Medical School Requirements

Medical school requirements vary from one school to the next, but there are a few basic requirements such as courses and examinations that are pretty much universal for all incoming medical school students. You must at least have taken the required courses, have the minimum GPA and gotten a passing score on the MCAT to be considered for medical school.

Coursework is the most basic of medical school requirements. All applicants should have taken at least one year of the following:
General biology
Physics with lab
General chemistry (inorganic chemistry) with lab
Organic chemistry with lab
Calculus
English

A grade point average of at least 3.5 is another one of the common medical school requirements, although exceptional work in other areas can sometimes make up for this. MCAT scores are also important. MCAT sections including biology and organic chemistry, a verbal section and a writing sample are required for almost all medical students, most of whom take a pre course before the exam. You must also have a baccalaureate degree before begining medical school, although it does not have to be in one of the sciences as many people believe.

Research and physician shadowing can also be very helpful for students who are applying to medical schools, although they are not technically part of the medical school requirements. Research helps to show that a student is serious about science, and it can begin as early as your freshman year in college. By choosing a respected faculty member doing research that interests you, you can really impress the medical school admissions committees. Physician shadowing, on the other hand, is really just good for students who are trying to tell whether they are even interested in beging doctors in the first place.

Volunteer service is another optional thing you can do to help get into medical school. Medical schools are looking for people who are willing to take the time and effort to make a serious contribution, and volunteering is a great way to show that. Although it’s not one of the medical school requirements, it’s a good thing to do.