Shadowing, Applying to Med/PA School, Medical Careers
Understanding Pre-Med Course Requirements: A Student’s Perspective
About Luke
Luke Orr is a recent graduate of University of Oregon. As an undergraduate, he majored in human physiology and earned minors in business administration, sports business, and chemistry. During the summer between his sophomore and junior year, he participated in the Atlantis Summer 2017 shadowing program in Toruń, Poland. He is currently applying to medical school with an interest in orthopedics and sports medicine.
Common questions from pre-med students in Atlantis frequently revolve around course requirements for medical school. What do these requirements look like? Are there any specific classes that are needed for admittance to medical school? It can be overwhelming to go through several different resources to find information on this, so I have provided what I have learned below in my own research and experience as a pre-med in hopes that it can help to clarify this important question.
The Basics of Pre-Med Courses
When considering the number of students applying to medical school and the variety of courses that exist at different universities, it would be near impossible to require specific classes that are needed for admittance. Many schools might not offer that particular class, therefore reducing both students and medical schools available. Instead, course requirements are often by general subject areas rather than specific course names. A typical requirement might look like this:
- One year of biology
- One year of general chemistry
- One year of organic chemistry
- One year of physics
- A math requirement (calculus and/or statistics)
- One year of English
Many schools require the accompanying labs to be taken with biology, chemistry, and physics. Biochemistry and social/behavioral science (psychology, sociology) are other areas that are regularly required, although one semester may be sufficient for that school. It is also common for schools to list subject areas that are not required but “highly recommended” for success in their curriculum. Listed coursework may include anatomy, physiology, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, public health, humanities, and social sciences.
Exceptions to the Above List
Despite the significant similarities in course requirements for medical schools, there can unfortunately be some exceptions to the basic guidance introduced above. One notable difference is the University of Arizona School of Medicine, which states the following requirements:
- One year of physiology
- One year of biochemistry
- One semester of social and behavioral sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology, public health)
- One semester of statistics (biostatistics recommended)
- Upper-division of any two from different disciplines of the following: molecular biology, cell biology, histology, microbiology, pharmacology, pathology, or immunobiology OR can use one semester of any genetics course if taken two semesters of biochemistry
- One year of English (or other intensive writing course)
As seen here these requirements differ with one whole year of biochemistry, as opposed to one semester, as well as the upper division disciplines.
Tips for Pre-Med Course Requirements
Due to the fact that there tend to be some differences even in the general course requirements between medical schools (requirement of labs, one semester vs. one year) and that a few schools exist with major distinctions, it is always important to check the course requirements for any schools that are under consideration. This can easily be done by going to the website of that medical school, as information about course requirements can be found under tabs such as “admissions” or “admission requirements”.
Contacting the admissions department can also be extremely valuable in determining if previous courses completed satisfy those that are required for admittance. Credit can oftentimes be earned with courses that might not seem to satisfy those required at first. n my personal experience, I was able to meet University of Arizona’s requirement of a full year of biochemistry with one of the general biology courses I had taken. I was also able to use a human physiology class titled “Muscle Metabolism” as a “molecular biology” upper-division discipline. Although the general biology course technically wasn’t biochemistry and Muscle Metabolism technically wasn’t molecular biology, there was enough overlap in content for me to receive credit for those requirements. In this way, a simple phone call or email with a class syllabus can save you the time and money of taking a class that is not needed!
If there are any other general questions, the Atlantis blog can be a great resource to gain direction. It is not uncommon for alumni to have encountered the same challenges as you, and they may be able to offer some helpful insight for your next steps.
Our Alumni Enter Great Medical Schools
John Daines
- Atlantis '17
- Brigham Young University '19
- Washington U. in St. Louis MD '23
Zoey Petitt
- Atlantis '17
- U. of Arizona '18
- Duke MD '23
Zoey Petitt
Hungary ’17 || University of Arizona (undergraduate) ’18
Completed Atlantis Program Location and Date:
Hungary, Summer 2017
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
I believe it was very helpful.
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
For me, my Atlantis experience played a key role in confirming my decision to go into medicine. This was important for me to discuss during the admissions process.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews?
