Results
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%]).
Conclusions
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.
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