Pre-Medicine Prerequisite Courses
Common Prerequisites
The following coursework is required by most medical schools. These recommendations are based on the scope of knowledge covered in the MCAT Exam. Be sure to discuss all your coursework with your advisor.
- ENG 101** and 102** English Composition 1 & 2 (8 credits)
- MATH 153** PreCalculus I. This is the minimum, see note below and discuss with advisor (5 credits)
- PHYS 111*, 112, 113 Introductory Physics (15 credits)
- OR PHYS 121*, 122, 123 Introductory Physics for Life Sciences (15 credits)
- OR PHYS 181, 182, 183 General Physics (15 credits)
- BIOL 181, 182, 183 General Biology, with labs (15 credits)
- CHEM 181*, 182, 183 General Chemistry, with labs (15 credits)
- CHEM 361, 362, 363 Organic Chemistry, with labs (13 credits)
*MATH 153 is a prerequisite **General Education Course
NOTE: Of the 133 Medical Schools in the US/Puerto Rico, 17 require Calculus (Math 170 Intuitive Calculus OR Calculus I). The only public universities that require it are: Penn State, Texas A&M, and UC-Irvine.
The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine - Washington State University (WSU) in Spokane, WA
- English or other intensive writing course (9 quarter hours)
- Mathematics, Preferred focus: Statistics (9 quarter hours)
- Biology with lab, Preferred focus: Genetics, Molecular Biology (12 quarter hours)
- Organic Chemistry with lab (6 quarter hours)
- Physics with lab (6 quarter hours)
University of Washington School of Medicine (UW) in Seattle, WA
The University of Washington requires that pre-med curriculum “must include college level chemistry and biology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, cell biology/cell physiology, although applicants are not required to take courses with these specific titles.”
- Social Sciences, Humanities or "human condition" (4 semesters or 6 quarters)
- Chemistry and Biology (6 semesters or 9 quarters)
- Physics (2 semesters or 3 quarters)
- OR physics (1 semester or 2 quarters ) plus calculus or linear algebra (1 semester or 2 quarters)
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) in Yakima, WA
- English Composition and Literature (9 quarter hours)
- General Chemistry (12 quarter hours)
- Organic Chemistry (12 quarter hours--4 hours of which can be Biochemistry)
- Physics (12 quarter hours)
- Biological Sciences (18 quarter hours)
Recommended Electives
You should choose your electives after discussion with your advisor. The list below is NOT intended to be a course of study plan.
- BIOL 213 Introductory Biostatistics (4 credits)
- BIOL 321 Genetics (5 credits)
- BIOL 353 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (6 credits)
- BIOL 354 General Vertebrate Embryology (5 credits)
- BIOL 355 and 356 Human Anatomy and Physiology (10 credits)
- BIOL 430 Cellular Biology (5 credits)
- CHEM 431 Biochemistry (3 credits)
- ANTH 357 Medical Anthropology (4 credits)
- Humanities and Social Sciences electives (25 credits)
Examples of General Education courses in the humanities include:
- PHIL 104 Current Ethical Issues
- PHIL 308 Medical Ethics
- HUM 103 Cultures in Modern Society
- ENG 247 Multicultural Literature
- ENG 347 Global Perspectives in Literature
- Communication courses, such as COM 207 Interpersonal Communication or COM 302 Multicultural Communication
Examples of Social Sciences General Education courses include:
- SOC 101 Social Problems
- SOC 107 Principles of Sociology
- PSY 101 General Psychology or other courses covering the diversity of people and cultures.
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