What Are the Prerequisites for Medical School?

If you’re just starting out on this journey, you might feel out of place when everyone refers to the prerequisites for medical school or discusses their “prereq” coursework.

It’s a simple enough question, but many students still feel silly asking it: “What are the prerequisites for medical school?” Most medical schools will require you to take certain basic science coursework. Others will expand on this to include a few more courses. Knowing the prerequisites for medical school will help you plan your studies.

All schools will require you to have taken two semesters of biology with laboratory, two semesters of general chemistry with laboratory, two semesters of organic chemistry with laboratory, and two semesters of physics with laboratory. To maximize your chances, these requirements should not be completed with AP courses unless you will take a more advanced course in the subject in college.

In addition, some schools will require a semester or two of math (calculus) and a semester or two of writing intensive work (usually English courses, not creative writing).

While many schools do not officially require a baccalaureate degree, very few students without an undergraduate degree are accepted. Figuring out when and how to take these courses, and coordinate them with MCAT study can really help set a young applicant apart from her more confused peers. Good luck!

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