lsu Pre Med Ranking

The Pre-Health Advising office at LSU strives to be the best, most comprehensive pre-health advising office in the country. As such, we want to be able to offer you tools and resources that can assist you in making an informed decision about your respective health profession. We hope that this website will help you with this process, and we invite you to contact any of us at any point in time should you require further assistance.

The curricula in the Department of Biological Sciences (Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, and Microbiology) include all of the courses required for entrance into most medical/dental schools. See examples in the tables below! Beyond our core courses, we offer a variety of options for students to pursue their interests in biology, prepare for professional school and demonstrate their ability to do well in challenging science courses.

Between 155 and 175 LSU graduates were admitted annually to medical schools in the U.S. over the last four years. More than 80% of these LSU graduates earned degrees in the Department of Biological Sciences. Students from the College of Science have a success rate above the national average in being admitted to medical schools.

The counselors in the College of Science are the primary premedical/predental advisors at LSU. Besides advising students, the College of Science links a great deal of useful information on their web page that you will find helpful if you are interested in a career in medicine or dentistry.

A wealth of information and support can be found at AED, a pre-professional health, honor society at LSU. AED holds meetings every two weeks designed to expose students to career options within the health care field.

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It is possible for you to find more information about is Lsu a good medical school for collegelearners. Read on to discover the latest information on what are the Isu medical school out-of-state acceptance rate.

About lsu Pre Med Course Requirements

You’re headed to college and ready to begin your premed and medical school application timeline journey.

So, does it matter where you go to college?

Going to the “best college” to which you are accepted may not always be a wise choice.

If you are certain that you want to go to medical school, think twice.

I’m often asked: Isn’t a “top-ranked” college the best option for a premed?

Is the college in which you’re interested notorious for being a “premed weeder” school?

Do their premedical classes have impossible curves?

If so, your GPA may suffer. This could negatively influence your chance of admission to medical school.

Where you go to college matters.
So, what should you do?

First of all, I do advise all premed students to attend four-year universities rather than community colleges.

Community college classes are not considered as rigorous and most admissions committees do not respect grades from community college courses.

What should you consider when evaluating premed classes?

As you decide where to attend college, also consider class sizes.

A common applicant complaint is:

“But my classes are huge. My professors don’t know me. I have no one I can ask for letters of reference.”

Related Video: What is a Good MCAT Score? MCAT Scores 2021-2022
You know you want to go to medical school.
In other words, you know you want to go to medical school.

Consider the academic competitiveness of the school
Class sizes in making your college choice
Consider the curriculum that will help you prepare for the MCAT and has a track of record of students who obtain competitive MCAT scores
So, here’s the deal:

Dillard University | Dillard and LSUHS MOU

Does lsu Have Pre Med Program

What may be best is to attend a reputable undergraduate college,

But,

Don’t choose a school that is not notorious for making it very tough to earn good grades.

Do choose a school where you will get a solid educational foundation in the sciences.

What else?

Choose a school where you will have the chance to work directly with your professors rather than teaching assistants.

And that’s not all:

As you make your college choice, seek out information on how premedical students fare.

Be sure to ask premed precollege administrators the following questions:

What percentage of students who enter college as “premeds” graduate and attend medical school?

Do your premed homework.
Where do graduates attend medical school?

So, ask the following:

What percentage of students who want to apply to medical school are “approved” for a premedical committee letter?

Well, you can read more about this in my book.

In Chapter 5 of The MedEdits Guide to Medical School Admissions, I discuss this item which could be part of your application process.

But, here’s the most important part:

Be sure to attend a college where you can pursue your intellectual curiosities.

How to get into medical school. Medical school requirements
Medical school admissions requirements tip
Remember:

Medical school admissions committees do not require applicants to major in science.

But,

You will need to enroll in challenging science courses.

In fact:

With medical schools seeking diverse student bodies, admissions committees like to see distinctive and atypical majors.

For example:

Medical school admissions officers like applicants with academic diversity,

Consider this:

Think about a major or minor in a nonscience discipline such as art history or Hispanic studies.

The bottom line:

Your intellectual pursuits during college can actually distinguish you during the application process.

