Health Sciences Advising
Contact Information
Health Sciences Advising
Pre-Professional Advising Office
111 South Hall (First Floor)
(530) 752-4475
Handouts
success.ucdavis.edu/gradprof/healthprof/medicine/index.html
Pre-Medical School Preparation at UC Davis
Business Hours
9-12p, 1-4p M-F (academic year)
10-12p, 1-3p M-F (summer)
Preparation for medical school involves, first and foremost, completion of certain required courses and taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). After meeting these
basic requirements, students with diverse records and backgrounds are eligible to apply to medical school and are accepted. Although there is no "formula" or direct path that
leads to acceptance, the most competitive applicants are well prepared in several areas.
Course Requirements
Traditionally, specific course prerequisites have varied somewhat for each medical school but the following courses will fulfill all that are generally required. PLEASE NOTE:
The AAMC is now encouraging US allopathic medical schools to move to a 'core competency' model for medical school admissions rather than a 'prerequisites' model. Thus,
rather than requiring a complete list of prerequisite courses prior to considering an applicant for admission, medical schools will allow more flexibility in the choice of classes
pre-med students should take to prepare for their medical education. However, we strongly recommend that you continue to take the courses listed below, whether or not they
are specifically 'required' for consideration for admission. [If you have questions about this, please see an HSA advisor.]
To prepare for medical schools with prerequisites (most allopathic and all osteopathic med schools at this time), ALL required courses must be taken for a letter grade, NOT on a
Passed/Not Passed basis. Many schools require a grade of C or better in these courses (none will accept a D+ or lower); most allopathic schools will accept a C- (although not
preferred) but most osteopathic schools will NOT accept a C- grade. If courses are repeated, BOTH grades are included in the AMCAS (allopathic medicine) GPAs, unlike
the UC Davis GPA policy, but AACOMAS (osteopathic medicine), like UC Davis, only includes the last grade in its GPA calculations.
The course numbers in parentheses for the required courses listed below indicate the usual courses taken at UC Davis, but other courses may fulfill the requirements. Please see
individual medical school websites or an HSA advisor for more specific information. If you aren't sure whether your courses from another California college or university will
fulfill these prerequisites, please refer to assist.org an online information system for articulation of courses between California schools, for more information.
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Inorganic Chemistry: 1 year with lab (Chem 2ABC)
Organic Chemistry: 1 year with lab (Chem 118ABC); Chem 128ABC plus 129ABC are acceptable, but the Chem 8 series is not; if you have taken Chem 8AB,
please see an HSA advisor.
Mathematics: When last surveyed, only ~15 US medical schools required a year of calculus (16ABC or 17ABC or 21ABC), and only about 50 required any math at
all (typically 2 qtrs/1 sem of calculus or sometimes a year of 'college math') but this has been changing with the addition of a required course in statistics at many
schools. Since 2 qtrs of calculus are required for physics at UC Davis, you will need (16AB or 17AB or 21AB) and more schools are now requiring statistics, we
recommend 2 qtrs of calculus and one of stats (STA 100 best, STA 13 will fulfill)
Physics: 1 year with lab (Physics 7ABC; 9ABC OK)
Biology: 1 year with lab (BIS 2ABC + one additional lab) NOTE: Since BIS2A does not include a lab but is a prerequisite for upper division courses and is necessary
preparation for the MCAT, students who take BIS 2ABC will need to complete an additional bio lecture + lab (e.g. MIC101, NPB 100+100L, NPB 101+101L,
EXB106+106L, BIS 101+MCB 160L); please see an HSA advisor if you have questions.
English: 1 year (any college level courses in Comp Lit, English or the University Writing Program are acceptable); this prerequisite cannot be fulfilled by intensive
writing courses outside of ENL, COM and UWP, nor will Communication, ESL or "workload" courses such as Sac City English 57 or 100 fulfill this prerequisite.
Comments on Requirements for California Schools
 UCI requires (1) 5 quarters of biology, including at least one upper division biology course and (2) one course in biochemistry (BIS 102 or 105)
 UCSD does not accept BIS 102, 103, or 105, or any botany courses to fulfill their one year of biology requirement (but no labs are required)
 Statistics is now required by UCI, UCR, and UCLA
 Although UC Davis now officially requires only a year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics (no labs), and Keck/USC no longer has
any official course requirements, we recommend that you fulfill the prerequisites listed above to prepare for medical school; please see websites for additional
information.
Additional Requirements for Out-Of-State Schools
There are few additional course requirements for medical school but a few schools may require specific courses (e.g. U of Illinois requires 3 sem of behavioral/social sciences,
Ohio State has a new anatomy requirement starting in 2013). When last surveyed, ~15 medical schools required Biochemistry (usually one semester) which can be fulfilled by
taking BIS 102 + BIS 103. Although some schools may accept BIS 105 (3 qtr units), since Biochemistry is becoming increasingly important in medical education (including the
official inclusion of Biochemistry on the new MCAT, we recommend that all pre-meds take BIS 102 + 103, regardless of major.
Please be sure to check the online MSAR (Medical School Admissions Requirements) or individual school websites for the most up-to-date information about
prerequisites.
The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
The MCAT is administered by computer at many test centers throughout the US (with a few abroad) and is currently being offered ~25 times a year (January to September). Be
sure to register early because seats fill up quickly! The current MCAT examination includes three sections: Verbal Reasoning (VR), Physical Sciences (PS), and Biological
Sciences (BS); chemistry is included in both the PS (gen chem) and BS (organic chem) sections. This MCAT will be offered for the last time in January 2015.
