10 Schools with Some of the Best Pre-Med Programs

Do you dream of becoming a doctor? After you graduate high school, it’s a process that can take an additional 11 years of education, starting with four years in college to earn your bachelor’s degree. Attending one of the schools with the best pre-med programs, including Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), the University of Notre Dame, or Dominican University, helps you on your journey. Below, we outline what you need to know about pre-med programs and highlight some of the top schools in the United States that offer the required coursework.

What is Pre-Med?

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Pre-med, also known as pre-medicine or pre-medical, is an undergraduate pathway for students who wish to pursue a career in the medical field, usually as doctors. It’s not usually a major or degree in the typical sense, but is instead considered a trackway that includes classes and extracurriculars that helps students complete the prerequisites required by medical schools. Some have pre-med majors, such as Pre-medicine or Pre-Health, while others consider it a pathway to run concurrently with another selected major.

Students in these programs can expect to take a mix of biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics classes, as well as related labs. Some medical schools require specific courses, such as psychology, biochemistry, and sociology. Future doctors shouldn’t forget about humanities classes either. Many medical programs want to see students in humanities courses, like literature, philosophy, and history.

Pre-med tracks also have undergraduate research opportunities and extracurriculars, including job shadowing, observation, volunteer work, and more. In addition, the programs help prepare students for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the exam required by medical schools.

All told, it usually takes 10 to 12 years to become a doctor, or 11 on average. Students have to pursue an undergraduate degree (four years), attend medical school (four years), and complete their residency. Residency can take between three and seven years, depending on your specialization.

Can You Go to Medical School Without a Pre-Med Degree?

Yes, you can go to medical school without a degree in pre-medicine, mainly because most colleges don’t actually offer a “pre-med degree.” Instead, you simply need to complete the medical school’s prerequisites.

So, you could be a history or English major and go to medical school. Even if you graduated with an unrelated bachelor’s degree years ago and wish to become a doctor, you simply have to go finish those classes (if you haven’t already), take and pass the MCAT, and apply to a med school.

If you’re thinking about becoming a doctor and not attending a school that offers a “pre-med major,” be sure to talk to your advisor about your goals. They can help you with your college schedule so you’re able to attend the required courses.

What Should You Major In?

Since many colleges and universities with pre-med programs consider it a pathway rather than a major, you’ll need to select another area of study. There is also some debate as to whether you should major in pre-med if given the opportunity, with some believing it’s more beneficial to major in something else and simply take the medical school prerequisites.

Whether you need to major in something else or not, here are some popular areas of study for pre-med students:

10 Schools With the Best Pre-Med Programs

If you’re absolutely sure you want to be a doctor, it might be a good idea to go after a pre-med program rather than a traditional degree so you can be sure you’re meeting medical school’s entry requirements. Here are some of the top schools in the United States that offer pre-medical programs:

1. MCPHS

Total Enrollment: 6,824
Location: Boston, MA
Acceptance Rate: 85.3%

MCPHS’s pre-med program is called Bachelor of Science in Premedical Health Studies. Students can expect to study biology, chemistry, expository writing, psychology, communication, organic chemistry, medical microbiology, cellular biochemistry, physics, and behavioral sciences, among other courses and labs. During the final year, students will attend the semester-long Premedical Health Studies Capstone seminar.

Those in the program have access to unique research opportunities through various partnerships and one-on-one mentoring with professors. Similar popular undergraduate majors offered by MCPHS include Registered Nursing, Pharmacy, and Health Services.

2. UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Total Enrollment: 13,105
Location: Notre Dame, IN
Acceptance Rate: 12.5%

The University of Notre Dame offers Pre-Health as a supplementary major to your main major in their College of Arts and Letters, which includes everything from Art History to Neuroscience. The university’s website states that “84% of Notre Dame pre-med graduates are admitted to medical school,” or twice the national average. The program includes 49 hours of science with 70+ hours of classes in social sciences, the arts, and humanities.

Students can choose from various electives based on their goals, whether it’s to work in dental, veterinary, medical, physical therapy, or something else. Some related popular majors at Notre Dame include Neuroscience, Biology/Biological Sciences, and Psychology.

3. DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 3,196
Location: River Forest, IL
Acceptance Rate: 80%

Pre-med students at Dominican University (DU) work directly with their academic advisor to create a course schedule that meets the requirements of their chosen major and medical school admission. The advisor also helps them prepare for the MCAT and understand the medical school application processes.