So remember:

College might also be one of the last times you can pursue your nonmedical and scientific interests in depth.

So, make the most of it!

Excerpt from The MedEdits Guide to Medical School Admissions by Dr. Jessica Freedman.

Based on decades of medical school admissions committee experience.

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The Medical School Admissions Guide
The MedEdits Guide to Medical School Admissions
This is comprehensive and up to date guide offers realistic advice for applicants on many topics including:

Where to go to college if you are premed
When to take the MCAT
Whom to ask for letters of reference
How to write a personal statement
How to write application experience entries
How to write “most meaningful” experience application entries
What medical schools look for in applicants
Medical school admission requirements
What applicants can do to market themselves most effectively
How medical school admissions committees decide whom to interview
What to do if you are “waitlisted”
Deciding where to apply and attend

Choosing an undergraduate school is the first major step any student will make on the path to becoming a physician. If you’re an aspiring pre-med student, you’ll want to give yourself the best opportunities and support networks in college and beyond. Applying to (and succeeding in) medical school is a grueling process, so you’ll need to be prepared.

Here, I’ll talk about what actually makes a school good for pre-meds before getting into the good stuff: the list of best pre-med schools.

What Makes a School Good for Pre-Meds? 6 Key Factors

Pre-med students need a lot of specialized resources and opportunities as undergraduates in order to boost their med school applications. It’s important that aspiring physicians attend schools that aren’t only highly ranked but also provide unique support to pre-meds.

In creating this list of best pre-med schools, I considered the following six factors (as you should, too, when deciding on a school!).

Factor 1: Medical Schools Admissions History
This is perhaps the most obvious and most important factor to consider before applying to college. Various specialized resources for pre-meds are great, but what really matters (and what keys you into whether these resources are effective or not) is the percentage of pre-med students from that university who actually end up in medical school. The higher the number, the better your odds will be when you start applying to med school, too.

The problem is that not all undergraduate institutions make this information easily available, and if they do, the numbers might be artificially inflated. For instance, they might not count students who start off as pre-med but don’t fulfill all the requirements. Or they might attempt to “weed out” weaker students from the pre-med track with difficult classes.

That being said, here are some steps you can take to get a general sense of a school’s med school admissions history:

Start with online research to see whether any stats are available for the colleges you’re interested in. Try searching “[School Name] pre-med admissions” on Google.

Look into class profiles of med schools you’re interested in. For example, Tulane’s School of Medicine’s latest class profile lists the major colleges and universities its students come from; these include Tulane, UCLA, Emory, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UC San Diego. This isn’t the norm, however, as many med school class profiles don’t contain information about undergraduate institutions.

Check out other stats that can tell you about the quality of a program, like a student/faculty ratios, internship opportunities, admissions rates, and national rankings.
To help you out, we’ve compiled available med school admissions stats in the descriptions below. If I could find stats only from unreliable sources, I did not include them on the list.

Factor 2: Pre-Med Advising
There are a lot of requirements and activities to keep track of when preparing for medical school applications—something you’ll be thinking about as soon as you start your freshman year (or perhaps even earlier). Special pre-med advising programs are really helpful when it comes to making sure you’re on the right track. That’s because pre-med advising programs specialize in helping students get into med school, which means they have the inside scoop when it comes to keeping you on the right track.

Knowledgeable pre-med advisors and mentors should be able to prepare you for all aspects of the application process, including course and major selection, application development, and interview preparation. The more intensive the advising resources, the better prepared you’ll be for your med school applications. Be sure to visit your pre-med advisors early and often to make sure you’re setting yourself up for success.

Factor 3: Research and Publication Opportunities
You’ll need research experience in some sort of STEM lab for med school applications. The earlier you start your research and the more research you do, the more impressive you’ll look to medical schools.

Well-funded research institutions will often have many opportunities for undergrads to get involved in labs simply because more research is happening. And more research means more opportunities for you to get your name on a paper or two, which is a big plus for your CV.

You’ll notice that most of the schools on this list are very highly ranked research powerhouses with excellent medical schools—this is no coincidence. The same research funding, facilities, and faculty that make a med school great also help make a school great for pre-meds.

