BSU Catalog Home | Pre-Professional Program

Pre-Medicine

Advisors: Dr. Patrick Guilfoile, Dr. Julie Larson, Dr. Kerry Openshaw, Dr. Ken Traxler

1. The pre-medical student should fulfill all requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree at Bemidji State University. The student should declare an academic major. Pre-Medicine is not an academic major. Although the major may be in any field of study, experience indicates that a Biology or Chemistry major will provide the student with an advantage on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
2. Early entrance into medical school is possible for some students. Most students, however, enter medical school after completing a baccalaureate degree. In addition, some medical schools may require more courses than listed below. It is the responsibility of the pre-medical student to become aware of these additional requirements and to plan his or her pre-medical curriculum accordingly.
3. Admission to medical school is highly competitive; typically, only about 10% of applicants are accepted. Admitted students normally have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and MCAT scores of 9 or higher in each section of the exam. In planning your program it is important to consider alternatives, in case you are not accepted into medical school.
4. Normally, a pre-medicine student will take the MCAT exam in the spring of their junior year. Therefore, all of the courses on which the MCAT is based (a year of biology, a year of introductory chemistry, a year of organic chemistry, and a year of physics) should be completed by the fall of your junior year. The pre-medical student should work closely with their pre-medicine advisor so all course requirements are fulfilled prior to entrance into medical school. A delay in meeting with the pre-medical advisor will likely result in delayed entrance into medical school.
5. In addition to a strong background in behavioral sciences, English, and humanities, the following courses are specifically required for entrance into most medical schools:
   1. BIOL 1210, 1220 (some schools require additional biology credits)
      CHEM 1211, 1212, 2311, 2312, 2371, 2372 (some schools require biochemistry)
      ENGL 1101, 1102
      PHYS 1101, 1102 (or) 2101, 2102
      MATH (math requirements vary from school to school)
6. Additional coursework in the sciences and social sciences will help students prepare for the MCAT and provide useful background for medical school courses. Consult the Pre-Medical advisor for suggestions on additional coursework.
7. A suggested pre-medical academic schedule is listed below:

   Freshman

   BIOL 1210, 1220
   CHEM 1211, 1212
   ENGL 1101, 1102
   Electives: Consult your Pre-Medicine Advisor

   Sophomore

   CHEM 2311, 2312
   CHEM 2371, 2372
   PHYS 1101, 1102 or 2101, 2102
   Electives: Consult your Pre-Medicine Advisor

   Junior

   Electives: Consult your Pre-Medicine Advisor

   Senior

   Consult your Pre-Medicine Advisor