Pre-Med/Pre-Health Profession Courses
Most health profession schools require one year, including laboratory, of:
Many schools also require:
While these are the most common requirement for admission to a health professions training program, individual schools and professions may have additional requirements. It is your responsibility to be certain that you have taken all required courses for the schools to which you intend to apply.
Students who aspire to enter medical school should consult Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR). This book is available in the Health Careers Advising in University Hall 213 and can be purchased through the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The MSAR is also available as an on-line resource on the AAMC web site. the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) publishes a smiliar publication available for free download on their web site and as a book in University Hall 213. Other professions, such as dentistry and veterinary medicine have publications and websites that can help you determine which additional courses you might need to take. Copies off their publications are also available in University Hall 213.
The most common premedical/pre-health professions course requirements can be fulfilled at Brown University by taking the following courses (courses offered in the summer are noted with an asterisk):
General Chemistry -- CHEM 0100 and CHEM 0330*
NOTES:
- If exempt from CHEM 0100 you need to take an additional course. Recommended: CHEM 0500, Inorganic Chemistry. Many, though not all, medical schools accept BIOL 0280, Biochemistry in combination with CHEM 0330.
- Pre-vets: if you are exempt from CHEM 0100 you should take CHEM 0500 if the schools to which you will apply require biochemistry.
- Brown does not accept AP scores in Chemistry
Organic Chemistry -- CHEM 0350*, 0360
Biology -- Any two courses with laboratory on the 0200 level or above.
NOTES: some schools require specific courses in biology. Also, we do not recommend taking fewer than two semesters of Biology with lab if you have an AP score in this subject. Neuroscience courses with laboratory can meet biology with lab requirement.
Physics -- PHYS 0030*-0040*; 0050-0060; 0070-0160
NOTES: Students planning to major in engineering can satisfy the requirement with ENGN 0030 and 0040.
English -- any two courses in English literature, composition, or literature in translation to English.
NOTES: Courses outside of the English Department that meet these criteria are acceptable. Courses that do not meet these criteria do not count even if they required extensive reading or writing assignments. Courses with the"WRIT" designation offered in a science department do not satisfy the English requirement unless they fall in one of the categories above.
Mathematics -- Take at least two semesters of college-level mathematics with at least one being Calculus (MATH 0090*, 0100*, 0170, 0180 or 0190).
NOTES: Two schools, Harvard and Washington University in St. Louis, require a full year of calculus. Students with AP scores in calculus should still take at least one semester of college math appropriate to their level of preparation.
Also to consider:
Biochemistry -- BIOL 0280. One semester of this subject is required by twelve U.S. medical schools. Where biochemistry is not required it is nevertheless recommended by a number of schools. Five Canadian medical schools require two semesters of biochemistry (British Columbia, Calgary, Manitoba, Ottawa, and Saskatchewan). One Canadian school (Alberta) requires one semester of biochemistry.
Social, Behavioral Sciences and the Humanities -- The education in and practice of health and medicine are constantly evolving and require broad competencies not only in the sciences, but also in the social context of medicine. We encourage Brown students to explore their academic interests broadly and to include course work and activites that connect them with their chosen health career's broader social, scientific and huimanitarian contexts. You may consider taking courses in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology or Public Health.
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* Courses offered in the summer.