Information for Pre-Medical Students

Many undergraduates at Northwestern describe themselves as premedical students. The University benefits from the presence of these well-motivated students with a clear sense of academic direction. Some years hence, society will profit from the healing efforts of many of these same young men and women when they enter the medical profession. And premedical students can look forward to a career in the delivery of high-quality health care and/or in medical research which is both financially secure and intellectually and personally challenging.

For students who are thus committed, the challenges of medicine begin some years before entrance to medical school. Competition for medical school places is keen; nationally, only about one half of those who apply to medical school are admitted. Northwestern students have traditionally fared better. Nevertheless, medical school admission committees are forced to choose among many talented students. Your grade-point average is obviously an important factor in success. Other factors are considered as well – performance in natural science courses, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and scores on the Medical College Admission Test, to name a few. Medical schools strongly advise students to have clinical experience and an understanding of how to conduct research, and to have a good understanding of the medical profession, of themselves, and of the reasons why they and medicine are a "good fit." You should seek experiences as an undergraduate that will help you to acquire these understandings – or to learn that some other career path might, in fact, be a better choice for you.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

Most medical schools require one year, or its equivalent, of each of the following: general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics. Many require a year of English. A firm background in mathematics is strongly recommended but not required by many medical schools. Some schools have additional requirements or strongly recommend certain coursework; additionally, requirements and rules can vary depending on the state the school you're considering is in. You can check specific requirements in the book Medical School Admission Requirements; copies are available at the University Academic Advising Center (UAAC), 1940 Sheridan Road. You can also take a look at the webpages of individual schools.

Northwestern students usually take general chemistry and mathematics in the first year. The second and third years are devoted to organic chemistry, biology, and physics. The UAAC maintains a list of NU courses that satisfy these requirements.

QUICK TIPS

• Choose the major that interests you most. Medical schools do not prefer any particular major.
• Meet with your WCAS Adviser early in your sophomore year and with Northwestern's premedical advisers at the University Academic Advising Center during freshman or sophomore year. Be sure to attend group information sessions offered by the University Academic Advising Center from freshman year on, throughout the entire application process.
• Be prepared to request letters of recommendation from at least three faculty members, with at least two of those coming from the sciences. Get to know your professors during office hours, and let them get to know you!
• The MCAT is currently offered in April and August. It is highly recommended that you take the MCAT by April of the spring in which you will apply. (Be aware that starting in 2007, the MCAT will be changing how and when the administer the exam; these changes may impact your planning.)
• Take a look at the book Medical School Admissions Requirements, available at the UAAC, for general information and for information on individual schools
• The UAAC maintains a helpful list of information about medical school applications, and webpages for individual medical schools can be very helpful too.

PATTERNS OF STUDY

When students identify themselves as premed, they merely declare their plans to prepare for the study of medicine by fulfilling the requirements for admission to medical school. In fact, the courses required for admission to medical school will constitute but a fraction of your undergraduate program. Completing all the required premed courses leaves considerable room for taking courses in other areas.

Premedical students are free to enroll in any of the undergraduate schools at the University. They are also free to select any major program. Medical schools do not require that applicants major in biology, chemistry, or any other natural science, nor do they give preference to natural science majors. Students intending to apply to medical school should not feel uneasy about pursuing majors in the social sciences or the humanities within Weinberg College – or majors in any of Northwestern's other undergraduate schools.

Many students who enter Northwestern considering a career in medicine decide to follow another path instead. Others maintain their interest in medicine but fail to obtain admission to a medical school. Each year some bright, earnest, qualified students who present strong records are rejected not because they were judged to be intellectually or personally unqualified for medicine but simply because of the demand for places.

Both because your application to medical school may prove unsuccessful and because you may ultimately decide that medicine is not a congenial career, you should follow an undergraduate program flexible enough to allow alternatives. Maintaining such flexibility is realistic and practical; it also makes good educational sense. An undergraduate education is an experience you are not likely to repeat! It should be a time of challenging personal and intellectual exploration, a period of stimulating discovery – and not merely a joyless means to some distant, and possibly unattainable, end. To play it safe – to take only courses that you need to take for medical school, plus ones you think will enhance your chances of admission, and to postpone to some other day the pursuit of your real interests – is to cheat yourself of much else that Northwestern offers.

Whatever schools or majors premedical students select, they include in their programs the courses required for admission to medical school. Timing and strategies for completing coursework and the strongest possible application to medical school can vary depending on a student's needs; some students, for instance, may find that they will be the strongest candidate if they apply in junior year, while for others, applying in senior year or even after graduation makes the most sense. It is best to consult with your WCAS adviser and with the UAAC advisers on a plan that will be optimal for you.

APPLYING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

Medical College Admission Test. All students seeking admission to medical school are required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Each year the test is given in April and again in August. (In 2007, the MCAT will change the way the test is administered, so be sure to plan ahead and consult advisers.)

