pre-reqs

You need the following: General Chemistry with lab, General Physics with lab, Organic Chemistry with lab, General Biology with lab. My pre-med advisor recommended Genetics too but I don't think it's one of the "premed" courses.

Yes, you can go to any university and take those classes but you might want to declare some major (even if you don't need it) because some colleges won't let non-degree students register until after the degree people register (mine won't). You might get shut out of pre-med classes because they are usually popular and fill early.

Some medical schools want things like Calculus. Biochemistry and statistics so check the requirements of the schools you want to appy to and get those classes too.

 

Generally two semesters of Gen. Chem with labs,
Two semesters of O'Chem with labs
Two semesters of Physics with labs
Two semesters of Biology with labs (this is minimum, I'd take a lot more to do well on the mcats.)
Six semesters of English and Composition.

Some schools require Calc, but often sixish semesters of Math (Stats is usually considered Math.)

Some schools want to see some social science and/or Psych.

 

Empi,

Surely you mean six semester-hours of English, and sixish semester-hours of math.

 

Something I'm still a bit unclear about is that a number of schools are looking at, for example "1 year ochem with lab" totaling 8 semester hours. My ochem 1 + ochem 1 lab + ochem 2 (without lab) came out to 9 semester hours, so for now I'm skipping the ochem 2 lab. Similar for physics at my school.

The courses listed above are required by most med schools. Some medical schools have unique requirements, however; I believe U of IL requires 1 advanced bio course, for example. My suggestion is to take the courses listed in the post above prior to applying. As schools don't require that all courses be required prior to APPLICATION, but rather that they be completed prior to matriculation, any additional/school-specific prerequs can be completed that last summer prior to matriculation.

 

Yes, six semester hours (generally, two classes.)

Generally, six semester hours of math as well. Some require Calc, some don't.

At my school, we only need the first semester of Organic lab because it's worth two credits where general Chem labs are only worth one credit.