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Academic preparation for MEDICINE
(Allopathic/Osteopathic)

REQUIRED PREREQUISITES

BIOLOGY w/lab 1 year
BIO 20A, 20B, 20L (UCI is currently requiring 1 year of lower division Bio with lab, 1/2 year of upper division Bio, UCD is currently requiring 15 quarters with lab: 1 year of lower division Bio with lab, 1/2 year upper division Bio, lab not required: 2 quarters of biochemistry, molecular bio, cell bio or genetics)

BIOCHEMISTRY
2 Quarters (Currently UCI and USC are requiring 1 semester, with UCD strongly recommending)

GENERAL CHEMISTRY w/lab 1 year
CHEM 1A, 1B/M, 1C/N

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY w/lab 1 year
112A/L, 112B/M, 112C/N
Or
108A/L, 108B/M, 108C (to satisfy all medical schools students will have to take an additional lab to fulfill the 1 year requirement)

PHYSICS w/lab 1 year
PHYS 5A/L, 5B/M, 5C/N
Or
6A/L, 6B/M, 6C/N

MATH PRECALCULUS
MATH 11/A, B, 22
Or
19A, B, 22
Note:  some schools require calculus and statistics.
Not all medical colleges require math

GENERAL STATISTICS

ENGLISH 1 YEAR
Composition and rhetoric, Lit 1, writing techniques, or intermediate writing, tragedy, science writing
Proficiency –- oral, written

BEHAVIOR SCIENCES
2 Quarters

 

DEGREES AWARDED IN THIS FIELD:
M.D.
D.O

A sample of the opportunities to earn M.D., and another degree in an area pertinent to medicine and health care include:
M.D.-PhD
M.D.-J. D.
M.D.-M.B.A.
M.D.-M.PH

The courses listed above are minimum preparation.  Please note that some of these courses, especially the sciences, may have other prerequisites such as mathematics.

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL PREPARATION

BIOLOGY
All upper division Biology courses are appropriate and desirable for medical school.

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

GENERAL BUSINESS

COMPUTER LITERACY

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

PSYCHOLOGY

SPEECH COMMUNICATION

Courses that contribute to professional and cultural background.

For general information, check http://www.aamc.org/ (for allopathic) or http://www.aacom.org/ (for osteopathic) or Medical School Admissions Requirements. For specific requirements, check each school (catalog or web site).

REMEMBER: YOU WILL BE APPLYING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 16 MONTHS BEFORE MATRICULATION. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

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