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What are the premed requirements?

All MD and MD/PhD applicants will require to take a core course of required courses before they apply to medical school. The typical curriculum for the majority of medical schools is listed below.  However, each medical school may be slightly different.  Also, you will want to double check with the medical school you are applying to whether Advanced Placement credits can be used to satisfy requirements.  For MD/PhD applicants, the GRE General Test is typically not required. However, there are a couple MD/PhD programs that will ask if you have taken the exam and if so what is your score.  

  • 1 Year Biology with Laboratory (Can't replace with AP units)
  • 2 Year Chemistry with Laboratory (Typically most med schools accept  1 semester of general chemistry, 2 semesters of organic chemistry, and 1 semester of AP units)
  • 1 Year Physics 
  • 1 Year Calculus (Calculus AB counts for 1 semester and Calculus BC counts for 2 semester)
  • 1 to 2 semester of expository writing course

The undergraduate major doesn't matter. As long as you satisfy the core course requirements, then you are able to apply for medical school. 

Should I take premed courses at my University or Community College?

For the the premed transfer student, it is perfectly acceptable to take your premed requirements at a community college if you plan to transfer to a 4 year institution and take upper division biology, chemistry, etc.  By taking advance courses as a junior and senior at a university level, you can demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are competent and a competitive applicant.  Red flags would be solid A's at a community college but not doing well in your upper division undergraduate courses or MCAT.  

However, don't take your premed courses at a community college if you are going to be enrolled full time at a 4-year university. Admissions committee members know which institution you took your premed course requirements.  Some committee members may frown upon you taking your difficult premed courses at a community college because of the perception that a community college course is easier than one that is taught at a University. 

For post-baccalaureate premed applicants who did not have a science major as an undergraduate, then taking the premed requirements at a community college is acceptable.  However, the vast majority of the post-baccalaureate applicants that I review take their premed courses at a university extension program or a state school.  For example, California post-baccalaureate take their required courses at a University of California extension or Californiat State University campus and not at a California community college.