The Pre-Med Track, Explained

What "pre-med" means in the US

"Pre-med" is not an undergraduate major in the United States — it is a preparation track. Students who intend to apply to medical school follow a set of prerequisite science courses during their undergraduate years, alongside whatever major they choose. You can be pre-med while majoring in biology, history, economics, engineering, or any other field, as long as you complete the required prerequisite courses and apply to medical school.

Many universities have a pre-health advising office that helps pre-med students plan their coursework, clinical experience, and application timeline.

Typical science prerequisites

Each medical school sets its own specific prerequisites, so always check the requirements of every school you plan to apply to. However, the following subjects are required by the vast majority of US MD and DO programs, according to the AAMC Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database. Lab components are usually required alongside lecture courses.

• Biology (typically two semesters with lab)
• General (inorganic) chemistry (typically two semesters with lab)
• Organic chemistry (typically two semesters with lab)
• Biochemistry (typically one semester; now required or strongly recommended by most programs)
• Physics (typically two semesters with lab)
• Psychology and sociology (required by many programs, tested on the MCAT)
• English or writing (required by some programs)
• Mathematics or statistics (required by some programs)

The MCAT: what it is and when to take it

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT®) is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). It is a standardised, multiple-choice exam that tests knowledge of natural and social sciences alongside critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Nearly all US allopathic (MD) medical schools require MCAT scores; most osteopathic (DO) programs do as well. A small number of law schools now accept the GRE as an alternative, but this does not apply to MCAT — check each program's official policy.

The MCAT is scored on a scale from 472 to 528, with 500 as the midpoint. Most test-takers sit the exam in the spring of the year they plan to apply to medical school — typically after completing most or all of the science prerequisites. The exam takes approximately 7.5 hours including breaks. For current registration fees, available test dates, and score policies, verify on the official AAMC site (students-residents.aamc.org).

Building a competitive application beyond coursework

Medical school admission in the US is holistic. Coursework and MCAT scores are only part of the picture. Admissions committees also look at clinical experience (patient-facing hours, often volunteering in hospitals or clinics), physician shadowing, research experience (especially for research-focused programs), community service, and letters of recommendation from faculty and physicians who know the applicant's work.

Timelines vary, but most students spend at least one to two years building clinical and research experience before applying. Some students take a gap year (or more) between college and medical school to strengthen their applications. No specific timeline guarantees admission — the process is competitive and outcomes depend on many individual factors.

MD programs vs DO programs

US medical education leads to two primary degrees: M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), conferred by allopathic medical schools, and D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), conferred by osteopathic medical schools. Both are full medical licenses in the US. The prerequisite course requirements and MCAT are similar. MD and DO programs differ in curriculum emphasis (DO programs include osteopathic manipulative medicine training) and, historically, in residency match outcomes — though the two systems merged into a single residency match process (NRMP) in 2020.

For details on any specific program's requirements, acceptance statistics, or curriculum, use the AAMC MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements) database or the AACOMAS portal for DO programs.