Required Courses
While Northwestern University is on the quarter calendar, our course credit is expressed in terms of units, not semester or quarter hours. Course credit units can be confusing for Northwestern pre-health students in understanding how their Northwestern credits fulfill common pre-health prerequisites. This section provides a broad overview of course pre-requisites
- Course unit conversion
- 1 Northwestern Course Credit = 2.66 semester hours or 4 quarter hours
- Northwestern University Course Credit Unit Conversion information
Most medical schools require the following undergraduate courses before being considered for admittance. Be sure to check with schools for specific requirements as their policies are subject to change.
You can review our FAQ section for more information. We also encourage you to book an appointment with an advisor to discuss your personal coursework plan.
For tutoring or other academic support services, check out the Academic Support and Learning Advancement (ASLA)
|
General Chemistry |
Most schools require one year with lab. Northwestern course sequences that satisfy this requirement:
NOTE: Placement in general chemistry is dependent upon departmental approval, placement exams, and/or AP credit. Please refer to Department of Chemistry guidelines for details. Students who have completed any of the general chemistry course sequences noted above are considered to have completed a full year of general chemistry as noted by the Department of Chemistry. |
|---|---|
|
Organic Chemistry |
Most schools require one year with lab. Northwestern classes that fill this requirement:
NOTE: Students who complete CHEM 215-1/CHEM 235-1 and CHEM 215-2/CHEM 235-2 will have covered all the fundamental organic chemistry topics required for preparation for the health professions as noted by the Department of Chemistry. The third quarter of organic chemistry sequence may still be required for admission by a handful of medical schools. Review this Organic Chemistry for Pre-Meds Handout and talk with your health professions advisor for more information. |
|
Biology |
Most schools require one year with lab. *Changes in bio sequence begin in Spring 2021. First year students entering Northwestern in Fall 2020 or later should plan to use only the following sequence:
Students typically begin the sequence with BIOL SCI 201 during spring quarter of first year. BIOL SCI 201, 202, and 203 must be taken in order. BIOL SCI 232, 233, and 234 also must be taken in order. BIOL SCI 202 & 203 must be taken concurrently with the respective labs (232 & 233). CHEM 212-1 or CHEM 215-1 is a prerequisite for enrollment for BIOL SCI 301. Students who matriculated to Northwestern prior to Fall 2020 may use the sequence above, or a combination which can include the following:
Northwestern labs that fill this requirement:
ISP Students should take Bio 240 and 241 with labs 220, 221, and 222. Some biological sciences courses have required prerequisites; please note any course prerequisites listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. |
|
Physics |
Most schools require one year with lab. Northwestern classes that fulfill this requirement:
NOTE: Some majors require the PHYSICS135 sequence; please consult your major requirements to ensure you choose the correct course. ISP students are required to take the Physics 125 sequence. Engineering students are exempt from the first quarter (135-1); the material is covered in the Engineering Analysis (EA) sequence. |
|
Math |
Mathematics requirements vary among medical schools. We recommend one year of mathematics and/or statistics coursework, typically two quarters of calculus and one quarter of statistics. We strongly recommended a statistics course in preparation for the MCAT. Northwestern courses that typically fulfill these requirements:
For the contact information to the Department of Mathematics |
|
English |
Schools typically required one year of English/writing intensive courses. Northwestern classes that fulfill this requirement:
|
|
Behavioral and Social Sciences |
Introductory courses in psychology and sociology are recommended for MCAT preparation. Some medical schools may also require courses in the behavioral and social sciences and/or the humanities. |
|
Common Additional Requirements & Considerations |
The following schools require these additional courses. See their websites for more information.
Coursework Tips & Considerations
|
AP Credits
There is no uniform acceptance policy for AP credit for all medical schools. Most medical schools will accept AP credit but some may require or prefer that an applicant take upper level science coursework, in some cases from the same area of study, to replace the AP credit.
Exceptions: A small number of schools have stricter requirements and do not accept AP or IB credits. Always check a medical school's admissions website to be certain of the most current policies.
Science GPA
Medical schools use the science GPA along with the MCAT score to evaluate whether you can be academically successful in their programs.
What goes into the science GPA?
- MD programs include all courses in biology, chemistry, physics and math (BCPM)
- DO programs consider all courses in biology, chemistry and physics
See our GPA calculator to determine your science grade point average.