Top 10 Schools...How different are requirements?

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grahambranchno9

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All over the web you read about the general requirements for med school. How different are these for those wanting to attend a top tier school? Is it purely a function of GPA and MCAT, or do top schools require more impressive extra-currics, research, etc?

Also, I'm able to exempt Chem I and go straight to Chem II because of AP Chemistry in High School. However, this was sophomore year when I was 15-16, and I will be matriculating at Med School at 23 or so. Is this OK, considering I took Chem II during undergrad anyway? It's the same situation for Bio and Calc.

Thanks

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grahambranchno9 said:
All over the web you read about the general requirements for med school. How different are these for those wanting to attend a top tier school? Is it purely a function of GPA and MCAT, or do top schools require more impressive extra-currics, research, etc?

Also, I'm able to exempt Chem I and go straight to Chem II because of AP Chemistry in High School. However, this was sophomore year when I was 15-16, and I will be matriculating at Med School at 23 or so. Is this OK, considering I took Chem II during undergrad anyway? It's the same situation for Bio and Calc.

Thanks

I had the same problem with Physics. I placed out due to AP and I was worried about having to take more physics than I would have to. I emailed a bunch of medical schools about that and it seems like most schools recommend you take an upper level of whatever you placed out but do not require. I believe usually chemistry is left alone because you HAVE to take upper level chemistry (i.e. Organic Chemistry). If your school accepts the AP credit then most medical schools will accept it too.

However, like I said, this is the general rule of medical schools. There are certain medical schools that will not accept AP credits. You will have to check yourself or someone from SDN can tell you. One example is Boston University who sent this reply to me:

“BUSM does not accept any AP credits. Because you have been excused from required college level courses, other course at the same or higher level may be submitted.”

If you want the list I compiled of certain medical schools and what APs they accept you can PM me for it.
 
There are several schools that will not accept (or surely frown upon) using AP credits to satisfy pre-reqs. For calc, not such a big deal because there's only a couple med schools in the US that require the full year anyway. However, for chem and bio, I would take the equivalent of a full year with lab to meet their requirements. Bio for sure. This doesn't have to be "Chem I" or "Bio I" if you already passed out of those, but more advanced work in the field is then recommended.
 
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Actually, I'll just post the list I compiled. These were either replies I recieved from the school or what I got out of their websites. Oh, and the list only includes schools I was interested in (it's not too comprehensive).


University of Chicago – Accepts AP credits. Recommends Taking Upper Level Biology
“Our admissions process would also allow you to use your AP physics credits to complete the physics requirement, as long as you take 2 courses in another science discipline in their place(again, it sounds as though you are doing that as a biology major).”

Mount Sinai – Accepts AP scores

SUNY Upstate – “Yes, your AP courses are acceptable as long as they are shown as having been successfully completed on an official college transcript.”

SUNY Downstate – “If your undergraduate college accepted AP credits and have posted them on your transcript, we will also accept your AP credits to fulfill our prerequisites.”

Washington U. – Accepts AP scores. For Biology, ONLY if you complete upper level Biology Courses. Recommends taking more physics and biostatistics

Dartmouth U. – “We do accept AP courses as long as they are on your official transcript.”

Cornell U. – “We do accept AP credits for prerequisites. However, for English we require that you take one additional semester. For biology and chemistry, we recommend that you take two additional semesters of an advanced college-level course. If your AP Physics is comparable to 6 semester credit hours, we will accept that as well.”

University of Michigan – “We will indeed take AP scores as courses to fulfill our requirements. However, we always recommend you also take upper level courses.”

University of Rochester – “Advanced placement courses may meet only one semester of the chemistry and/or one semester of the physics requirements. Advanced placement will not satisfy the English, biology, or non-science requirements.”

Northwestern – “Yes, we do accept AP credit for courses you mentioned. We do not have a Calculus requirement. It is recommended that you complete a yearlong Physics course prior to entrance to the School of Medicine.”

Tufts – Will accept Advanced Placement credits ONLY if you take at least one semester of an upper level of that course type.

“Example: a student arrives at college with a semester of AP physics credit and then takes the second semester course in the introductory physics sequence. The student has one AP course and one college course, which together fulfill our physics prerequisite.”

“The situation that causes the most difficulty is this: a student arrives at college with a full year of AP physics. The problem is that the student cannot apply the AP physics credit towards our prerequisite because he/she has not taken any physics in college. This is a real dilemma because most premedical students are, understandably, not inclined to take upper level physics courses. The most practical solution is to take the second semester course of the introductory sequence, even though you have already received AP credit for the course.”

University of Pennsylvania – “AP courses are accepted however, the credits must be noted on your final transcript and also, we need to see some college work (labs) done in these courses.”

Johns Hopkins – “Hopkins will accept AP scores for Physics and Calculus. However we will not accept AP Biology. However you should not feel compelled to take introductory biology; if you have the opportunity to take advanced biology courses, that is fine.”

Boston University – “BUSM does not accept any AP credits. Because you have been excused from required college level courses, other course at the same or higher level may be submitted.”

Albert Einstein School of Medicine – “Formal advanced placement credit, granted by examination in an area of required undergraduate course work, is acceptable to satisfy that requirement. It is strongly recommended that applicants, who receive AP credits in science courses, complete advanced level course work in the subject areas in which such AP credit has been granted.”

Georgetown – “Georgetown University School of Medicine accepts AP credits toward meeting our course requirements.”

UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey – “We do accept Advance Placement courses.”

Brown U. – “Applicants who have received Advanced Placement credit in one of the above areas may apply those credits for the satisfaction of the above requirements or may elect to take a more advanced level course appropriate to their academic background.”

->Also requires 2 semesters in social sciences and one semester of Biochemistry

Duke – “Duke University School of Medicine will accept your AP credits if your college gave you the credit and placed it on your transcript.”

U. Conn – “We do consider AP classes to have fulfilled the basic prerequisites so long as there is additional coursework in these disciplines that demonstrates mastery of the foundation material. It is fine to go on to upper division Biology work. You may want to consider a Physics Problems course that assumes you have the basic physics background and allows you to apply that background.”

Emory – “We will accept some AP credit, as long as it appears on your college transcript. As far as retaking physics, it is really up to you. By the time you take the MCAT it will probably have been at least 3 years since you have taken a physics course, so you may want to retake the class for that purpose. However, if you are doing an MCAT prep course or feel otherwise prepared for the MCAT it may not be necessary.”

Stony brook – “At Stony Brook your Advanced Placement courses will count as long as your undergraduate school has accepted them and they appear on your official transcript, if they are not on your official transcript, then you must take the course.”

Temple – “If you use AP credit to fulfill a pre-medical requirement, we like to see upper level courses taken in the same discipline.”
 
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