Factor 4: Clinical Experience Opportunities
You don’t just need research experience for your med school apps—you also need work in clinical settings. Oftentimes, you’ll have to get this experience through volunteer work, such as at a clinic or nursing home.

If you’re in an area with limited clinical environments, it’ll be tough to get the experience you need, especially if you have to compete with other pre-med students. If you’re in an area like this, be sure you’re going after opportunities early on in your collegiate career. Also, keep an eye out for internships in other cities and states that can help you add clinical experience to your résumé.

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Med schools want to see that you’ve spent time in the field—make sure your school of choice offers opportunities for you to gain this experience.

Factor 5: Rigor of Curriculum
You might not be excited at the prospect of seeking out tough courses on purpose, but a rigorous curriculum will ensure you’re prepared for both the MCAT and medical school. Schools that are tough on their pre-meds will ultimately produce stronger med school applicants, which is a good thing considering that less than half of all pre-med applicants end up in medical school!

Factor 6: Pre-Med Major vs Pre-Med School
Some colleges and universities don’t actually have a dedicated pre-med major. If that’s the case, you’ll pick a STEM-based major instead. It will be up to you to become familiar with the requirements for med school and keep track of them yourself.

Having said that, many of those schools offer a pre-med track or emphasis that is designed to help aspiring doctors achieve their goals. Be sure you do your research to see what types of pre-med programs are available at your school.

As you might expect, some of the best schools for pre-meds don’t have a specific pre-med major. That being said, they do have strong biological and physical sciences departments. (In fact, many students choose these majors because there’s a lot of overlap with pre-med requirements.) Be sure to check with your university and your advisors to determine which major is best for you.

The School of Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport has an application deadline of Nov. 1. The application fee at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport is $50. Its tuition is full-time: $28,592 (in-state) and full-time: $60,414 (out-of-state). The faculty-student ratio at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport is 0.7:1. The School of Medicine has 389 full-time faculty on staff.

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport is ranked No. 93-123 in Best Medical Schools: Research and No. 93-123 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

The Best Pre-Med Schools, Ranked

College rankings are helpful when starting your college search, but no ranking list is perfect since there’s no way to come up with an officially objective system that applies to all students.

In an effort to be as transparent as possible, I’ve compiled this list of the best pre-med schools using the factors described above.

Keep in mind that all of these schools are stellar options, and the ranking numbers themselves aren’t particularly important. What matters more is how these schools might or might not fit your college criteria.

Now, let’s take a look at the best med schools!

1: Harvard

Harvard’s Office of Career Services estimates that 17% of any one of its classes will apply to med school—that’s a huge fraction of the student body! Pre-med applicants with a 3.5 GPA or higher had a 93% acceptance rate to med schools in 2013, whereas average acceptance rates that year were about 42%.

Harvard College offers a peer pre-med advising program in which students are assigned a pre-med tutor from sophomore through senior year.

Harvard University houses the #1 ranked medical school in the US and also boasts extremely strong biological sciences departments. There are several affiliated teaching hospitals nearby, too (which are great for both research and clinical experience).

2: Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins is well-reputed as a very highly ranked med school and medical research institution, which means you’ll have numerous research and clinical opportunities. You’re sure to have access to impressive resources, as the university is affiliated with one of the best teaching hospitals in the country.

Undergraduates at Johns Hopkins follow a pre-med advising program track (which isn’t a major). This advising track includes individual appointments, small group meetings, and other special programs designed to help aspiring med school students succeed. The school also has many health-related student organizations, which also provide opportunities for undergraduates to build their med school résumés.

3: Stanford

Stanford isn’t just a top-ranked college—it also houses a top-ranked medical school. Special pre-med advisors are available to discuss ideas, plan your coursework, help you visualize your long-term objectives, and give you options for gaining experience in the field. They also offer internship opportunities for undergraduate students, which can help you get clinical hours and stellar letters of recommendation.

The pre-med community at Stanford seems especially organized and cohesive. The Stanford Pre-Medical Association offers lots of information and resources to students, all in one place. Unfortunately, however, there aren’t good statistics about how many Stanford graduates make it into medical school every year. But since Stanford has world-class degree programs, you can bet that number is pretty high.

