MySLC

Basic Requirements for Health Professional Programs

For applicants seeking admission to Medical School (MD/DO), the majority of schools require:

• General Biology:  Full Year (2 Semesters) with labs
• General Chemistry: Full Year (2 semesters), with labs
• Organic Chemistry:  Full Year (2 semesters), with labs
• Biochemistry: 1 semester
• General Physics: Full Year (2 semesters) with labs
• Math: 1-2 semesters (see notes below)
• Literature / Writing: 2 semesters
• 1 practicum course through SLC Embedded (strongly recommended)

The following courses are key to preparing for the MCAT and are required by a small number of medical schools (see Note about Prerequisite Courses below):

• Upper Level Biology: 1-2 semesters
• Social Sciences (e.g. Psychology, Sociology): 1-2 semesters

Check out our Four Year Course Planner to help you map out your prerequisite courses. 

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Some schools require specific course work beyond these basic requirements. We recommend researching schools of interest, particularly schools in your home state, to check their prerequisite courses. You can view the prerequisite courses by going directly to the schools admissions website or by searching in the Medical School Admissions Requirements database. 

Calculus-based General Physics or General Physics without Calculus may be taken to satisfy this prerequisite. Please note that General Physics without Calculus will be offered every other year. 

The majority of medical schools require at least 1 semester of college-level math, some require 2 semesters. This can be satisfied by either taking a Calculus and/or Statistics course. You can satisfy the 2 semester requirement by taking one semester of Calculus and one semester of Statistics. Approximately 20 medical schools require statistics. Premedical students are strongly encouraged to take statistics. 

Almost all schools require a semester or year of English or Writing (this may include English literature or Comparative literature) for an earned letter grade.  Due to the writing-intensive nature of our courses at Sarah Lawrence, a *seminar writing-intensive courses may satisfy this prerequisite; therefore, you may not need to specifically take a Literature or Writing course to satisfy this prerequisite. Focus on courses that require reading, analyzing literature, and writing papers for the majority of your grade. Check out this helpful flowchart from Princeton University to determine if a course will satisfy this requirement. 

*May be satisfied by your First-Year Studies Seminar; may use AP/IB credits.  

Although a SLCEmbedEd practicum course is not a requirement for medical or dental school, it is strongly recommended as it enables students to complete experienced-based work - such as internships, volunteer positions, and jobs, while supporting students’ transition from campus to life after graduation and to building a supportive network of peers, alumni, and campus resources. Please note SLCEmbedEd courses are only available to second, third, fourth-year and graduate students. Click here for more information about the SLCEmbedEd program.

There are many possible pathways into SLC EmbeddEd courses, and students who need help finding a placement can access resources through various on-campus offices.

A few medical schools now require behavioral or social science courses. Concepts related to the Psychological and Social Foundations of Behavior are tested on the MCAT. No specific course will align perfectly with the MCAT, but many of our psychology and sociology courses will be most relevant. 

For applicants seeking admission to Dental School:

The prerequisites for dental programs are very similiar to prerequisites for medical school, but often include Microbiology. The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) covers biology, general and organic chemistry, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning (no higher than algebra-level problem solving).

For applicants seeking admission to Allied Health Programs (e.g. Nursing, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, etc):

These programs do not have a standardized list of prerequisite courses; there are individual variations within schools. It is best to research the prerequisites by school for the health professional program you are interested in pursuing. You are encouraged to meet with the prehealth advisor to discuss this further and identify the prerequisites for your intended program/schools. Many of these programs require the GRE General Test, which tests verbal and quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.  

For applicants seeking admission to Veterinary School:

The prerequisites for veterinary school vary widely across schools, though they all include the four basic sciences with labs. Consult with the prehealth advisor if you are considering vet school. Veterinary school requires the GRE General Test, which tests verbal and quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.