In spring 2015, the new MCAT with 4 sections will be launched:
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Biological and Chemical Foundations of Living Systems will include (along with the section below) questions that test scientific competencies by asking
examinees to solve problems about biological and living systems and to integrate concepts from multiple disciplines, including biochemistry. Concepts from biology,
general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics will be tested as before (~75% of the questions will test concepts that also appear on the current MCAT). These
questions will require examinees to use research methods and statistical skills to solve problems.
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (please see description above)
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills which will be very much like the current VR section but with passages from the social sciences and humanities that
emphasize cultural studies, population health, ethics and philosophy. Questions will require analysis and reasoning skills using the most current science on cognitive
processing.
Behavioral and Social Sciences will include concepts from psychology and sociology (along with related biology concepts that provide the foundation for learning
about the behavioral and sociocultural determinants of health and health outcomes. Questions will test scientific competencies by asking examinees to integrate
knowledge from different disciplines and will require scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills using research methods and statistical skills.
Ideally you should take the MCAT no later than the Spring just before your application to medical school in June (i.e. you apply ~1.5 years before you plan to enter medical
school). At the earliest this would be in your junior (3rd) year but many take the MCAT in the summer after their 3rd year or in their senior year (or later). As a general
guideline, you should take the MCAT when you are ready rather than at a pre-conceived time.
Prior to taking the MCAT, you should complete all general prerequisites plus these additional preparatory courses:
 Genetics (BIS 101)
 Biochemistry (BIS 105 OK for current MCAT; BIS 102 + BIS 103 best for current and 2015 MCAT)
 Physiology (NPB 101)
 Psychology (PSC 1) for 2015 MCAT
 Sociology (SOC 1 or Soc 2) for 2015 MCAT
Although no specific English courses will prepare you for the VR or new Critical Analysis section of the MCAT, we recommend that you complete your English courses prior to
the MCAT and be sure that you have well-developed reading skills (i.e. speedy!) Most science majors find the Verbal Reasoning section the most challenging on the MCAT and
it is difficult to develop the skill you will need in a short period of time. Start now by reading a lot-- outside of science.
Never take the actual MCAT for practice. Most applicants prepare for the MCAT using commercial test preparation materials and practice exams, and we encourage you to
take the MCAT when you are scoring at or above the scores you hope to get on the MCAT because scores rarely go up on test day. You should then plan to apply to medical
school based on when you have competitive scores rather than tying your plans to graduation, although you should plan to complete your bachelor's degree prior to matriculation
into medical school. Please see an HSA advisor to discuss the timing of this important examination as well as specific course preparation. To register for the MCAT, complete
the online application.
Extracurricular Activities
There is a wide range of experience possible in this area but it is very important for a competitive applicant to have extracurricular activities. Often, students must support
themselves and work becomes their primary (but not only) extracurricular activity. Clinical experience (including opportunities to observe physicians treating patients) is
expected and is considered critical because medical schools want to be certain that you have knowledge of the field and the job of a physician. Most applicants have research
experience as well. Research or clinical experiences that you initiate or develop yourself are particularly rewarding and are viewed very positively by admission committees.
Community and campus service, participation in organized sports or arts, leadership, and well-developed personal interests are all important in the admission process.
Primary Application Process
Most allopathic medical schools belong to a centralized application service (AMCAS) that allows you to apply through one initial application online. You can apply to all but
one of the osteopathic medical schools through a separate online application service (AACOMAS). All medical schools in Texas (MD and DO) are a part of a third application
service (TMDSAS) found on the Web. HSA offers a workshop each year in early May to explain the application process in detail. Applications are submitted approximately 1215 months before enrolling in medical school.
Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
LOR are submitted by letterwriters directly to the AMCAS Letter Service (which includes a designation to TMDSAS), or to individual medical schools (osteopathic and
international schools), or to a commercial letter service like Interfolio. Be sure to cultivate relationships with future writers of your LOR (including faculty who teach your
classes, especially in science) and plan to attend a "Getting Letters of Recommendation" workshop offered by HSA staff.
Secondary Applications
"Secondaries" (or supplementary applications) are requests by medical schools for additional information and fees. Schools that do not use an application service (e.g. foreign
medical schools) usually have a single application.
Interviews
The final stage of the application process is the interview. If a school offers you an interview, it means they are seriously considering you. All medical schools interview
potential matriculants. UC Davis students and alumni are invited to prepare for interviews by participating in an "Interview Practice Workshop" offered throughout the year. Be
sure to join the prehealth-events listserv to receive information about these and other workshops.
At each stage of the application process, HSA advisors are available year-round to assist you through the use of the Web, printed materials, workshops and individual advising.
They can review your personal statement and answer questions about your application and resume. For tips on writing an effective personal statement, go to the webpage
on Writing A Personal Statement for Health Professions Schools. HSA advisors are also available to advise students/alumni who need to become more competitive
applicants and/or to reapply.
Call our office at (530) 752-4475 to schedule an appointment (M-F 9-noon, 1-4 pm during the academic year, 10-noon, 1-3 pm in summer). We're here to help!
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*AAMC – Association of American Medical Colleges (allopathic)
*AACOM – American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic medicine (osteopathic)