4: University of Pennsylvania

UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine is one of the best in the US; access to this med school means tons of research opportunities. But don’t just take my word for it! In 2018, 76% of Penn students who applied to med school were accepted—that’s well above the national average of 43% that year.

The school also offers a pre-health advising program to guide students through fulfilling pre-med requirements and successfully applying to medical school. Also, certain majors (like engineering) have a pre-med focus to help prepare you for the next step of your med school journey.

5: Columbia

Columbia is home to a top ten med school. As undergraduates, though, students are assigned a pre-med advisor and attend informational meetings sponsored by the Premedical Committee. Columbia’s convenient NYC location also guarantees easy access to countless clinics and hospitals, giving you plenty of opportunities for clinical and research experience.

Additionally, Columbia provides pre-med students with a sample course curriculum to help them meet the minimum requirements for med school applications. This handy sheet—along with the top-tier advising services offered at the university—can help you get an edge on the competition when it comes to medical school admissions. Unfortunately, though, Columbia doesn’t release statistics on how many of its undergraduates are admitted into medical school each year.

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6: Duke

Not only is Duke one of the best universities in the nation, it also offers a robust pre-med program. Students get plugged into the pre-med advising program as soon as they walk on campus, and they also have incredible opportunities including health-centered study abroad programs and hands-on research experiences.

The med school acceptance rates for Duke undergrads are phenomenal—according to Duke, 70-80% of its college students get into med school, which is nearly twice the national average. This likely has partly to do with the fact that Duke hosts a top-15 medical school.

7: University of Washington

You might have noticed that all the schools on the list so far have been private schools. But not the University of Washington! UW is one of the best public med schools in terms of research and primary care, and pre-med students benefit significantly from these resources.

Pre-health career coaches and advisors help students with academic and vocational concerns, such as picking classes, job shadowing, research, and volunteering through a combination of individual and group meetings. There are also many pre-med student groups, including Alpha Epsilon Delta and the Student Health Consortium, which help you continue your pre-med education outside of the classroom.

While there aren’t medical school acceptance statistics available for the University of Washington, the fact that its medical school is one of the best in the US ensures pre-med students will get a top-tier education.

8: UNC Chapel Hill

Unfortunately, UNC doesn’t track specifics when it comes to med school acceptance rates for pre-meds. We can presume the number is fairly high given that UNC has a very good reputation across many health fields for both undergraduate and graduate students. They also offer specialization tracks, which can set you apart as you apply for medical school (especially if you want to go into medical research).

UNC offers an interesting nine-week Medical Education Development (MED) summer program, an intensive program for smart and committed students who have lacked past opportunities to move toward a career in the medical field. If you’re not ready to attend college as a pre-med but want to become a physician, this could be a good option for you.

9: Cornell

An impressive 76% of Cornell pre-meds with a GPA of 3.4 or higher got into medical school in 2016, and 63% of all Cornell applicants were accepted into medical school the same year. If you end up as a pre-med at Cornell, you’ll be in good company: about 17% of undergrads there are interested in pursuing a career in medicine.

The school’s Health Careers Program provides specialized advising, programs, information, and an Evaluation Committee to pre-med students. This Committee is particularly helpful when it comes to getting letters of recommendation for medical school applications.

Outdoorsy students might not mind trading an urban environment for the scenery in Ithaca, NY.

10: Northwestern

With a top-20 med school, Northwestern offers lots of research and clinical opportunities. It helps that the school is located in a bustling urban area. Unfortunately, there’s no available info on pre-med acceptance rates to medical schools for students at Northwestern. However, Northwestern does publish a list of medical schools that its graduates have been admitted to in the past five years, which includes top programs like Harvard’s and Columbia’s medical schools.

Northwestern also provides pre-med students with tons of resources, many of which are available on the school’s pre-med advising website. These advisors help students with everything from choosing courses to applying to med school. Pre-meds are also welcome to schedule individual meetings or stop by during drop-in hours, meaning you’ll get plenty of hands-on help.

