence and help you stay on track for your goals.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At Doane University, we believe that education should fit your life—not the other way around. Our 5-week self-paced online courses are designed to help you move forward on your path to professional school with high-quality instruction, flexible scheduling, and the support of experienced faculty.
Explore our course offerings today and see how you can take control of your future—one course at a time.
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