Preparation for Medicine (M.D. Degree)

Admission to medical school is selective and dependent upon scholarship and aptitude as indicated by the scores attained on the Medical College Admission Test (normally taken during the spring semester of the student's third year) and by other criteria. The student should include in the premedical program a course of study to prepare for admission to medical school and for admission to an appropriate graduate school or for an industrial, government, or teaching position in case the first choice cannot be realized. To meet the requirements for admission to most medical schools, the bachelor of science curriculum can be modified to include the required courses and still provide the student with enough depth in at least one area for graduate work or for career opportunities if medical school is not attended. There is no preferred major for entrance into medical school. Generally, biology, chemistry, or biochemistry is chosen by the premedical student, but other majors are possible as well.

In the first year at BGSU, students may enroll as "pre-health professional." They may change to "pre-medicine" when they have completed at least 30 hours of coursework, have declared a major, and have completed BIOL 205, CHEM 125, and CHEM 127-128. These courses must be taken for a grade. Upon completion of 30 hours of coursework and the above-mentioned science courses, students must have BOTH an overall 3.25 GPA and a 3.25 Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Math GPA. Upon meeting these criteria, students may contact their college office to replace the label of "pre-health professional" with "pre-medicine." If students do not meet these criteria after 30 hours, they may keep their "pre-health professional" label for up to 60 hours. If a student has met the above criteria after 60 hours of coursework, then he or she may change to "pre-medicine." Once students have changed to "pre-medicine," they will be expected to meet with their advisors regularly to plan their coursework for subsequent semesters. If, after 60 hours, the above criteria still have not been met, students must drop the "pre-health professional" label and must also meet with an advisor to re-evaluate future goals. Transfer students must enroll as "pre-health professional" for the first semester at BGSU; if, after one semester at BGSU, the student's overall and Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Math GPA are a 3.25, then he/she may change to "pre-medicine." The pre-medical student is urged to confer frequently with the advisor, particularly with respect to planning prerequisite courses for the Medical College Admission Test and for meeting the admission requirements of the preferred medical school.

Recommended course sequences

• BIOL 204, 205 (10)
• CHEM 125, 127, 128 or 135, 137, 138 (10)
• CHEM 341, 344 & 345 or 346 (9-10)
• MATH 128 or 129 or 130 (by placement) and 131 (possibly 232, depending on medical school and major) (7-13)
• PHYS 201 and 202 or 211 and 212 (10)
• ENG 112 (3); Additional courses may be required by individual medical schools.