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Are there any other requirements to get into medical school besides the MCAT and a bachelor's degree?

I'm a current high school junior and have aspirations to go to medical school. #college #doctor #college-bound #medical-school #college-applications

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Rachel’s Answer

You do need to complete the pre-med requirements that vary from school to school. These include at least a year of biology, 1 year inorganic chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry + labs, physics, calculus, and biochemistry. Your junior year, you will need to take an MCAT study course prior to taking the MCAT. With a solid GPA and MCAT score, you should be a competitive applicant.
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Richard’s Answer

You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.

Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.

Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters

Try to find opportunities to pursue research.

Volunteer at your local hospital or low-income clinic. Ask physicians, PAs or other clinical providers if you can shadow them.


During college study for and complete the MCAT. Devote an entire summer to studying for the MCAT and consider paying for a prep course if you can afford it.

Apply to medical schools during your last year of college.
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Arthur’s Answer

Hi Cassidy,
I can't claim to be an expert on the medical school entrance requirements. But I can say with confidence that yes, there are other requirements, including a transcript (probably official), letters of recommendation and a personal essay on why you would like to go to med school, and why you chose that particular med school. Experience always helps, so I would recommend finding an internship, or during your high school time, perhaps a volunteer opportunity (incidentally, that could also help your college applicatin).


However, my advice to you is to not yet worry about the application (except for maybe finding a volunteer opportunity over the summer)--first enjoy your last year of high school. When you enter college, find your career development office, and (hopefully) there will be a counselor that specializes in pre-health. I hope this helped, let me know by commenting below if you have any other questions, and good luck!
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Estelle’s Answer

After completing the undergraduate course requirements that Richard outlined, your major is not as important as your undergraduate grades, your MCAT score, your letters of reference, and your personal statements on your medical school application. For now, just focus on finding a college that fits you and your budget and a major that really interests you in college so that you will make great grades and get strong letters of recommendation from professors that recognize your potential.
Good luck!
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James’s Answer

hi cassidy,


i graduated med school in 1993.


most, but not all, medical schools require a bachelor's degree. however, you must take a set of pre-med requirement courses. the ones i can recall are chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, calculus, and physics. there are also "recommended" courses such as physiology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, etc.


check with the health professions counselor when you get to college for an updated list.


once you've fulfilled the course requirements and taken the MCAT you can then apply to the med school(s) of your choice. that's where the essays and transcripts come in.


if a med school likes your application then they'll ask that you come for an interview.


lastly there's a match process where both the medical schools and the applicants get to rank their preferences and some algorithm does the rest.


good luck!
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