Requirements

Course prerequisites vary by medical school,  as do policies for accepting various types of credit. It is wise to check with individual medical school admissions officials or school websites for specific requirements. MSAR is also an excellent source of compiled information - class requirements and much more - about allopathic medical schools.

As one example of typical requirements, the UAMS course list is shown below.

UAMS pre-requisite courses

For our campus, the following courses would satisfy these requirements:

  • Biology:
    • Principles of Biology (BIOL 10103)/Principles of Biology Laboratory (BIOL 10101) or Biology for Majors (BIOL 10104) or Honors Principles of Biology (BIOL 101H3)Honors Principles of Biology Laboratory (BIOL 101H1)
    • General Genetics (BIOL 23373)
    • Any 20000+ level biology course 
  • Chemistry:
    • Organic Chemistry 1 (CHEM 36053)/Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory (CHEM 36051) or Honors Organic Chemistry 1 (CHEM 360H3)/Honors Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory (CHEM 360H2) or Organic Chemistry I Lecture for Chemistry Majors (CHEM 37073)/Organic Chemistry I Lab for Chemistry Majors (CHEM 37072)
    • Organic Chemistry 2 (CHEM 36023)/Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory (CHEM 36201) or Honors Organic Chemistry 2 (CHEM 362H3)/Honors Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory (CHEM 362H2) or Organic Chemistry II Lecture for Chemistry Majors (CHEM 37203)/Organic Chemistry II Lab for Chemistry Majors (CHEM 37202)
    • Elements of Biochemistry (CHEM 38103) or Honors Biochemistry I (CHEM 481H3) + Honors Biochemistry II (CHEM 484H3)
  • Physics
    • College Physics I (PHYS 20103)/College Physics I Laboratory (PHYS 20101) or University Physics I (PHYS 20304) or  Honors University Physics I (PHYS 203H4)
    • College Physics II (PHYS 20203)/College Physics II Laboratory (PHYS 20201) or University Physics II (PHYS 20404) or Honors Univesity Physics II (PHYS 204H4)
  • English
    • 6 hours of any courses coded as ENGL - ACT exemptions for English Composition 1 and 2 do not satisfiy this requirement
  • Statistics
    • Any statistics course will satisy this requirement, including field-specific statistics courses
  • Social Sciences
    • General Psychology (PSYC 20003) or Honors General Psychology (PSYC 200H3)
    • General Sociology (SOCI 10103) or Honors General Sociology (SOCI 101H3)
    • Any upper-level psychology or sociology course
    • Any anthropology, ethics, logic, philosophy, religion or theology course

Courses recommended for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

Regardless of major, students are encouraged to take the following courses to be prepared for the MCAT.

  • Cell Biology (BIOL 25473)
  • Human Physiology (BIOL 24103)
  • General Chemistry I – II (CHEM 12073/12071 + CHEM 12283/12281 or CHEM 14103/14101 + CHEM 14203/14201 or CHEM 14103/14101 + CHEM 142H3/142H1) 
  • Organic Chemistry I – II (CHEM 36053/36051 + CHEM 36203/36201 or CHEM 360H3/360H2 + CHEM 362H3/362H2)
  • Biochemistry (CHEM 38103 or CHEM 481H3 + CHEM 484H3)
  • Physics I - II (PHYS 20103/20101 + PHYS 20203/20201 or PHYS 20304 + PHYS 20404 or PHYS 203H4 + PHYS 204H4)
  • Psychology (PSYC 20003 or PSYC 200H3)
  • Sociology (SOCI 10103) or  SOCI 101H3)


Other courses often cited as beneficial

  • Social Psychology (PSYC 30103) (and/or other upper level Psychology or Sociology)
  • Prokaryote Biology (BIOL 40403)
  • Biostatistics (STAT 28233) and/or another Experimental Design class (ex: STAT 43733)

Students may benefit from completing the following courses before matriculating into medical school. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, and students are encouraged to be on the lookout for new class listings.

  • Philosophy (Bioethics (PHIL 31203), Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 20003 or 200H3), or Logic (PHIL 22003))
  • Human Anatomy (BIOL 24003/24001)
  • Genetics (BIOL 23373)
  • General Microbiology (BIOL 20003/20001 or BIOL 20003/200H1)   
  • Cell Physiology (BIOL 42673)
  • Cancer Biology (BIOL 45673)
  • Developmental Biology (BIOL 45473 or BIOL 45574)
  • Basic Immunology (BIOL 47183 or BIOL 471H3)
  • Mechanisms of Pathogenesis (BIOL 47073)
  • Terminology for Health Professions (PBHL 26603)
  • Introduction to Neurobiology (BIOL 47973)
  • General Virology (BIOL 57503)
  • Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIOL 52373)
  • Mechanics of Human Movement (EXSC 33503)