Courses
Pre-medical, pre-dental, and pre-veterinary majors do not exist at Ursinus. Students interested in pursuing a career in health care often major in one of the natural or physical sciences.
However, there is a flexibly defined program of study with certain required courses that can be included in any number of majors.
Minimum Requirements for Applicants to Health-Related Professional Programs
Successful applicants to medical, dental, and veterinary schools generally have a high overall grade point average and a high average in science/math courses. Students in any major may apply for admission to medical, dental, or veterinary school if they meet minimum entrance requirements which often include successful completion of the following courses (review requirements at specific schools prior to applying):
| Courses | |
| BIO 101Q/101L | Issues in Ecology & Evolution |
| BIO 102/102L | Cell Biology and Genetics of Health and Disease |
| CHEM 107/107L & 108/108L OR CHEM 151/151L | General Chemistry I & II |
| CHEM 207/207L & 208/208L | Organic Chemistry I & II |
| PHYS 111 & 112 | General Physics I & II |
| English (one year) | CIE 100 & 200 satisfy this requirement |
| Mathematics | Most medical schools have a mathematics requirement, though few require Calculus. |
| Recommended Courses | BIO 201, BIO 306, BCMB 351 or CHEM 347. The MCAT includes testing of concepts in Psychology and Sociology; therefore we recommend students also take PSYC 100 and SOC 100. |
Typical Course Sequence for Pre-med Students
Students are encouraged to work closely with their adviser and Dr. Beth Bailey to develop a plan that will meet their needs and academic goals. Most students take the MCAT at the end of their Junior year (April or May). Some may plan to take it earlier to accommodate study abroad in the spring of junior year. It also is not unusual for a student to take it later (e.g., senior year). MCATs are offered multiple times each year at designated testing centers; scores are typically available 30 days after each test.
Continued studying, additional courses, and exam preparatory courses can help a student to prepare for and do well on standardized exams.
Below are three possible course plans for students pursuing a pre-med program of study. The plans vary depending on a student’s science background and plan for application to medical school (or other program). Please note that these are only examples; many other permutations are possible.
S/U Guidance for Pre-Health Students
Students should not take any Health Profession prerequisite courses with S/S-/U grading as many graduate programs will not accept S/S-/U grades.