Yes
Yong-hun Kim
- Atlantis '17
- Stanford '19
- Mayo Clinic MD '24
Yong-Hun Kim
Budapest, Hungary ’17 || Stanford University
Program:
Budapest, Hungary – Winter 2017
Undergraduate:
Stanford University class of 2019
Major:
Computer Science
Honors:
Bio-X Grant (award for research)
Undergraduate Activities:
President and Founder of Stanford Undergraduate Hospice and Palliative Care, Volunteer for Pacific Free Clinic, Research Assistant in Wernig Pathology Lab, President of Hong Kong Student Association, violin performance
Describe Atlantis in three words:
Eye-opening. Spontaneous. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I chose the Atlantis program because it combines opportunities to shadow physicians and travel abroad, both of which I had little prior exposure to.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
My favorite experience as an Atlantis participant came in the stories exchanged over meals or excursions and the breadth of conversation that reflected the diversity of backgrounds within our cohort and site managers.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I appreciated the chance to speak with physicians in Budapest and hear their personal motivations for pursuing medicine because it really helped better contextualize and validate my own interest in medicine. The physicians were also just really welcoming, relatable, and down-to-earth people.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
The Atlantis program has equipped me with a better understanding of what a career in medicine looks like, which I think is an invaluable gift considering the long road ahead of those who aspire to be a physician.
How has Atlantis equipped you for active leadership in the medical field?
The ability to interact and empathize with patients of diverse backgrounds and communities is a necessity to be a leader in the medical field. I think the Atlantis program, through my interactions with mentors and their patients, has helped me take my first steps toward attaining the cultural vocabulary and literacy required of a physician.
Megan Branson
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Montana '19
- U. of Washington MD '24
Sarah Emerick
- Atlantis '19
- Eckerd College '20
- Indiana U. MD '25
Snow Nwankwo
- Atlantis '19
- Catholic U. of America '21
- Georgetown U. MD '26
Tiffany Hu
- Atlantis '16
- U. of Maryland '17
- U. of Michigan MD '22
Tiffany Hu
Tereul, Spain ’16 || U Michigan Medical School
Program:
Teruel, Spain – Summer 2016
Undergraduate:
University of Maryland class of 2017
Admitted medical student at:
University of Michigan Medical School
Major:
Neurobiology
Honors:
Honors Integrated Life Sciences Program, Banneker/Key Scholarship
Extracurricular Activities:
American Medical Student Association Co-President & Advocacy Day Liaison, Alternative Breaks Experience Leader, Health Professions Advising Office Student Advisory Board, Biology Teach Assistant, Health Leads, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, NIH Research Intern, Physicians for Social Responsibility Environment & Health Intern
Describe Atlantis in Three Words:
Educational. Eye-opening. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I wanted to expand my horizons and understand a culture of health different from the ones I am accustomed to. I had shadowed doctors in the United States and Taiwan prior to my Atlantis program experience, and being able to see first-hand the healthcare system in Spain allowed me to draw comparisons between the different complex healthcare systems.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
Bonding with the other participants and celebrating our time together along with the doctors we shadowed. We would discuss our interests, passions, and motivation for medicine, and it was an incredible experience to learn from and alongside them.
What was your experience with the doctors you were shadowing?
Because of the pre-established relationships with the hospitals in which we shadowed, all the doctors were very welcoming and accommodating. They were willing to translate for us and explain in detail all of their medical decisions. My doctors and I had wonderful conversations about the differences between life in Spain vs. the United States.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I was excited to scrub in on surgeries and watch as the doctor explained what he was doing throughout the operation. Before and after surgeries, as well as in my other rotations, I observed how the doctors reassured and communicated with their patients. I was able to glean insight into differences between the experience of health in Spain versus the United States through observation as well as conversations with the doctors.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
Besides the wealth of medical knowledge I gained from shadowing the doctors, I challenged myself to step outside of my cultural comfort zone and explore more than I thought I was capable of. Atlantis allowed me to make connections with people from all around the United States and abroad, and the friendships I gained helped me learn so much more than I would have on my own.
Lauren Cox
- Atlantis '18
- Louisiana Tech '20
- U. of Arkansas MD '24
Lauren Cox
Libson, Portugal ’18 || Louisiana Tech
Completed Atlantis Program Location(s):
Lisbon, Portugal
Year of most recent program:
Fall ’17 – Summer ’18
Season of most recent program:
Summer
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
Extremely helpful
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
It exposed me to shadowing that was hard to come by in the states. It also gave me a chance to see other systems of healthcare.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews? If so, how much relative to other topics?
Yes – they wanted to know about my experience, and specifically how the healthcare I saw in another country compared to what I had seen in the USA.
Kayla Riegler
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Kentucky '20
- U. of Kentucky MD '24
About Atlantis
Atlantis is the leader in pre-health shadowing and clinical experience, offering short-term programs (1-10 weeks) over academic breaks for U.S. pre-health undergraduates. Medical schools want 3 things: (1)healthcare exposure, (2)GPA/MCAT, and (3)certain competencies. Atlantis gives you a great version of (1), frees you to focus on (2), and cultivates/shows (3) to medical school admissions committees.
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