Pre-Med Requirements

Prerequisite Courses

No specific major is required. Historically, though, most pre-medical students have majored in biology or chemistry. If one majors outside the sciences, consideration should be given to completing a minor in biology.

  • General Education Curriculum (required for all students at Houghton)
  • Core Science and Math Courses (required by med schools for admission and to prepare for the MCAT)
    • General Biology (2 semesters)
    • General Chemistry (2 semesters)
    • Organic Chemistry (2 semesters)
    • General Physics (2 semesters)
    • Calculus (1 semester)
  • Other electives available (sampling):
    • Biochemistry (required by some medical schools)
    • Molecular and Cell Biology
    • Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology
    • Genetics
    • Immunology
    • Medical Ethics
    • Microbiology

Representative Academic Timeline

Flexibility exists within this general guideline for those who choose to participate in First-Year Honors Programs or for those who decide after their first year to pursue a career in medicine.

First Year

  • General Biology
  • General Chemistry
  • General Education Requirements
  • Summer: Begin to look for possible volunteer/shadowing experiences

Second Year

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Calculus (if not taken in first year)
  • General Education requirements
  • Courses for major
  • Summer: Volunteer/shadowing experiences

Third year

  • General Physics
    (Research course available to science majors)
  • Courses for major
  • Request institutional letter of recommendation (Fall)
  • Meet with letter-writing committee
  • Review for and take MCAT
  • Begin personal statement
  • Submit list of medical schools to which you are planning to apply
  • Summer: Complete personal statement, AMCAS application, take MCAT (if not taken in spring), volunteer/shadowing experiences

Fourth Year

  • Medical Ethics (if not taken earlier)
  • Complete courses for major
  • Institutional letter of recommendation is sent
  • Secondary applications (as applicable)
  • Interview for medical schools as invited