Premed Courses Medical Schools Advise

Premed courses are a foundational part of medical school admissions. They provide medical schools with an indication of how prepared and knowledgeable an applicant is, and many medical schools advise applicants to take specific courses. The general curriculum that medical schools advise is a combination of science, math and liberal arts courses, including physics, chemistry, biology, calculus and English composition. In most cases, medical schools expect applicants to take at least two semesters of each subject and in some cases, will ask for additional premed courses or upper-level replacements for introductory courses. Science Courses Medical schools often recommend applicants take the following classes before applying: • Chemistry: General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry are typically needed for admission. • Biology: Many schools recommend two semesters of biology, including at least one lab. • Physics: Most medical schools recommend two semesters of physics with lab. • Math: Two semesters, including Calculus, are typically needed for admission. In some cases, medical schools may require more science classes, like biochemistry and genetics. Additionally, some medical schools may allow you to substitute advanced classes for introductory classes in the same subject. Liberal Arts Courses Most medical schools also recommend a selection of liberal arts courses to go along with the core sciences. These are often humanities and social science based, such as: • English Composition • Economics • Psychology • Sociology • Statistics Medical schools may suggest additional classes in addition to these. Depending on your goals, you may want to consider classes in ethics, critical thinking and philosophy. Medical schools also suggest supplemental classes like anatomy and physiology to give you a better foundation in medicine. They may also suggest classes that relate to the medical profession such as health professional development or medical terminology. Depending on your interests and goals, many schools may accept substitute courses in place of the core courses.