FOUR YEAR PLAN FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL

ACADEMICS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOUR YEAR PLAN FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL

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THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TO GETTING INTO A GOOD MEDICAL SCHOOL IS GOING TO THE RIGHT COLLEGE.

Georgetown College has one of the best pre-medical programs in the region, with an acceptance rate close to 100% and a long line of successful alumni.

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Choice of Major

It is important to realize that requirements for medical school are not the same as requirements for a Biology or Biomedical Sciences major. These requirements can be met within the context of any major, so long as you plan ahead and choose appropriate electives.

Conversely, a Biology major does not in itself qualify you for medical school. It is true that a majority of our Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental and Pre-Vet students major in Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, or Chemistry, but in recent years we have sent students to medical school with majors in Religion, Philosophy, English, and Sociology. In every case, however, they had taken the required courses for medical school and had demonstrated the ability to do well in challenging science courses, usually through a minor in Biology and/or Chemistry.

Our new Health Scholars Program is an excellent way to prepare for medical school regardless of your major, with all of the requirements and benefits that will help set you apart.  For top students, Science Honors will also allow you to complete a research project at a major research institution.

Course Requirements for Medical School

Most medical schools require the following courses:

• One year of Biology with lab
• One year of General Chemistry with lab
• One year of Organic Chemistry with lab
• One semester of Biochemistry
• One year of Physics with lab
• One year of English

It is always recommended that you check with each medical school to which you are applying because requirements can and do change.

We recommend that premedical students take Biology 305-306 (Human Physiology I & II) during their sophomore or junior year. You should also take additional upper level science courses, in order to demonstrate that you can succeed in medical school coursework. The following courses are good choices for premedical students:

• BIO 214 Organismal Diversity
• BIO 260 Preceptorship in Health or Veterinary Sciences
• BIO 311 General Microbiology
• BIO 312 Pathogenic Bacteriology and Immunology
• BIO 325 Vertebrate Anatomy and Embryology
• BIO 335 Genetics and Molecular Biology
• BIO 337 Cell Biology
• BIO 421 Developmental Biology
• CHE 307 Chemistry and Cancer
• CHE 327 Medicinal Chemistry
• CHE 341 Biochemistry

There are also appropriate electives offered through other departments, including Kinesiology & Health Sciences (KHS), Psychology, Philosophy, and Healthcare Administration.

The Dreaded MCAT Exam

All medical schools also require that you take the MCAT exam (Medical College Admissions Test). The MCAT is administered several times a year. You must take the MCAT no later than the summer following your junior year in order for your application to be considered in the fall of your senior year. This means you need to be prepared for the MCAT exam in three years, not four. As minimal preparation you should complete the required courses listed above, as well as the following courses: Human Physiology, Introductory Psychology, and Introductory Sociology.  This should be complete by end of your junior year.

“Real-World” Experience

To be a viable candidate for medical school you must demonstrate that you have sufficient firsthand experience with medical practice to make an informed career decision, not just the academic ability to succeed in the medical school classroom. “Shadowing”, in which a pre-medical students observe and assists practicing doctors, is an absolutely essential part of preparing for medical school. We offer an organized shadowing experience via Biology 260 (Preceptorship in Health or Veterinary Sciences), but we also strongly recommend that you find other opportunities to obtain firsthand experience. Volunteer or paid work in a hospital, clinic, or other medical setting is an excellent way to gain experience. Other forms of community service are also very important in demonstrating your commitment to help others, even if the work is not specifically medical.

A Suggested Curriculum

The following sequence of science courses will prepare you to take the MCAT and apply to medical school at the end of your junior year:

Freshman

• Fall:
  • BIO 111- Biological Principles (with lab)
  • CHE 111- General Chemistry (with lab)
• Spring:
  • BIO 212- Cellular & Molecular Biology (with lab)
  • CHE 112, 113- General Chemistry II (with lab)

Sophomore

• Fall:
  • CHE 201, 202- Organic Chemistry I (with lab)
  • BIO 214- Organismal Diversity (with lab), or start the physiology or physics sequence
• Spring:
  • CHE 309, 310- Organic Chemistry II (with lab)

Junior

• Fall:
  • PHY 111- General Physics I (with lab)
  • BIO 305- Human Physiology I (with lab)
  • Bio 260- Preceptorship in Health or Veterinary Sciences
• Spring:
  • PHY 112- General Physics II (with lab)
  • BIO 306- Human Physiology II (with lab)
  • CHE 340 – Biochemistry (with lab)

Senior

Additional upper-level courses in:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Psychology
• Kinesiology
• or other appropriate fields

You do not have to follow this schedule exactly, so long as you complete these courses by the end of junior year. However, you should plan ahead so that you are taking two laboratory courses per semester. For example, if you start the Chemistry sequence your sophomore year you might also take Physics sophomore year – otherwise you will be taking Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Physiology, all with labs, concurrently in your junior year. Of course, you will also have to take additional courses to meet the requirements for your major. Again, plan ahead so you don’t have too many lab courses in any one semester.

Many students choose to wait one or more years between college and medical school to pursue other interests or to further prepare for medical school. If you want to do so you can spread the courses listed above over four years. Be aware, however, that if you take the MCAT in your senior year you will not be able to start medical school until one year after you graduate.

Pre-Med Curriculum with a Biology Major

For a Biology major you will need to: (1) complete the Biology core, including Genetics (2) take the Biology junior seminar course, (3) take a senior capstone course, and (4) take at least 13 hours of 300- or 400-level Biology courses while still meeting the requirements described above. The following plan of study is just one example of how you can meet these requirements and be prepared for the MCAT exam at the end of your junior year:

Freshman

• Fall:
  • BIO 111- Biological Principles (with lab)
  • CHE 111- General Chemistry I (with lab)
• Spring:
  • BIO 212- Cellular and Molecular Biology (with lab)
  • CHE 112,113- General Chemistry II (with lab)

Sophomore

• Fall:
  • CHE 201, 202- Organic Chemistry I (with lab)
  • BIO 214- Organismal Diversity (with lab)
• Spring:
  • CHE 309, 310- Organic Chemistry II (with lab)
  • BIO 314- Ecology & Evolution (with lab)

Junior

• Fall:
  • PHY 111- General Physics I (with lab)
  • BIO 305- Human Physiology I (with lab)
  • BIO 260- Preceptorship in Health or Veterinary Sciences
  • Biology elective (300 or 400 level)
  • BIO 402 – Junior seminar
• Spring:
  • Phy 112- General Physics II (with lab)
  • BIO 306- Human Physiology II (with lab)