Pre-Medicine

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Students who intend to pursue a career in medicine must carefully plan their undergraduate programs in order to be sure they meet the requirements for admission to medical school. Many medical schools require the B.A. or B.S. degree for admission and all consider a degree to be highly desirable. The Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota may admit outstanding undergraduates who have completed three years (90 semester hours) of pre-medical coursework and fulfilled all entrance requirements. Sanford School of Medicine does encourage prospective applicants to complete the B.A. or B.S. degree prior to admission. The pre-medicine program at USD is designed to permit the student to accomplish two simultaneous objectives: (1) fulfill the requirements for a B.A. or B.S. degree within the student’s academic major and (2) fulfill the requirements for entrance into the Sanford School of Medicine. The significant science emphasis of the prerequisite courses makes it convenient for the pre-medicine student to choose a major in one of the science disciplines; however, it is entirely possible for the student to fulfill the prerequisite coursework while working on an undergraduate major in a non-science discipline. One very workable scenario would be to pursue a B.S. degree from the College of Arts and Sciences consisting of a combination of a major in a science discipline along with a minor in the social sciences or the humanities. Such a combination would provide the student with an excellent academic foundation upon which to enter medical school at USD or elsewhere.

Additional information regarding the Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota is available by contacting: Sanford School of Medicine Admissions Office, 677-5233
(www.usd.edu/medical-school/medical-doctor-program/); Academic & Career Planning Center, 677-5381, Pre-Medicine Advisor, 677-5156, Health Professions Advisor, 677-7273, or by visiting the following web site: http://admissions.usd.edu/academics/majors/pre-health-professions.cfm.

RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM

The Sanford School of Medicine, and most other medical schools, requires that the pre-medical student take, as a minimum, one year each of:

Biology

Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Physics

Mathematics (preferably through calculus):

Additional Requirements

It is highly recommended that students also complete additional course work in Biochemistry, Genetics or Molecular Biology, and statistics. Please note that some medical schools currently require these courses as part of the pre-medicine curriculum.

Pre-medicine students are encouraged to take additional coursework in a number of disciplines in order to provide for a broad-based academic preparation for the study of medicine as well as to fulfill system-wide, institutional, college or major requirements.

All prerequisite courses taken in the areas noted above should be the same courses required of the major. Students who have been permitted to enroll in advanced courses should indicate on their academic record that the usual prerequisites have been satisfied. The Sanford School of Medicine does accept Advanced Placement (AP) or CLEP courses in fulfillment of pre-medicine requirements. In the case of AP courses or courses waived by examination (CLEP), it is expected that students will enroll in advanced courses that would be stimulating and challenging. It is preferred that students complete the prerequisite courses during the regular academic year. Correspondence courses are NOT considered acceptable substitutes for prerequisite courses. All prerequisite courses should be completed before the student takes the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and files the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application.

Four Year Plan

The following course of study is an example that a USD student may find helpful in planning how to meet the pre-medicine requirements. The example demonstrated below is a plan of study that should allow students to fulfill all pre-med requirements, prepare to take the MCAT exam, and begin applying for medical school during the summer before their senior undergraduate year. Please note that this four-year plan is not intended for any specific major but is a suggested sequence of courses that demonstrates how students might meet the medicine prerequisites. Often the medicine prerequisite courses may be used to fulfill requirements or electives of the major. Students should consult with their academic advisors about their career and academic plans.