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Clik here to view.In my numerous conversations with pre-med students, I hear many questions. Most, as you would expect, revolve around the MCAT; how do I prepare, what score do I need, and what should I do if I don’t feel ready for the exam? But many questions also focus on a subject that’s just as important – your pre-medical coursework, and how to schedule all of your medical school prerequisites.
In many ways your pre-med classes are the first step and most effective step in your prep for the MCAT; do well in them and you’ll find yourself in a much better position when the time comes to get ready for the exam. The students I’ve seen who are most successful on the MCAT are the ones who studied organic chemistry and physics hard the first time around, truly learning the material rather than just cramming for the exams.
The upcoming changes to the new MCAT also mean a change to the typical pre-med prerequisite courses we are accustomed to advising students to take.
For many years, the “traditional” pre-med prerequisites have been a year of general chemistry, a year of general biology, a year of physics, and a year of that old fan favorite, organic chemistry.
But with the new MCAT exam, which will first be administered on April 17, 2015, additional content knowledge in upper-division biochemistry, introductory psychology, and introductory sociology will also need to go on your list of requirements.
Still, the primary courses that you’ll need to take in order to prepare for the MCAT are just the tip of the iceberg in a standard pre-med curriculum.
The number and type of upper level classes that you’ll need to take will vary depending on your school and major; to get a picture that’s unique to your situation, make sure to schedule an early appointment with your pre-medical advisor. At a minimum, you’ll want to take some of the more advanced biology courses such as Genetics (a common MCAT topic), Cellular Biology, and Anatomy/Physiology – remember that not all of these courses need to be completed by the time you take the MCAT. Each medical school has its own combination of which courses are required, which are recommended, and which you don’t need to worry about, so make sure to invest in a copy of the AAMC’s Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) or AACOM’s Osteopathic Medical College Information Book (CIB) and investigate the schools in which you’re most interested. Don’t forget that you’ll also need to take labs, as well as classes outside the sciences such as Calculus, English, and the humanities.
With this long list of courses it’s easy to get intimidated and feel like you can’t fit it all in, but remember that there’s a natural progression to many of these subjects: General Chemistry prepares you for Organic Chemistry, and an introductory biology course is typically necessary before tackling any of the more specialized classes. It’s for this reason that most freshmen committed to the pre-med track dive directly into Gen Chem and Bio, knocking them out of the way early and paving the way for the next steps.
Even if you don’t get started on your requirements until sophomore or junior year though, don’t panic – one way or another it’s possible to get the classes you need to prepare for medical school. It’s not uncommon for students to switch tracks later in their education, or even several years after graduating, and still get accepted to medical school. The key is to start planning your complete schedule from the moment you decide to become a doctor, and to get as much input as possible from advisors, professors, and peers to help you on your way.
Check out our road maps to the good life at kaptest.com/unlock to learn about medical career salaries, read profiles of successful people, and see how far a higher MCAT score can take you.
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