11: Georgetown

We’re including Georgetown on this list because it offers a pretty interesting option for students who like to plan ahead called the Early Assurance Program. If you’re a high-achieving pre-med student at Georgetown, you can get assurance of admission at Georgetown School of Medicine at the end of your senior year. That’s a great deal, especially since Georgetown’s School of Medicine is one of the top 50 medical schools in the nation.

For even more guidance, check out our step-by-step guide on how to become a doctor and our list of the best books for pre-med students.

Tip 1: Focus on Math and Science in High School
You’ll need a foundation in high school for your pre-med courses in college, and you’ll need to do well in those college courses in order to get into med school—it’s that simple! Load up on STEM classes in high school, and really focus on learning the material. If you’re struggling, be sure to ask your teachers for help, and don’t be afraid of tutoring!

You should also try to take your math and science courses like AP or IB classes if possible. First, it’s important for you to learn how to succeed even in the most difficult courses. Second, many high schools use weighted GPAs for advanced courses, which can make a huge difference when it comes to raising your cumulative GPA.

It might be painful at times, but doing well in math and science classes will set you up for better admissions chances at one of these top pre-med programs.

Tip 2: Look Beyond Schools’ Pre-Med Programs
There are so many other factors to consider when making a decision about where to go to college. A school’s pre-med program is important of course, but so are the more practical features that will affect your quality of life.

Are you happy with the general area in which the school is located? What about the school’s room and board options? Are there student groups or activities you’re excited about? If you’re not happy at school on a day-to-day basis, this could negatively affect your performance when trying to fulfill your pre-med requirements. Take some time to really evaluate your personal goals and needs to ensure you’re choosing a pre-med program that’s right for you.

Tip 3: Keep Your GPA High
Many of the stats we found on pre-med acceptance rates to med schools qualified those stats by providing information based on students’ GPAs. The implicit (or sometimes explicit) implication here is that students with higher GPAs have more success getting into med school.

While of course, an undergraduate institution with research opportunities and great advising will help your chances, those resources can only do so much if your grades aren’t great. A tough undergraduate program only helps if you do well in it!

Conversely, you can still get into med school with great grades and an awesome MCAT score even if you didn’t go to a super prestigious undergraduate institution.

What’s Next?
If you’re still figuring out whether a career as a physician is right for you, consider getting some hands-on experience. You might not think there’s much you can do as a high school student, but there is! Start by shadowing a physician, and then check out our guide to the best Med programs for students in high school.

If you’re interested in pre-med programs, you might also be interested in BS/MD programs. Take a look at our comprehensive guide on how to get into a great BS/MD program to streamline the med school application process.

Want to know what you should be doing right now to prepare for pre-med programs? Read our complete guide on how to prepare for pre-med in high school and our list of the seven books every pre-med student should read.

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Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Other pre-health student groups include the Pre-Dental Society (http://lsupredental.com/), the Pre-Optometry Association (https://lsu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/POA), the Student Christian Medical Association (https://scmalsu.wordpress.com/), Global Brigades Medical/Dental Chapter at LSU (http://www.geauxgblsu.org/) and the Minority Science Pre-Professional Society (MSPPS) (http://lsumspps.wixsite.com/mspps/about-us).

Surpassing the Expectation: LSU College of Science Medical School Acceptance Rate Exceeds National Average

More than half of the physicians in Louisiana began their academic careers in the LSU College of Science. Our alumni include a litany of successful obstetricians, podiatrists, surgeons, pediatricians, and general practitioners, not to mention successful graduates in dentistry and optometry. What sets the LSU College of Science apart from its peers? Many credits our high-achieving students and carefully crafted coursework, supported by an experienced group of advisors, counselors, faculty, and practicing medical professionals. This approach has helped LSU set a national standard for university pre-health programs and solidifies the College of Science’s reputation for producing quality graduates who are prepared for the rigor of professional health programs.

Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

A key to our student’s success is the opportunities for them to receive first-hand, in-field experience through job shadowing, externships, and cooperative learning opportunities.

