Pre-medical
Encyclopedia
Pre-medical is a term used to describe a track an undergraduate student in the United States pursues prior to becoming a medical student. It refers to the activities that prepare an undergraduate student for medical school
, such as pre-med coursework, volunteer activities, clinical experience, research, and the application process.
. A student on a pre-med track is permitted to choose any undergraduate major in any field of study, so long as certain required courses are completed. Such courses are generally focused in the scientific fields of biology
, chemistry
, organic chemistry
, and physics
and are necessary for an individual to be prepared for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
and satisfy most medical school pre-requisite requirements. It is for this reason students on a pre-med track generally undertake a major associated with one of those fields; however, an increasing number of students with a background in humanities have been applying in recent years, a situation applauded by medical schools. For example, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
has created a program specifically for non-science majors. The Humanities and Medicine Program grants admission to undergraduates majoring in the humanities or social sciences without requiring the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
or science coursework.
, the required standardized exam that medical schools use to identify qualified candidates. Once the test is taken, students apply to various schools using the automated AMCAS
system, or using a non-AMCAS-using school's own application. AMCAS primary applications are verified by AMCAS staff, a process that often takes four to six weeks. The application process consists of a review of academic records, MCAT scores, activities, work experience, and a personal statement. Applicants can expect to hear from schools within a few months, at which point they may receive "secondary applications". Different schools have different policies on sending secondary applications to students; many send secondary applications to all students, others screen applications prior to inviting an applicant to submit a secondary application. These applications are generated by each individual school. They generally contain essay questions that the applicant must answer to demonstrate that the applicant possesses qualities that the schools deem necessary to be a good medical student and physician. Qualified applicants can next expect to receive invitations to interview at schools. Upon completion of an interview and receipt of any additional application materials, the application is considered to be complete, and the student then waits for the school's decision to either accept or reject the student.
Increasingly, more non-traditional applicants are pursuing admittance to medical school through a "post-baccalaureate" pre-medical program. These programs may be formal, such as the programs offered through Columbia
, Johns Hopkins
, Georgetown
and Loyola
, or semi-formal, such as the program offered at Harvard
, but often consist of a student informally enrolling in a college to complete science coursework required for admission to medical school prior to sitting for the MCAT. The AAMC
maintains a list of all formal and semi-formal post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs in the United States.
has created determined required courses that every pre-med student must take. Each school is allowed to place its own further requirements.
The pre-medical coursework is offered at many American colleges and universities; however, it is considered to be a "track" that follows a certain curriculum. Most pre-medical students major in the natural sciences, such as biology
, chemistry
, or physics
, though this is not a requirement.
The courses that must be taken to meet the pre-medical requirements as set forth by the AAMC
are two years of chemistry
, with one being in organic chemistry
, one year of biology
, and one year of physics
. Most medical schools require that laboratory
courses are included or taken alongside the aforementioned courses. In addition, some allow for substitutions, such as taking one semester of biochemistry
in place of one semester of organic chemistry, or one semester of zoology
in place of one semester of biology. Some schools require or recommend additional coursework for admission to certain schools including mathematics, and English and writing courses beyond those needed for an undergraduate degree.
Pre-medical students may be advised or required to take upper level biology
and chemistry
electives, such as cellular biology, physical chemistry
, biochemistry
, molecular biology
and genetics
. Specific requirements for these courses vary by institution. Schools may also have requirements for non-science classes. Some require a certain number of general humanities
credits, while others have specific requirements for courses in English
, Psychology
, or other disciplines.
and the United Kingdom
, a number of universities offer a three or four year Bachelor of Medical Science, Bachelor of Health Sciences or Biomedical Science degree, which is similar in content and aim to pre-med courses in the US. However, it is also possible to gain entry to a professional degree program in medicine (usually the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree) directly from secondary school if the applicant achieves high grades upon graduation and is successful in the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT).
Medical school in the United States
Medical school in the United States is a four year graduate institution with the purpose of educating physicians in the field of medicine. It provides a major part of the medical education in the United States.-History:...
, such as pre-med coursework, volunteer activities, clinical experience, research, and the application process.
