Admission Requirements

There is no universal set of requirements, but most programs require a core of prerequisite undergraduate courses that includes:

• two semesters of biology with lab
• two semesters of "inorganic" (general) chemistry with lab
• two semesters of organic chemistry with lab
• two semesters of physics with lab
• one semester of mathematics
• one or two semesters of literature or composition*
  

* (FYS and other writing-intensive courses can sometimes count, but policies vary from one institution to another)

A number of other courses are recommended before taking the MCAT exam (see below.) Because of the sequential nature of most science courses, students interested in medicine are strongly encouraged to enroll in introductory level chemistry (CHEM 110 or 120) and biology (BIOL 200) during their first semester at Wooster. Frequent communication with your academic advisor, members of the Pre-Health Advising Committee, and Pre-Health Coordinator will be helpful in ensuring that you are on track with your courses.

A common misconception is that medical schools require their applicants to major in "bio-something" as an undergraduate. While many pre-health students at Wooster find majors in Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to be convenient routes for completing the required coursework, a major outside of the sciences can reflect a commitment to the liberal arts. In fact, applicants with majors outside the biological sciences are accepted to medical school at a higher rate than those within the biological sciences. Recognizing that medical school is the time and place for learning medicine, the undergraduate major that prepares you the best is one in which you can do well and find fulfillment.

Grade Point Average

Strong grades, particularly in science and mathematics, are crucial. There is unfortunately no GPA that will guarantee acceptance, but some helpful data is shown below:

	Average Cumulative GPA*
	Wooster Students	National Average
Students Applying to MD Programs	3.50	3.49
Students Admitted to at least one MD Program	3.62	3.65
Students Applying to DO Programs	3.35	3.35
Students Admitted to at least one DO Program	3.50	3.43
*For applicants in 2007 planning to enter medical school in 2008. Sources: AAMC and AACOM Advisor Information Systems.

Resources such as the Medical Schools Admission Requirements (for M.D. programs) and AACOM College Information Book (for D.O. programs) provide detailed GPA and MCAT profiles for each medical school in the United States. National data for M.D. applicants, showing the admission rates of applicants with certain GPA and MCAT scores, is available at the AAMC Web site.