This year, Cynthia Peterson, dean of the LSU College of Science, partnered with Dr. Erich Sturgis, a 1985 graduate of LSU’s biochemistry program and professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center, to make the MD Anderson Cancer Center Summer Externship for Undergraduate Students available to LSU students. This program provides an opportunity for high-performing students to gain valuable insights into medical training and care delivery, and to experience oncology as a potential area of specialization. Five students were selected to participate in the program this past summer. Among the externs selected from LSU were Nicole Dominique, a microbiology and English literature double major, and Harley Bordelon, a biological sciences major with a minor in psychology.

“This was my first experience working in a hospital setting,” says Dominique. “My month at MD Anderson opened my eyes to medical specialties that I was not initially considering, but overall, it reinforced to me that medicine is the field I want to be in after I graduate.”

During the externship, Dominique was paired with an MD Anderson anesthesiologist. This pairing allowed her to interact with other anesthesiologists, radiologists, surgeons, nurses, and a variety of other medical professionals.

“All of the people I interacted with were very willing to help and teach, but I think I really enjoyed interacting with the anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists because it allowed me to better understand the network of medical professionals at the hospital,” says Dominique.

Boderlon who is currently applying to medical schools across the south for admission in August 2017, rotated through the MD Anderson orthopedic oncology department observing the clinic settings in orthopedic oncology and sarcoma centers.

“This experience showcased the interconnections of academic medicine: teaching and practice. It also provided new motivation to continue my journey,” says Bordelon. “I hope to one day be in the position to foster a learning atmosphere to future residents and medical students, similar to the one at MD Anderson.”

Promoting Diversity in Medicine

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, or AAMC, report on undergraduate institutions supplying applicants to US medical schools by applicant race and ethnicity for 2015-16, LSU ranks in the top one percent in the nation in a total number of African American and Hispanic applicants. LSU is making strides towards increasing the number of women and minority healthcare professionals, but on a national scale, there continues to be a need for more diversity. According to AAMC data, the total number of students enrolled in U.S. medical schools from 2016-16 is 86,746. African Americans make up 5,505 (6.3 percent) of this population and Hispanics only 4,401 (5 percent).

For Kristian Black, a 2015 biochemistry graduate at LSU, it was the need for more diversity in the medical community that attracted him to medical school.

“I took it personally that people of color made up such a small percentage of providers, not only in my community, but nationwide,” says Black in an online interview posted by the AAMC. “As a first generation college student, I was not and I’m still not familiar with the higher education process. I’m learning everyday so I can better instruct other first generation students.”

Today, Black is pursuing his MD at the University of Michigan Medical School and anticipates graduating in 2019.

“The LSU College of Science gave me one-on-one application advice that motivated me to challenge myself and push the competitive envelope,” says Black. “The University of Michigan was my best offer, hands down. It was a top ten university, had an inclusive family feel, and they showed determination in recruiting me.”

Dr. Cheree Schwartzenburg, a 1991 biochemistry graduate from LSU, is a practicing obstetrician and gynecologist with Schwartzenburg Lafranca & Guidry Obstetrics in Baton Rouge.

“LSU and the College of Science provided the perfect complement of academic excellence and personal attention that allowed me to pursue my career in medicine,” says Dr. Schwartzenburg, who also served as chief of staff at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, the highest elected leadership position among the medical staff.

Early Preparation

College of Science students make up more than half of the students in LSU’s professional health programs. Our students are also accepted at other prestigious medical schools throughout the nation including Baylor College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan, University of Kentucky, Tulane, and Texas A&M.

“We start working with students as soon as they arrive, to begin preparing them for the process of gaining admission,” says Robby Bowen, newly named director of pre-health programs at LSU. “We have information sessions specifically for first-year students, to give them a four-year plan of what they should focus on each year to develop into competitive applicants.”

Bowen serves as the key advisor for all LSU students pursuing health careers with the exception of nursing and allied health fields such as physical therapy and pharmacy. Bowen also chairs the university’s Premedical/Predental Review Committee, a team of faculty, advisors and healthcare professionals that helps students navigate the application process for professional health schools. The review committee also writes hundreds of letters of recommendation each year for students preparing their medical and dental school applications.

