Medicine (Pre-Medicine)

Undergraduate Programs

Description

Medicine is a pre-professional program. The purpose of pre-professional programs is to provide students with the intellectual and academic backgrounds they will need before continuing their education in degrees not offered at Minnesota State Mankato. Acceptance to professional educational institutions is contingent upon academic performance, so students enrolling in pre-professional programs should be highly motivated and realize they are expected to maintain standards of excellence. Advisors play an important role in guiding the students enrolled in such programs so students are urged to contact the advisor before enrolling. 

The completion of a baccalaureate degree is required for admittance to a medical school in most cases. Medical schools look most favorably upon the academically well-rounded student who has a strong scholastic record and unique life experiences that engender a commitment to a career in medicine. Students should pursue majors in subjects of their own choosing, as medical schools accept applicants from all academic majors, provided admission prerequisites are met. Majoring in one of the sciences—biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, etc.,—has the advantage of incorporating many or all of the courses listed above. Furthermore, the technical language of medical science is derived primarily from the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and psychology. Students who plan to enter medical school must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Typically, students begin the application process to medical school during the summer following their junior year. For their application to be complete, they must report their MCAT scores. MCATs are offered on various dates throughout the year. Contact the website of the American Association of Medical Colleges for specifics. If you have questions, please contact your pre-medicine advisor.

Policies & Faculty

Policies

Specific course requirements for admission to medical school vary somewhat among the different medical schools in the United States. To be eligible for admission at a particular medical school, the student must fulfill the requirements of that school. Students are encouraged to keep themselves informed of requirements for specific schools by consulting appropriate websites.

A typical set of requirements are: 

General Biology - (8 credits minimum) 

  • BIOL 105 and BIOL 106 
  • Students are encouraged to take additional electives from the following list to enhance their knowledge in basic biology: BIOL 211, BIOL 220, BIOL 270, BIOL 316, BIOL 320, BIOL 330, BIOL 435, BIOL 474

Chemistry with laboratory (general, inorganic and organic chemistry, 14 credits minimum)

  • General chemistry: CHEM 201, CHEM 202
  • Organic chemistry: CHEM 322 and CHEM 323 OR CHEM 322 and CHEM 324
  • Biochemistry: CHEM 360 OR CHEM 460
  • Students are encouraged to take CHEM 305 as an elective.

Physics with laboratory (8 credits minimum)

  • PHYS 211 and PHYS 212 or 
  • PHYS 221 and PHYS 222 

Mathematics (introductory course in calculus and upper level statistics)

  • MATH 121 

Health Sciene

  • HLTH 475

English or literature (one year)

  • ENG 101
  • an additional 4 credits of writing intensive coursework in English.
  • Students are encouraged to take ENG 271W as an elective.

Social and Behavior Sciences, and Humanities - (18 credits minimum)

  • Students are encouraged to include PSYC 101, SOC 101 and PHIL 222W among their electives. 

Contact Information

College of Science, Engineering & Technology
Advisory Team

  • Biology Majors: M. Bentley, Ph.D., G. Goellner, Ph.D., Marilyn Hart, Ph.D., R. Cohen, Ph.D.; D. Sharlin, Ph.D.; Toma, Ph.D.
  • Chemistry and Biochemistry majors: M. Pomije, Ph.D.