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 University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine 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 University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine is available by contacting: Dr. Daniel Bird, Pre-Medicine Advisor, 605-658-6325; the Sanford School of Medicine’s Medical Student Affairs Office, 605-658-6300 http://www.usd.edu/medicine/medical-student-affairs 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:

Biochemistry (1 semester)

BIOC 430 - Principles of Biochemistry

Biology (2 semesters)

Chemistry (2 semesters)

Organic Chemistry (1 semester required, 2 semesters recommended)

Physics (2 semesters)

Mathematics (Statistics and one other course):

Examples include:

Additional Considerations

It is highly recommended that students also complete additional course work in Genetics or Molecular Biology, Physiology, Microbiology, Psychology, and Sociology. Please note that some medical schools may require courses in these fields as part of their 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 students pursing the major in those fields. The Sanford School of Medicine does accept Advanced Placement (AP) or credit earned by examination (CLEP) courses in fulfillment of pre-medicine requirements (although other medical schools may not) providing that these courses are listed for credit on the undergraduate transcript. In the case of AP or CLEP courses 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. 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 for USD Sanford School of Medicine, 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

SECOND YEAR

One semester of Organic Chemistry
One semester Structure and Function of Biomolecules (or additional Organic Chemistry or Cell Biology)
One semester of Sociology

THIRD YEAR

Two semesters of Physics
One semester of Biochemistry
One semester of Statistics