Question: What Are the Typical Academic Prerequisites to Apply to Medical School?
Answer: Whether or not you are a premed major there are several courses that medical school admissions committees look for. Admissions committees look for applicants with potential - who have the capacity to do he academic work entailed in earning a medical degree. That means that you need to show that you have the capacity to handle all of the math and science required to get through med school. Your undergraduate coursework is a good indicator of your preparation and your ability to succeed in the academic aspects of medical school.
You don't need to major in premed. Many universities don't have premed programs. Med school applicants often major in biology, but med schools do not require a specific major. Take courses in a variety of subjects but include plenty of math and science courses. The specific classes that medical school admissions committees look for include:
Course Requirements include:
- 1 year of Biology (with Lab)
- 1 year of Inorganic Chemistry (with Lab)
- 1 year of Organic Chemistry (with Lab)
- 1 year of English
- 1 year of Calculus or College Level Math
- 1 semester of Biochemistry
A student’s overall GPA, a GPA in science courses, and a GPA in non-science courses are calculated separately. Medical Schools prefer students with a GPA of at least 3.5 in each GPA category (based on the US 4.0 scale).