“LSU has a very successful and long-standing review committee that is well respected around the nation,” says Bowen. “Admission deans rely on the review committee to evaluate the quality of the student’s record in ways in which they are unable and give them clear insights. They know the committee evaluation is going to be thorough and unbiased.”

In the 2015-16 academic year, 212 students used the Premedical/Predental Review Committee and 65 percent were accepted to medical schools throughout the U.S., which is higher than LSU’s overall success rate.

Proof Positive of Success

Like most universities, LSU does not have a “pre-health major,” but has a program of study that can be incorporated into just about any major. The university’s acceptance rate is proof positive of the program’s success. Last year, applications to medical school came from 26 different departments at LSU. For the 2015-16 entering medical class, over 83 percent of LSU’s accepted medical school applicants were graduates of the College of Science. Overall, 323 LSU students applied to medical school and 54 percent were accepted, which is significantly higher than the national average of 42 percent.

Dental School and Other Health Professions

Among the hundreds of students pursuing medical careers at LSU, a significant number are opting to apply to dental school and other professional health programs. In 2015-16, 64 LSU students applied to dental school and 58 percent were accepted. This rate surpasses the national dental school acceptance rate of 47 percent.

More than 300 LSU students affiliated with LSU applied to allopathic medical schools, but not all were in a formal LSU degree-granting program. Eighty applied to osteopathic medical schools and 18 were accepted. All three who applied to podiatry school were accepted.

Support from Experienced Faculty and Staff

“Our success is grounded in our commitment to providing our students in the pre-health program of study with the coursework, advising, and experiential learning opportunities that prepare them to be successful in medical school and other professional health programs,” says Cynthia Peterson, dean, LSU College of Science. “We also have experienced faculty who keep up with the latest course requirements for students pursuing health-related disciplines, and advising staff who stay abreast of current trends in medical school admissions, so that our students have the most recent information about school application processes.”

Bowen serves on the executive board of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professors, or NAAHP, and is the current president of the regional Southeastern Association of the NAAHP.

“Through my involvement with these organizations, I have firsthand information from deans around the country about admission trends,” says Bowen. Medical school admission deans know that LSU students are going to be well prepared. We are committed to providing excellent advising and opportunities along with high-caliber students.”

High Achieving Students

College of Science students are among LSU’s top academic performers. Our majors represent the largest number of students in the LSU Honors College (more than 26 percent) and nearly 40 percent of LSU’s University Medalists, graduating seniors with the highest grade-point averages.

More than 75 percent of the students in the College of Science are biological sciences majors[ many of whom plan to attend medical school. Here’s a snapshot of a successful LSU applicant to a professional health program.

Moving Forward

The College of Science continues to set itself apart from its contemporaries in its ability to prepare students to be successful healthcare professionals. The support provided by our staff, the expertise of our faculty, and partnerships with established medical institutions and medical professionals have provided a strong foundation for our students’ success.

Course Requirements

Most medical and dental schools have a standard set of required course requirements for admission. These courses typically cover the subject matter tested on both the MCAT and DAT (The DAT does not include a physics section). Students are encouraged to complete this coursework by their junior year. It is recommended that students take the MCAT/DAT in the spring of their junior year.

Medical School & Dental School

Although most medical schools require the same core list of required coursework, individual medical or dental schools may have additional requirements (i.e. calculus, biochemistry). It is a good idea to consult each medical/dental school to which you are interested in applying for confirmation of their requirements. Information on individual admission requirements of medical schools is covered in the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) published annually by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Dental admissions requirements are updated annually in the Official Guide to Dental Schools published by the American Dental Education Association.

The required coursework along with the LSU equivalents is listed below. Honors versions of the specific courses are acceptable.

