PRE-MEDICINE

Pre-medicine is the preparation needed to apply to and attend medical school.  The requirements for medical school are standardized to some degree by the Association of American Medical Colleges but students should familiarize themselves with the schools to which they intend to apply.  As a point of interest, admission to medical schools although always very competitive, is becoming even more selective.

Students interested in medicine should be self-motivated, be able to make decisions under pressure, and be willing to put in long hours of training and service as well as demonstrate success in all academics.  In addition to a competitive college preparatory program, helpful high school courses include biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and psychology.

Most pre-medicine programs require similar courses.  A typical program might include four years of academics including two courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics and a course in calculus.  These courses would be taken by the end of the junior year so students would be prepared for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in the spring of the junior year.  Other courses that are sometimes required include comparative vertebrae anatomy, embryology, biochemistry, literature, and a foreign language.

Medical school placement depends on academic performance, experiences, MCAT scores, and intangible personal qualities.