A hands-on internship is offered through Rush Oak Park Hospital and DU’s newest campus building comes with 16 labs and state-of-the-art research equipment. Many pre-med students choose to major in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Biology, but Registered Nursing is also extremely popular at the college.

4. THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 8,286
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance Rate: 86.5%

Thomas Jefferson University offers a Bachelor’s in Pre-Medical Studies. With small class sizes, clinical experiences, and a case-history and problem-based learning approach, students gain the skills they need to succeed in various medical fields. The college also offers MCAT test prep.

Students can expect to take humanities classes as well as courses and labs on chemistry, biology, organic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, calculus, biostatistics, physics, biochemistry, microbiology, and pathology. Other related and popular majors at Thomas Jefferson University include Registered Nursing, Health Services, and Family Practice Nurse.

5. UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON

Total Enrollment: 11,674
Location: Dayton, OH
Acceptance Rate: 62%

A Pre-medicine major is offered through University of Dayton’s Pre-Health Resource Center. Students have opportunities in clinical settings and research, as well as assistance with mock interviews, medical school applications, and MCAT prep.

Over four years, students will take a range of science and humanities courses, finishing with Pre-Medicine Capstone. There are also 16 to 18 hours dedicated to self-study, which includes minors in neuroscience, psychology, sustainability, and more. Other popular majors at UD include Health Services, Psychology, and Biology.

6. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 36,714
Location: Boston, MA
Acceptance Rate: 11%

Boston University doesn’t offer a pre-medicine or pre-health major, but instead offers students the opportunity to create their own course of study while taking medical school prerequisites. Many pursue majors at the school’s College of Arts & Sciences, including Psychology, Health Services, Neurosciences, and Biology. BU also recommends considering a major through the Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, such as health science or human physiology, or biomedical engineering through the College of Engineering.

Advisors work with pre-health students to help them build a portfolio. High achieving students can also apply to the extremely competitive Modular Medical/Dental Integrated Curriculum (MMEDIC). If accepted, the student can take courses at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

7. LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 1,614
Location: Riverside, CA
Acceptance Rate: 93%

La Sierra University’s pre-med program is designed to run concurrently with another major. They offer various pre-health medical programs, including medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, and pathologists’ assistant, among others. Courses in the Pre-Medicine Pathway include biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, college writing, algebra, and trigonometry and analytical geometry.

Two majors pre-med students might want to consider at La Sierra University include Psychology and Kinesiology and Exercise Science.

8. PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 50,028
Location: University Park, PA
Acceptance Rate: 54%

Pennsylvania State University, better known as Penn State, has a bachelor’s in Pre-medicine, which focuses on life science and critical thinking. Classes include health services organization, psychology, sociology, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, labs, calculus, statistics, biostatistics, health communication, dying and death, ethics, microbiology, physics, histology, and more. Students also need to take 12 credits towards their chosen area of concentration.

Other popular health related majors at Penn State include Psychology, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, and Biology

9. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 80,065
Location: Tempe, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 90%

Arizona State University offers a Pre-Medical Career Pathway, which runs concurrently with your selected major. Some related areas of study at ASU include Biology, Psychology, and Registered Nursing.

Pre-med students meet regularly with their advisor to discuss course selection, MCAT prep, medical school applications, and more. Over the next four years, students attend the ASU Pre-Health Fairs and similar meetings, volunteer, get involved with the community, gain clinical experience through internships and fellowships, participate in research, and take the required courses.

10. MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY

Total Enrollment: 1,217
Location: North Manchester, IN
Acceptance Rate: 91%

Manchester University’s pre-med major is Biology-Chemistry – Physician (M.D.), which is currently the most popular area of study among undergraduates. It’s followed by Kinesiology and Exercise Science and Psychology.

Pre-med students will take a variety of courses in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics, biochemistry, social science, behavior science, math, research, physiology, and English. They’ll also have the opportunity to pursue research on campus, job shadow professionals, and participate in volunteer work.

Whether your college has a specific pre-medicine major or a trackway, if you want to attend medical school, you have to take the undergraduate prerequisites. Talk to your academic advisor as soon as possible about your goals so they can help you get on the right path for graduation and the MCAT. Becoming a doctor already takes over a decade – you want to make sure you start off on the right foot.

Interested in learning more about schools that offer pre-med programs and majors? College Math pairs you with colleges and universities that meet your unique goals and achievements. It’s completely free – start here.