Preparing to Apply to Medical School

Prerequisite Coursework

The suggested course of study outlined below represents the minimal course requirements for medical school. For requirements of other programs see the Health Related Careers page. Specific medical schools will have additional requirements so you should visit web sites of schools you are interested in to learn what these might be.

These pre-professional courses will provide you a broad educational background - a strong foundation in the natural sciences, highly developed communication skills and a solid background in the social sciences and humanities. A liberal arts education can help you achieve an understanding of self and of others. Attitudes, values and motivations are important determinants of behavior in sickness as well as in health. You should learn to state information precisely and develop a conscious technique for organizing or memorizing relevant information. It is particularly desirable that you develop your communication skills through courses in speech, writing, reading and participation in extracurricular activities. Medical schools want individuals with a diversity of backgrounds, talents and interests.

 

Medical School Prerequisite Courses

First Year Fall Spring
BIOL 108N,109N - Diversity of Life & Laboratory 3,2 (5) -
* BIOL 110N - Principles of Biology -

4

CHEM 161N – College Chemistry & Laboratory 5 -
CHEM 162N – College Chemistry II & Laboratory - 5
†MATH 100 – Intermediate Algebra 5 -
†MATH 121 – Precalculus - 4

 

Second Year Fall Spring
BIOL 221 – Cell and Molecular Biology 4 -
CHEM 221,223 – Organic Chemistry & Laboratory 5 -
CHEM 222,224 – Organic Chemistry II & Laboratory - 5

 

Third Year Fall Spring
PHYS 121N – Fundamentals of Physics I 5 -
PHYS 122N – Fundamentals of Physics II - 5

 

Recommended Courses Fall Spring
BIOL 312N – Anatomy & Physiology I & Laboratory 4 -
BIOL 313N – Anatomy & Physiology II & Laboratory - 4
BIOC 380 – Fundamentals of Biochemistry 4 -
HS 440E – Health Care & Public Policy 3 (even-numbered years)
PHIL 421E – Medical Ethics

3 (offered intermittently)

Specific Additional Requirements:

In addition, to the above courses, students must satisfy the specific requirements for their major, as well as the University’s general education requirements. Medical schools may require additional coursework in English and the humanities. It is strongly suggested that students research the specific programs that interest them, in order to make sure they will meet the school’s course requirements.

 

* Students majoring in Biological Chemistry, Microbiology, or Human Biology satisfy this requirement with other biology laboratory courses.

† A small but growing number of medical schools require a course sequence in mathematics, which may include calculus and statistics. All schools value mathematical competence. A student who places into a higher-level math, such as Math 150-Applied Calculus, should take that course instead of Math 100 and then continue on to take Math 241-Statistics. Students are strongly discouraged from taking Math 117-Probability and Linear Mathematics.