Pre-Med Requirements

Students are required to complete some important coursework prior to becoming a medical student. However most universities do not offer a specific "pre-med" major because there is no specific major required for admission to medical schools. Undergraduate students can choose to major in any subject and complete specific prerequites before applying to medical school.

Pre-med information for some of the top US universities:

University of California, Berkeley:
The University offers excellent undergraduate preparation for medical and other health related professional schools. Students can prepare by completing a Pre-Med Concentration within the Bioengineering major. While any major at the undergraduate level is acceptable, candidates must fulfill the following premedical requirements to prepare for medical school:
- 2 years of chemistry (general and organic) (Cal sequence: Chem 1A, 3A, 3B, MCB C100A)
- 1 year of physics (Cal Sequence: Phy 7A & 7B)
- 1 year of introductory biology with lab (Cal sequence: Bio 1A & 1B)
- 1 year Math (Math 1A & 1B)
- 1 Semester or 1 year of College Level English
Berkeley's acceptance rate to medical school is significantly higher than the national average.

Stanford University:
Stanford does not have a "premed" major. Therefore students are encouraged to choose a major that reflects their strongest academic interest. It can be in English Literature, Biology, Music or others, all students who apply to medical school must complete specific prerequites.
All medical school applicants are required to complete the following course requirements at the college level:
- one year of general (inorganic) chemistry with laboratory
- one year of general biology with laboratory
- one year of organic chemistry with laboratory
- one year of physics with laboratory
- one year of English
- one year of mathematics

California Institute of Technology:
Caltech provides an excellent education in the basic sciences, social sciences, and humanities for all undergraduate students, regardless of their major. This helps prepare students extremely well for the academic requirements set by medical schools. All Caltech premed students are eligible to participate in the preceptorship program at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. Caltech has an active Premed Association. As a group, premed students attend numerous topic-specific workshops, such as writing seminars, interviewing techniques, and MCAT preparation. Services for Caltech pre-med students include: Individual counseling and strategy sessions; Information on clinical and cocurricular activities; Preparation of the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) application and secondary applications; Preparation of personal statement; etc.

* Suggested Reading:

Top 10 Universities for Medicine

Med School Requirements

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Kelvin Wong Loke Yuen is an experienced writer specializing in education-related topics, with a strong background in teaching and training. He has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in education and creates practical, easy-to-understand articles that help educators, students, and professionals improve their skills and knowledge. Check out his profile on: LinkedIn.