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) |
| BI 207 | Dynamics of Biological Processes* | 4 | BI 106, CH 106, CH 232 |
| 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 105 and CH 116 |
| CH 250 | Analytical Chemistry | 4 | CH 232 |
| CH 301 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I* | 3 | BI 207 and CH 250 |
| 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) |
| PY 101 | Introduction to Psychology* | 3 | None |
| SO 101 | Introduction to Sociology* | 3 | None |
| Various | 6 credits of Humanities | 6 | Varies |
| EN ___ | English Course (in addition to CWS) | 3 | Varies |
*Required for MCAT 2015. Strongly recommend BI 316, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II as additional preparation. For more information on MCAT 2015, see https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/faqs/
Make every effort to take the MCAT NO LATER than the end of May of the summer you plan to apply. This will require DILIGENT PREPARATION DURING BOTH SEMESTERS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
Important Notes:
- Some schools require two semesters of Biochemistry (check websites) and some (ex. Hershey) require up to one year of math; ex. Calculus I + either Calculus II OR statistics (does not have to be from the math department). Also recommend genetics, comparative anatomy, developmental biology, ecology, microbiology, physiology, foreign language (especially Spanish), economics, social sciences, business courses, communication courses and ethics.
- 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.
- Make sure to have an advisor on the Health Professions Committee who advises premedical students. See the Committee section of the website.
- 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
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine* --- 4 + 4 B.S./D.O. Early Assurance Program
Temple University School of Medicine/Geisinger Health System** --- 4 + 4 Early Assurance B.S./M.D.Program
| Classes | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Biology and Lab | 8
|
| Inorganic Chemistry and Lab | 8 |
| Organic Chemistry and Lab | 8
|
| Physics and Lab | 8
|
| English (composition and literature) | 6 |
| Behavioral Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Medical Ethics, or Philosophy) | 6* |
| Humanities | 6** |
MCAT scores must be no more than 3 years old
Competitive Credentials:
LECOM: Students who wish to be in the pipeline for 4 + 4 Early Acceptance Programs must have a combined Math and Verbal SAT score of at least 1170 OR an ACT of at least 26 AND a high school grade point average of at least 3.5. Juniata overall GPA must be 3.4 or better, science GPA must be 3.2 or better and MCAT scores must be at least 25 with 7 or higher in each section.
4 + 4 LECOM students must enroll no later than December 1st of the sophomore year. Applicants must also have a letter from a D.O. in addition to the Committee letter sent to LECOM and must apply to LECOM through AACOMAS by November 15th of the year of application. Supplemental application is due by January 1. Note: Students applying to the Early Acceptance Programs 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 and does not accept any summer course work unless extenuating circumstances (LECOM permission required: consult with Dr. Debra Kirchhof-Glazier). LECOM also requires a state and/or federal criminal background check on all matriculants.
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.
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 a Lawrence Johnson Scholarship for a medical student at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. The scholarship pertains to 4 years and only one student can hold the scholarship at any one time as long as the student remains in good academic standing. The scholarship is open to current students and Juniata alumni. 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
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- https://www.aamc.org/students/considering/exploring_medical/research/mdphd/
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.org
American 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
General Information: http://www.explorehealthcareers.org/en/Index.aspx
SUGGESTED CORE PROGRESSION FOR Pre-MEDICINE*
*If you are planning to study abroad or if you are in accelerated program consult with your Health Professions advisor to plan your course progression
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 | Psychology | |
| Organic Chem Lab I |
| FALL | SPRING | |
|---|---|---|
| Sophomore Year | BI 106 | Analytical Chemistry |
| Intro to Inorganic Chemistry | English course | |
| Organic Chem Lab II | Sociology | |
| Humanities course | BI 207 |
| FALL | SPRING | |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Year | Physics I and Lab | Physics II and Lab |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Bio I | Humanities | |
| MCAT Preparation* | MCAT Preparation |
*Both semesters of the year that you plan to take the exam.
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 and Microbiology II)
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.