Requirement	LSU Equivalent
1 year of General Biology with Labs	BIOL 1201/1208, 1202/1209
1 year of General Chemistry with lab	CHEM 1201, 1202 & 1212 lab
1 year of Organic Chemistry with lab	CHEM 2261, 2262, 2364 lab
1 year of Physics with labs	PHYS 2001/2108, 2002/2109
6-9 hours of English	ENGL 1001, 2000, 1 other course

Additional course work may be required:

LSU Medical School- New Orleans, LSU Medical School- Shreveport, and the LSU Dental School require a semester of Biochemistry (BIOL 4087/ *BIOL 2083). (*BIOL 2083 is accepted by the LSU Health Sciences Center medical and dental schools for non-science majors. Please contact pre-medical/ predental advisor with any questions.)
LSU Medical School- New Orleans requires a Statistics course (EXST 2201/ISDS 2000). (LSU Medical School- New Orleans requires a Statistics course (EXST 2201/ISDS 2000). The LSUHSC-New Orleans School of Medicine will accept a second semester of calculus (MATH 1552) as a substitute for the statistics requirement.)
LSU Dental School also requires Microbiology (BIOL 2051).
Please refer to the LSU Medical School-Shreveport website for additional information on required course work.

Additional Dental School Requirements

The LSU Dental School requires a total of 12 hours of biology coursework, including Biochemistry and Microbiology.

Although not required by every school, the following courses are strongly recommended:

Requirement	LSU Equivalent
Genetics	BIOL 2153
General Microbiology	BIOL 2051
Biochemistry	BIOL 4087 (*BIOL 2083)
Developmental Zoology	BIOL 3156
Histology	BIOL 4104

*BIOL 2083 is accepted by the LSU Health Sciences Center medical and dental schools for non-science majors. Please contact the pre-medical/ predental advisor with any questions.

Other course work that students may find helpful include the following:

Advanced Biological Sciences courses:

BIOL 3090 Cell Biology (3)
BIOL 3152 Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates (4)
BIOL 3156 Developmental Zoology (4)
BIOL 4105 Parasitology (3)
BIOL 4106 Parasitology Laboratory (1)
BIOL 4123 Immunology (3)
BIOL 4132 Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics (3)
BIOL 4154 Invertebrate Zoology (4)
BIOL 4158 Endocrinology (3)
BIOL 4160 Vertebrate Physiology (3)
BIOL 4161 Vertebrate Physiology Laboratory (1)
BIOL 4177 Neurobiology (3)
BIOL 4190 Introductory Virology (3)
BIOL 4215 Molecular Biology of Bacterial Disease (3)
BIOL 4246 Microbial Genetics (3)
BIOL 4400 Molecular Genetics Laboratory (3)
BIOL 4450 Cell Biology of the Nucleus (3)
BIOL 4753 Human Molecular Genetics (3)

Other course options:

Professional Ethics (PHIL 2018)
Bioethics (PHIL 2025)
Interpersonal Communication (CMST 2010)
Public Speaking (CMST 2060)
Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 2000)
Drugs, the Brain and Behavior (PSYC 4035)
Neuropharmacology (PSYC 4037)
Introduction to Nutritional Sciences (NFS 1110)
Human Lifecycle Nutrition (NFS 2112)
Sociology of Medicine (SOCL 4451)
Strategic Career Development/Planning (LHRD 3331)
Business courses (ACCT, MKT, MGT, ECON, etc.)
Entrepreneurship courses (ENTR 2000, ENTR 3012, ENTR 3111, etc.)
Health Communication (CMST 4112)
Human Anatomy (KIN 2500)

Dental students may wish to take coursework to develop their manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination skills. Some examples are:

Basic Jewelry/Metalsmithing (ART 2655)
Sculpture (ART 1762)
Introduction to Ceramics:Wheel Throwing (ART 1662)

Some of these courses have prerequisites. Consult the LSU General Catalog to determine your eligibility for any course prior to scheduling.

lsu medical school acceptance rate

Like most universities, LSU does not have a “pre-health major,” but has a program of study that can be incorporated into just about any major. The university’s acceptance rate is proof positive of the program’s success. Last year, applications to medical school came from 26 different departments at LSU. For the 2015-16 entering medical class, over 83 percent of LSU’s accepted medical school applicants were graduates of the College of Science. Overall, 323 LSU students applied to medical school and 54 percent were accepted, which is significantly higher than the national average of 42 percent.

Surpassing the Expectation: LSU College of Science Medical School Acceptance Rate Exceeds National Average — Science Next

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