Medical School Basic Prerequisites

Most medical schools in the US require:

• One year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) of General Biology with a laboratory - BIOL115 and BIOL116.
• One year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) of Inorganic Chemistry with a laboratory - CHEM124 and CHEM 234.
• One year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) of Organic Chemistry with a laboratory - CHEM235 and CHEM 236.
• One year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) of Physics with a laboratory - PHYS105 and PHYS 106.
• Biochemistry with a laboratory - BIOL 317 or CHEM 331.

Many schools require some college-level math, either a calculus and/or statistics course(s).

Note that beyond these basic requirements, medical schools may require additional courses. Consult the latest issue of the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) for specifics on particular schools. This book is on reserve in both the CSB and SJU library -- it is listed under pre-med advisors' names.  It can also be ordered on-line  from the Association of American Medical Colleges.  Recently the MSAR is also available on CD-ROM which adds many useful search features.  The CD can also be ordered from the AAMC Web site.

Explore the following links to obtain information on:

• Admissions requirements for schools that many of our graduates attend.
• The AAMC's comprehensive list of all the medical schools in the U.S. and Canada with links to their web pages.
• A searchable list of medical schools in the U.S. and Canada from the Princeton Review site --  offers information on admissions, specific pre-requisites, financial aid, academics, student life, etc., for each selected school.