Premedical Course Requirements in U.S. Medical Schools

This study characterizes required or recommended premedical coursework, coursework fulfillment, and congruence among U.S. medical schools.

This cross-sectional study examined course requirements and recommendations of U.S. allopathic medical schools, using data from the 2023 to 2024 Association of American Medical Colleges Medical School Admission Requirements database. Courses required and recommended, credit hours, medical schools accepting pass/fail credits, advanced placement credits, online courses, and community college credits were evaluated.

Of 157 medical schools, 154 had at least 1 premedical course requirement or recommendation. No schools had the same requirements or recommendations; 113 (72.0%) required or recommended 10 or more courses. The most commonly required courses were biology (107 [68.2%]), physics (106 [67.5%]), organic chemistry (105 [66.9%]), and inorganic chemistry (90 [57.3%]). The most commonly recommended courses were social sciences (96 [61.1%]), genetics (96 [61.1%]), and psychology (86 [54.8%]). Humanities had the highest range of credit hours expected (median, 6; range, 3-24) and cell and molecular biology, computer science, physiology, microbiology, and ethics the smallest (median, 3; range, 3-3). College mathematics had the highest proportion of schools accepting pass/fail (n = 15/26 [57.7%]) and AP (n = 51/65 [78.5%]) credits and biochemistry the lowest (n = 18/54 [33.3%] and n = 57/116 [49.1%], respectively). Statistics had the highest proportion of schools accepting online courses (n = 41/54 75.9%]) and inorganic chemistry the lowest (n = 60/127 [47.2%]). College English had the highest proportion of schools accepting community college credits (n = 102/109 [93.6%]) and cell and molecular biology the lowest (n = 11/15 [73.3%]).

These results show substantial variability in premedical course requirements or recommendations among U.S. medical schools, which could be challenging for premedical students planning their undergraduate studies. Additional research is needed on the effect of this variability on students interested in attending medical school.