Pre-Medicine
Essential Courses
| Course # | Title | Credit Hours | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| BI 105 | Biological Diversity and Ecology | 3 | None |
| BI 121 | Biology Lab I | 1 | BI 105 (corequisite) |
| BI 106 |
|
3 | BI 105 and CH 105 |
| BI 122 | Biology Lab II | 1 | BI 105 and BI 121(prerequisites) |
| CH 105 | Organic Chemistry Concepts I | 3 | None |
| CH 116 | Organic Chemistry Lab I | 1 | CH 106 (corequisite) |
| CH 106 | Organic Chemistry Concepts II | 3 | CH 105 (with C or better) |
| CH 118 | Organic Chemistry Lab II | 1 | CH 106 |
| CH 232 | Intro to Inorganic Chemistry | 4 | CH 105or permission of instructor |
| CH 250 | Analytical Chemistry | 4 | CH 232 |
| PC 200 | General Physics I | 3 | PC 206 (corequisite) |
| or | |||
| PC 202 | Introductory Physics I | 3 | MA 130 and PC 206 (corequisites) |
| PC 206 | Physics Lab I | 1 | PC 200 or PC 202 (corequisite) |
| PC 201 | General Physics II | 3 | PC 200; PC 207 (corequisite) |
| or | |||
| PC 203 | Introductory Physics II | 3 | PC 202 and MA 130; PC 207 (corequisite) |
| PC 207 | Physics Lab II | 1 | PC 201 or PC 203 (corequisite) |
| Varies | 6 credits of Sociology, Psychology, or Philosophy* | 6 | Varies |
| Various | 6 credits of Humanities | 6 | Varies |
| EN ___ | English Course | 3 | Varies |
Some MD and DO Schools are now REQUIRING Biochemistry. You will need to take BI 207 as a prerequisite for our CH 301 course.
* Sociology and Psychology preferred
Important Notes:
- Some schools (ex. Hershey) require up to one year of math; ex. Calculus I + either Calculus II OR statistics from the math department . Also recommend dynamics of biological processes, genetics, biochemistry (required for some schools (DO and MD; including New England College of Osteopathic Medicine) ; check the websites) , comparative anatomy, microbiology, physiology, foreign language (especially Spanish), sociology, ecology, economics, business courses, communication courses, ethics, psychology/behavioral sciences, and advanced sciences.
- These courses reflect program requirements for our affiliations with Tulane University School of Medicine, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Temple University School of Medicine/Geisinger Health System only. Although this course list will be sufficient for most other programs, make sure to check requirements of other schools in which you are interested no later than your sophomore year.
- This course list does NOT represent a POE, nor does it cover College requirements. Design a POE, preferably in an academic area, in consultation with your advisor. Note: If you are in a 3 +_ program, course work during the first year of professional school can count toward upper level POE requirements.
- Make sure to have an advisor on the Health Professions Committee who advises premedical students.
- In addition to your course work you are urged to gain some experience in medicine either during the school year or over the summer.
REQUIREMENTS
Tulane University School of Medicine*--- Regular Progression (4 years at Juniata) OR 3 + 4 B.S./M.D. Early Acceptance Program
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine** --- Regular Progression (4 years at Juniata) OR 3 + 4 B.S./D.O. Accelerated Program in Primary Care
Temple University School of Medicine/Geisinger Health System*** --- 4 + 4 Early Assurance Program
| Classes | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Biology and Lab | 6* or 8** or 8*** |
| Inorganic Chemistry and Lab | 6* or 8** or 8*** |
| Organic Chemistry and Lab | 6* or 8** or 8*** |
| Physics and Lab | 6* or 8** or 8*** |
| English (composition and literature) | 6* or 6** |
| Behavioral Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Medical Ethics, or Philosophy) | 6** |
| Humanities | 6*** |
Many medical schools are now REQUIRING ONE OR TWO SEMESTERS OF BIOCHEMISTRY. Check specific medical school requirements.
Social sciences and additional English courses are also strongly recommended. In addition, anatomy, embryology, genetics, math, and physical chemistry are helpful.
90 credit hours maximum
MCAT scores must be no more than 3 years old
Competitive Credentials:
Tulane: Science and overall GPA of 3.5 or better and MCAT score of 30 or better.
LECOM: Science and overall GPA of 3.2 and MCAT scores of 24 with 7 or higher in each section.
Temple: Science and overall GPA of 3.5 or better and an MCAT of 30 or better with no less than a 9 in any category.
