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Navigating pre-med requirements can feel overwhelming — every school seems to have its own list. We'll break down the common thread across programs, highlight what top schools expect, and help you plan your course load strategically.
For a full breakdown of everything you need to complete for your med school applications, see our full list of medical school requirements guide.
Each medical school may have slightly varying course requirements, but they generally include these courses:
Course prerequisites for pre-med are pretty standard across the board. You'll have to complete a year's worth of challenging courses in biology, general (inorganic) chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and their associated lab work. You may also be asked to take calculus, statistics, psychology, or writing.
Although you’re not required to take the following courses, familiarity with the subject matter is valuable for a future career in medicine. You’ll be more prepared for the concepts you might face on the MCAT or as a doctor. Plus, these courses look good on med school applications!
Some of our recommended courses include:
Balancing these with your required coursework isn't always straightforward. Between managing a demanding science course load, preparing for the MCAT, and keeping your GPA competitive, it's easy to feel like there aren't enough hours in the day.
That's where our experts come in. Our consultants, who are former admissions officers at the top med schools in the US, can help you build a course plan that checks every box without burning you out. Whether you're unsure which electives to prioritize or need help structuring your schedule across all four years, our medical school admissions counseling team is here to help you put your best application forward.
Yes, medical schools value non-science pre-med courses because admissions committees evaluate more than just your ability to succeed in science classes. Admissions committees want proof that you understand patients, healthcare systems, and the real-world context in which physicians practice medicine.
Medical schools look for applicants who can think beyond biology and chemistry. They assess whether you can communicate with diverse patients, navigate complex systems, and understand medicine as both a profession and a service industry. Taking non-science coursework helps you demonstrate these competencies clearly and intentionally.
In fact, pre-med with humanities majors have some of the highest acceptance rates.
Sunjay Letchuman, a medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an Inspira Advantage consultant, emphasized the value of taking non-science courses:
“I see healthcare as a huge business… studying business, accounting, and finance helped me understand the business of healthcare… I took The Business of Healthcare and talked about it in my interview… I definitely recommend not just majoring in sciences unless that’s what you absolutely want to study.”
Letchuman shared this in a recent webinar on medical school prerequisites.
Taking courses outside the traditional pre-med track, such as psychology, sociology, business, ethics, or healthcare policy, can strengthen your application by giving you stronger interview talking points and a clearer understanding of how medicine functions beyond the classroom.
These non-science courses also help demonstrate maturity, perspective, and readiness for modern medical practice, all of which admissions committees actively look for.
The ideal timeline for medical school prerequisite courses is at least two years, as it usually gives you enough time to complete all courses before applying to medical school.
This timeline also allows you to meet varying school requirements while balancing grades, MCAT preparation, and other application components.
Beyond prerequisites, this time frame should also include time for:
While many universities allow up to five courses per semester, prerequisite science courses are demanding, so spacing them out can help you maintain strong academic performance while preparing for the MCAT.
This approach is reinforced by medical school admissions experts. Dr. Bima Hasjim, a former UC Irvine admissions officer and current admissions officer, emphasizes that the best way to prepare for med school and the MCAT is to complete most of your prerequisites by the end of your junior year.
Completing prerequisites by the end of junior year ensures that core science material is fresh when you take the MCAT, reducing the need for relearning content while studying. It also keeps your senior year flexible for interviews, secondary applications, and strengthening other areas of your profile.
Below is an overview of prerequisite expectations at 20 leading U.S. medical schools.