The MCAT measures both scholastic aptitude for natural science and achievement in the premedical sciences. The aptitude dimension is sizeable. A substantial part of the test is designed to assess your basic capacity for assimilating, analyzing, interpreting, and manipulating scientific information presented in both numerical and written formats.

MCAT Registration packets are available online. Contact the University Academic Advising Center, 1940 Sheridan Road, for more details about the MCAT.

American Medical College Application Service. Most medical schools participate in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). A student applying to any of the participating schools submits one set of application materials and official transcripts to AMCAS. AMCAS, in turn, sends the materials to the participating schools at which the applicant wishes to be considered for admission. The applicant's MCAT scores are also made available to the designated schools. AMCAS does not make admissions decisions. Interested medical schools will then request a secondary application, including letters of recommendation. Be aware that a select few medical schools do not participate in AMCAS, thus requiring students to apply directly.

Transcripts. Students applying for admission to medical school must submit up-to-date transcripts of all college-level course work which they have attempted. If you have attended more than one institution, you must request official transcripts from the registrar of each institution – even if these credits are also listed on your Northwestern transcript.

Official transcripts of work taken at Northwestern University may be obtained at the Office of the Registrar, Rebecca Crown Center.

Recommendations. Recommendations from faculty members constitute an important part of your application to medical school. You should bear this in mind during your undergraduate career. Take advantage of opportunities to get to know personally instructors whom you might later ask to write on your behalf.

The University Academic Advising Center, 1940 Sheridan Road, provides a medical school recommendation service for Northwestern students. Students planning to apply to medical schools during the summer should set up their recommendation files during the preceding winter quarter. Further information about the recommendation file service may be found at the UAAC.

PREMEDICAL ADVISING AT NORTHWESTERN

Specialists in premedical advising for Northwestern students are at the University Academic Advising Center, 1940 Sheridan Road, at by email at premed-prehealth@northwestern.edu and phone number (847) 467-4281. The UAAC offers group information sessions and one-on-one sessions for students in all phases of the premedical process, from freshman year on up. It is highly recommended that students attend an information session prior to making an individual appointment; all pre-medical students should attend a group session by the end of freshman year and meet an adviser by the beginning of their junior year.

In freshman and sophomore years, premedical advising is one component of larger advising issues, including major selection, course planning, and study abroad. WCAS students' primary sources of advice in their freshman and sophomore years are their freshman and College advisers, who can help put premedical plans in the context of general academic goals. Appointments with College advisers can be made in person at 1908 Sheridan Road or by calling (847)491-8916. In junior and senior years, WCAS Advisers can continue to help students refine their plans, strategize applications, and achieve larger goals.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Students considering medicine as a career should also take a look at other careers in the health professions. These may involve the delivery of healthcare, the enhancement of our understanding of wellness and illness, and/or the development of treatment and health-promotion techniques. You may find that one of these careers best fits your own interests and talents.

Basic science and engineering majors may be extended through graduate study to careers in clinical research and teaching. Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, and biomedical engineering are mainstays of scientific medicine. Graduate study in public health can lead to careers in research, public policy, or client services.

Direct patient care is provided by nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, among others. Medical technologists, pharmacists, speech pathologists and audiologists contribute valued services. Psychologists, social workers, and hospital administrators extend the roster. Challenging and rewarding careers may be developed in any of these areas.

Students wishing further information or counseling about any of these or other health-related fields are invited to contact the premedical advisers at the University Academic Advising Center.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

MD/PhD Program

Many medical schools offer a small number of highly qualified research-oriented students the opportunity to study simultaneously for the MD degree and a PhD in one of the basic sciences. At some schools the combined program is formalized; at others the advanced degree in basic science is offered by special arrangement. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website includes a list of schools which currently offer a combined MD/PhD degree and their respective website links. For more information, consult the book Medical School Admissions Requirements and the materials of individual schools as well as the UAAC.

Medical Scientist Training Programs

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) also supports combined MD/PhD programs through the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), which provides funding support to MD/PhD programs at 39 US medical schools. Information can be found through NIGMS, or by contacting the participating institutions.

Post-Baccalaureate Programs

Post-baccalaureate programs are one way for students who decide to pursue a premedical program late in their academic careers to prepare for medical school, or a way for students whose science grades need improvement to better their chances of acceptance. There are two kinds of post-bac programs: those for career changes for students who did not complete the necessary science courses as an undergraduate, and those for academic record enhancement for students looking to bolster their GPAs. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) maintains information about post-baccalaureate programs across the country, including type of program and whether degrees are offered. You should also consult the UAAC and your WCAS Adviser.

Return to Top

This brochure was prepared in the 
Weinberg College Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising
1922 Sheridan Rd., Evanston IL 60208-4030 
(847) 491-7560

Updated 7/06 EFT