Pre-Medical Course Requirement

Pre-medical courses must include a minimum of: 

• Social Sciences or Humanities - four semesters or six quarters. The types of courses that generally meet these requirements are: anthropology, classics, cultural studies/cross cultural studies, English literature, ethics, foreign language literature, history, music appreciation, philosophy, religion/theory, sociology, or study abroad.

• Chemistry and Biology - six semesters or nine quarters. The subject matter in these courses must include general chemistry, general biology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular genetics and cell biology/cell physiology, although applicants are not required to take courses with these specific titles.   Although these represent the minimum requirements, applicants are encouraged to take additional chemistry and biology courses as they provide excellent preparation for the MCAT exam and the courses encountered in medical school.

Physics - two semesters or three quarters; OR one semester or two quarters of physics, plus one semester or two quarters of calculus or linear algebra.

The following courses are recommended, but not required: 

• Ethics 
• Anatomy or comparative anatomy 
• Human or mammalian physiology 
• Embryology

Courses such as evolution, ecology, biodiversity, nutrition, environmental sciences, astronomy and atmospheric sciences will not satisfy the prerequisites. The biochemistry course for first-year medical students focuses on molecular mechanisms central to human health and disease. It is taught with the assumption that participants have already mastered the fundamentals of biochemistry, including molecular genetics, structure and activity of proteins, and metabolism.

Under exceptional circumstances, some course requirements may be waived for individuals with unusual achievements and academic promise. All candidates should demonstrate substantial academic ability in their major field as well as in the required science courses. Candidates should be proficient in the use of the English language, basic mathematics, personal computing and information technologies.

All entrants in recent years have fulfilled requirements for a bachelor's degree. No specific major is advised.

If you are unable to determine which of your courses meet the requirements please email AskUWSOM@u.washington.edu. Replies generally take one to two weeks.