Students applying for the early acceptance and/or accelerated programs should take the MCAT in late spring or early summer and apply through AMCAS or AACOMAS by July 15th. Students applying to Tulane must also submit a letter to Tulane by July 15th covering their reasons for applying for the program. The affiliation with Tulane also includes several combined degree options including M.D./Ph.D., M.D./M.P.H. (Master of Public Health), M.D./M.S.P.H. (Master of Science in Public Health), M.D./M.P.H. & T.M. (Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine), and M.D./M.S.
Students applying to LECOM must have a letter from a D.O. in addition to the Committee letter sent to LECOM by March 1 of the junior year. Secondary application should be in by August 15th. Note: Students applying to the Accelerated Program at LECOM may apply ONLY to LECOM. LECOM accepts ONLY U.S. citizens and permanent residents. LECOM does NOT accept AP (advanced placement) credit for any prerequisites.
The Early Assurance Program with Temple/Geisinger Health System involves clinical training in years 3 and 4 at the Geisinger Health System Clinical Campus in Danville, PA. This affiliation is not open to transfer students.
Juniata also offers an $80,000 Lawrence Johnson Scholarship for a medical student at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. The money is awarded at $20,000 per year and only one student can hold the scholarship at any one time. Minimum credentials for application are science and overall GPAs of 3.5 and 30 on the MCAT.
Helpful websites:
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine - http://www.aacom.org/
Association of American Medical Colleges - http://www.aamc.org/
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - http://www.lecom.edu/
Temple University School of Medicine - http://www.temple.edu/medicine
Tulane University School of Medicine - http://www.tulane.edu/
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry - http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/
Minority information resource for MD applicants- http://www.aspiringdocs.org
MD/Ph.D. information- http://www.aamc.org/students/considering/research/mdphd/start.htm
Resource List for Medical Career Information
Family Medicine fmignet.aafp.orgAspiring Docs (Association of American Medical Colleges) Aspiringdocs.org
Ventures Scholars Program www.venturescholar.org
National Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Organization www.nationalahec.org
Student Medical Association Websites
American Medical Student Association www.amsa.orgAmerican Medical Women's Association www.amwa-doc.org
Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum www.apiahf.org
Association of American Indian Physics www.aaip.org
National Hispanic Medical Association www.nhmamd.org
Student National Medical Association www.snma.org
Student Osteopathic Medical Association www.studentdo.com
SUGGESTED CORE PROGRESSIONS FOR
Pre-MEDICINE
No Acceleration and No Study Abroad Junior Year
Bolded courses are offered only in the indicated semester and/or require a specific sequence due to Juniata prerequisites. Non-bolded courses are either offered in both semesters or represent open-ended choices, making them more flexible in when they can be taken. Course progressions after the freshman year are not carved in stone. Your particular course sequence may be different, depending on your situation. Consult with your advisor.
| FALL | SPRING | |
|---|---|---|
| Freshman Year | BI 105 | Biology Lab II |
| Biology Lab I | Organic Chemistry Concepts II (if C or better in OCC I) | |
| Organic Chem Concepts I | Behavioral Sceince |
| FALL | SPRING | |
|---|---|---|
| Sophomore Year | BI 106 | Analytical Chemistry |
| Intro to Inorganic Chemistry | English coruse | |
| Organic Chem Lab II | Humanities course | |
| Humanities course |
| FALL | SPRING | |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Year | Physics I and Lab | Physics II and Lab |
| Behavioral Sceince |
If you do an accelerated program plan to finish most or all of the prerequisite courses the year before your final year at Juniata. If you have one or two courses to complete your final year at Juniata, you could be conditionally accepted to professional school based on your academic record up to that point and on successful completion of the remaining prerequisite courses.
If you study abroad the SAFEST strategy is to take ALL prerequisite courses for professional school in the U.S., which may require you to take courses in the U.S. over the summer, preferably at a 4 year institution. However, if this is extremely difficult for your situation, check with the professional schools you wish to attend to see if they will accept courses taken abroad and if so, get their response in writing. Also if you have a Biology POE and will not have BI 207 by the time you go abroad, check with the Biology Department to see if there is a Cell and Molecular course you can take abroad that will enable you to take upper level biology offerings at Juniata your senior year that require BI 207 (ex. Physiology, Immunology, and Microbiology)
Be mindful of your POE courses, which are NOT indicated here. For example, if you have a Biology POE, you will need to take Freshman seminar the spring of your freshman year, Frontiers of Biology the fall of your sophomore year, and Biology 207 at your earliest opportunity after completing Introduction to Inorganic Biology.


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