Major
At most colleges and universities, students do not have the option of a pre-medical majorAcademic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
. A student on a pre-med track is permitted to choose any undergraduate major in any field of study, so long as certain required courses are completed. Such courses are generally focused in the scientific fields of biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
, and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and are necessary for an individual to be prepared for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
Medical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students in the United States and Canada. It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis, and writing skills in addition to knowledge of scientific concepts and...
and satisfy most medical school pre-requisite requirements. It is for this reason students on a pre-med track generally undertake a major associated with one of those fields; however, an increasing number of students with a background in humanities have been applying in recent years, a situation applauded by medical schools. For example, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is an American medical school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, currently ranked among the top 20 medical schools in the United States. It was chartered by Mount Sinai Hospital in 1963....
has created a program specifically for non-science majors. The Humanities and Medicine Program grants admission to undergraduates majoring in the humanities or social sciences without requiring the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
Medical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students in the United States and Canada. It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis, and writing skills in addition to knowledge of scientific concepts and...
or science coursework.
Pre-med timeline
Typical pre-med students will structure their coursework in their first year at college to accommodate the required courses. After a semester, many pursue extracurricular activities that demonstrate a commitment to medicine. Once junior year arrives, students register for and take the MCATMedical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students in the United States and Canada. It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis, and writing skills in addition to knowledge of scientific concepts and...
, the required standardized exam that medical schools use to identify qualified candidates. Once the test is taken, students apply to various schools using the automated AMCAS
American Medical College Application Service
The American Medical College Application Service, abbreviated AMCAS, is a service run by the Association of American Medical Colleges through which prospective medical students can apply to various medical schools in the United States...
system, or using a non-AMCAS-using school's own application. AMCAS primary applications are verified by AMCAS staff, a process that often takes four to six weeks. The application process consists of a review of academic records, MCAT scores, activities, work experience, and a personal statement. Applicants can expect to hear from schools within a few months, at which point they may receive "secondary applications". Different schools have different policies on sending secondary applications to students; many send secondary applications to all students, others screen applications prior to inviting an applicant to submit a secondary application. These applications are generated by each individual school. They generally contain essay questions that the applicant must answer to demonstrate that the applicant possesses qualities that the schools deem necessary to be a good medical student and physician. Qualified applicants can next expect to receive invitations to interview at schools. Upon completion of an interview and receipt of any additional application materials, the application is considered to be complete, and the student then waits for the school's decision to either accept or reject the student.
Increasingly, more non-traditional applicants are pursuing admittance to medical school through a "post-baccalaureate" pre-medical program. These programs may be formal, such as the programs offered through Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
and Loyola
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
, or semi-formal, such as the program offered at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, but often consist of a student informally enrolling in a college to complete science coursework required for admission to medical school prior to sitting for the MCAT. The AAMC
Association of American Medical Colleges
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and established in 1876. It administers the Medical College Admission Test...
maintains a list of all formal and semi-formal post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs in the United States.
Coursework
The Association of American Medical CollegesAssociation of American Medical Colleges
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and established in 1876. It administers the Medical College Admission Test...
has created determined required courses that every pre-med student must take. Each school is allowed to place its own further requirements.
The pre-medical coursework is offered at many American colleges and universities; however, it is considered to be a "track" that follows a certain curriculum. Most pre-medical students major in the natural sciences, such as biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, or physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, though this is not a requirement.
The courses that must be taken to meet the pre-medical requirements as set forth by the AAMC
Association of American Medical Colleges
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and established in 1876. It administers the Medical College Admission Test...
are two years of chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, with one being in organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
, one year of biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, and one year of physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. Most medical schools require that laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
courses are included or taken alongside the aforementioned courses. In addition, some allow for substitutions, such as taking one semester of biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
in place of one semester of organic chemistry, or one semester of zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
in place of one semester of biology. Some schools require or recommend additional coursework for admission to certain schools including mathematics, and English and writing courses beyond those needed for an undergraduate degree.
Pre-medical students may be advised or required to take upper level biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
electives, such as cellular biology, physical chemistry
Physical chemistry
Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic, atomic, subatomic, and particulate phenomena in chemical systems in terms of physical laws and concepts...
, biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
, molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
and genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
. Specific requirements for these courses vary by institution. Schools may also have requirements for non-science classes. Some require a certain number of general humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
credits, while others have specific requirements for courses in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, or other disciplines.
Other countries
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, a number of universities offer a three or four year Bachelor of Medical Science, Bachelor of Health Sciences or Biomedical Science degree, which is similar in content and aim to pre-med courses in the US. However, it is also possible to gain entry to a professional degree program in medicine (usually the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree) directly from secondary school if the applicant achieves high grades upon graduation and is successful in the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT).