Pre-Medicine
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: Dr. Gerald Yutrzenka, Pre-Medicine Advisor, 677-5156; Sanford School of Medicine Admissions Office, 677-5233 (www.usd.edu/medical-school/medical-doctor-program/); or the Academic & Career Planning Center, 677-5381.
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
And one of the following:
Or
Organic Chemistry
And one of the following:
Or
Physics
Or
Mathematics (preferably through calculus):
Additional Requirements
It is highly recommended that students also complete additional course work in Biochemistry, Genetics or Molecular Biology, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics. Please note that some medical schools currently require courses in these fields as part of the pre-medicine curriculum, and that the required admission examination for medical schools, the MCAT, will assume prior completion of coursework in Biochemistry, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics starting with MCATs administered in 2015.
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 students pursing the major in those fields. The Sanford School of Medicine does accept Advanced Placement (AP) or CLEP courses in fulfillment of pre-medicine requirements providing that these courses are listed for credit on the undergraduate transcript (although other medical schools may not). In the case of AP courses or credit earned by examination (CLEP), it is expected that students will enroll in advanced courses in these disciplines 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. Typically all prerequisite courses should be completed before the student takes the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and submits the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application or the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) application.
Sequence of Courses
The sequence outlined below 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 outline 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.
FIRST YEAR
Two semesters of Biology
Two semesters of Chemistry (or one semester of Honors Principles of Chemistry)
One semester of Mathematics
One semester of Psychology (recommended - will be on MCAT 2015)
SECOND YEAR
Two semesters of Organic Chemistry
One semester of Sociology (recommended - will be on MCAT 2015)
THIRD YEAR
Two semesters of Physics
One semester of Biochemistry (recommended - will be on MCAT 2015)
One semester of Statistics (recommended - will be on MCAT 2015)