| Medical School | Prerequisites | Credit Hours/Lab Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard Medical School | Biology; Chemistry (inorganic, organic, biochemistry); Physics; Math; Analytical and writing skills; Behavioral sciences encouraged | Chemistry: 2 years (4 courses) and lab experience required. |
| NYU Grossman School of Medicine | No prerequisites (recommended: inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry with lab; biology with lab; physics with lab; statistics; genetics; English) | No required credit hours |
| Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons | English or other writing-intensive courses; Biology; Physics; Chemistry; Biochemistry | Columbia specifies “one year” for English and Biology (with labs), plus Physics and Chemistry |
| Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine | Biology; General Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; Biochemistry; Physics; Calculus/Statistics; Humanities/Social/Behavioral Sciences | General Chemistry (8 semester hours with lab); Organic Chemistry (4 semester hours with lab); Biochemistry (min 3 semester hours but lab not required) |
| University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) | Biology with lab; Chemistry (including at least one semester organic chemistry with lab); Biochemistry; Physics | 1 year biology with lab, 1 year chemistry with lab (including at least 1 semester organic with lab), at least 1 biochemistry course, at least 1 physics course |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Math; Expository Writing; Humanities/Social/Behavioral Sciences; Organic Chemistry; Biochemistry; Advanced Biology (Spanish recommended) | Baylor provides semester hours for multiple areas: Math (3–4 hours); Expository Writing (3–4 hours); Humanities/Social/Behavioral (12 hours); Organic Chemistry (6–8 hours, lab not required) Biochemistry (3–4 hours, lab not required); Advanced Biology (3–4 hours, lab not required) |
| Duke University School of Medicine | Duke describes academic expectations (sample preparation) rather than fixed prereq courses | No published fixed credit-hour prereq grid for MD admissions |
| Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania | No specific courses required (competency expected in biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, mathematics) | No required credit hours or lab requirements |
| Yale School of Medicine | General Biology or Zoology; General Chemistry; General Physics; Organic Chemistry; Biochemistry | Yale requires 2 semesters of Bio/Zoology with lab, 2 semesters Gen Chem, 2 semesters Gen Physics, 1 semester Org Chem, 1 semester Biochem |
| Vanderbilt University School of Medicine | Vanderbilt emphasizes competencies rather than fixed prereq courses | No required credit hours or lab requirements |
| Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis | Biological science; General/Inorganic chemistry; Organic chemistry; Physics; Calculus | WashU states a minimum of one year (two semesters) for each prereq. Labs are recommended but not required |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | Biology; Physics; Inorganic Chemistry; Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry | Feinberg lists two semesters/three quarters, lecture and associated lab for Bio, Physics, Inorganic Chem, and Organic Chem/Biochem (with guidance that a split organic + biochem path is acceptable, with associated labs) |
| University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine | Completion of 90 credit hours (AMCAS methodology) prior to matriculation (Pritzker focuses on preparation/competencies rather than a strict prereq list) | 90 credit hours required (not a prereq course list) |
| University of Michigan Medical School | Michigan lists eligibility requirements (including 90 hours of coursework) rather than a strict prereq course list | 90 hours of college coursework required |
| Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine | No prerequisite college courses required | No required credit hours or lab requirements |
| Weill Cornell Medicine | Biology; General Chemistry; Physics; Organic Chemistry; Writing-intensive coursework | Weill Cornell specifies 2 semesters each of Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, Org Chem, plus lab expectations framed as 1 semester of lab or equivalent lab experience for Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, Org Chem |
| Emory University School of Medicine | Physical Science; Biology; Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; English; Humanities/Social Sciences | Physical Science (8 semester hours with lab); Biology (8 hours with lab); Chemistry (8 hours with lab); Organic Chemistry (8 hours with lab); English (6 hours); Humanities/Social Sciences (18 hours) |
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | Biology; Biochemistry; Chemistry; English; Mathematics; Physics | Biology (14 hours); Biochemistry (3 hours); Chemistry (12 hours); English (6 hours); Math (3 hours); Physics (8 hours) |
| University of Minnesota Medical School | Biology with lab; Chemistry with lab; additional science; additional coursework | UMN’s prereq page uses “1 semester or quarter” style requirements (for example: Biology with lab: 1 semester/quarter; Chemistry with lab: 1 semester/quarter) |
| University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine | No specific course requirements (Spanish and statistics recommended) | No required credit hours or lab requirements |
Yes, you can apply to medical school without completing all prerequisites. Many medical schools allow you to apply before completing classes, as long as you will finish the remaining requirements before matriculation. However, missing prerequisites can limit which schools you are eligible for, and incomplete coursework may weaken your application if key sciences are still in progress.
Yes, there are several medical schools that offer a flexible course-choice approach, welcoming applicants without strict prerequisite demands, including:
However, please note that these medical schools will often assess your demonstrated competencies in areas such as biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and mathematics rather than prescribed coursework. So, we recommend that you balance your course load with a mixture of science and non-science classes.
Yes, you can retake medical school prerequisite courses if necessary. However, medical schools vary in how they view retakes. Some schools average grades, others replace them, and repeated retakes can raise concerns about academic readiness. Retakes are generally best used to fix a clear weakness rather than to marginally improve an already acceptable grade.
The number of prerequisites you need for medical school will depend on several factors. But most medical schools expect at least one year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics, typically with labs, plus coursework in English and math. This core sequence covers the foundational knowledge needed for medical school and the MCAT.
Med school prerequisites typically take two years to complete if taken sequentially, with some subjects requiring multiple semesters. Many students spread these courses across their undergraduate years to balance workload, maintain strong grades, and allow time for MCAT preparation and extracurricular activities.
Biochemistry is not universally required for med school, but it is commonly recommended and heavily tested on the MCAT. Because biochemistry is foundational to many medical school courses, completing it before applying is strongly advised, even if a school does not list it as a requirement.
Anatomy is rarely required as a pre-medical prerequisite. Most medical schools teach anatomy during the MD curriculum. However, taking anatomy as an undergraduate can be helpful and may strengthen your preparation, especially for applicants interested in clinically oriented programs.
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