USC Keck Medical School Requirements

[NickAtRice]

Can anyone link me to the school's requirements (biology, chemistry, physics, etc)? I spent good 30 minutes trying to find it but failed.

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[darkjedi]

According to one of my old LizzyM spreadsheets, USC requires 1 semester of biochem, 1 semester english, and 1 semester social science on top of the standard prereqs (bio/physics/chem/orgo). Not sure how accurate this information is still, so best to just call them up and confirm.

 

[graduate2be]

From USC Keck SoM catalouge:

Requirements

All applicants to the entering class must have completed a minimum of four full years or 120 semester hours of academic work at an accredited college or university at the time of matriculation. Course work must have included two semesters or three quarters of the following subjects: biology, general chemistry and physics — all with laboratory instruction; one semester or two quarters of organic chemistry with laboratory instruction; and one semester or one quarter of biochemistry. Additionally, a course in basic molecular biology is required. Suitable courses may include: molecular biology, molecular genetics, cell and molecular biology, advanced cell biology, or the equivalent. Thirty semester hours (or quarter equivalent) of course work in the social sciences, humanities and English composition are required. Facility in the principles of college mathematics or calculus and in the use of computers as a tool for independent learning is highly recommended. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have their basic science requirements completed at the time of application.Students from foreign countries must have taken at least one year of study in the United States prior to application; credits from abroad must be certified by a U.S. college both as to number of hours and course content. Individuals who have discontinued studies in medical school for academic reasons are not eligible to apply to the Keck School of Medicine.

 

[Domino2178]

30 semester hours of SSHA seems difficult for us engineers 🙁(

 

[earf]

Just wanted to chime in that they're pretty lenient about their requirements. If anyone is on the fence about not having enough prerequisites to be accepted, please rest assured that they'll really work with you to make it work. I had less than the required amount of physics, got accepted, called them to ask about the prerequisites, and they told me not to worry about it supplemented by an email stating I meet the requirements for matriculation.

 

[premed3445]

30 semester hours of SSHA seems difficult for us engineers 🙁(

I actually tried looking for it about 3 weeks ago and didn't find it either. Most, if not all medical schools have a pre-requisites page for applying to their medical school; i.e. course requirements.

Previously, they had a very specific page basically stating the usual course requirements, biochemistry and the need for 30 semester hours of social sciences and the humanities. But now they don't, so it's likely that it has changed.

Even the most current MSAR online states that the only requirement is that you have a bachelor's degree and mirrors that page.

And yes, I feel your pain on this because I'm also an engineer, but I'm also elated that they seem to have dropped the 30 semester hour humanities requirement, because though I have plenty, I wouldn't have been able to do 30.

 

[Domino2178]

Well, if they are being more lenient, then its a relief. I have 20 semester hours and don't really want to take another ~3 classes :S

 

[gyngyn]

I actually tried looking for it about 3 weeks ago and didn't find it either. Most, if not all medical schools have a pre-requisites page for applying to their medical school; i.e. course requirements.

Previously, they had a very specific page basically stating the usual course requirements, biochemistry and the need for 30 semester hours of social sciences and the humanities. But now they don't, so it's likely that it has changed.

Even the most current MSAR online states that the only requirement is that you have a bachelor's degree and mirrors that page.

And yes, I feel your pain on this because I'm also an engineer, but I'm also elated that they seem to have dropped the 30 semester hour humanities requirement, because though I have plenty, I wouldn't have been able to do 30.

I checked the MSAR. There were no required courses, only recommended courses. Maybe you should check their website to confirm.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Don't they also require Spanish fluency? I could've sworn I remembered reading that on their site somewhere which is why I stopped considering applying to them.

 

[prado]

^

Nope, no Spanish proficiency. Their biggest difference among other schools is that they require the 30 hours of humanities classes as well as Molecular biology (or an equivalent, which is sometimes substituted with classes like molecular/genetics). Aside from those two, I'm sure the rest is the same as all the others. And they stopped requiring biochem last year I believe.

Well, if they are being more lenient, then its a relief. I have 20 semester hours and don't really want to take another ~3 classes :S

I wouldn't think I was in the clear if I were you. One class, yeah maybe, two? Might be pushing it. But missing three classes that are prereqs? Yeah, no, you're probably not getting in.

 

[earf]

Don't they also require Spanish fluency? I could've sworn I remembered reading that on their site somewhere which is why I stopped considering applying to them.

I think they recommend it, but I haven't heard about a requirement of Spanish fluency. I know they have medical Spanish elective courses that start at no prior Spanish language exposure.

 

[earf]

Well, if they are being more lenient, then its a relief. I have 20 semester hours and don't really want to take another ~3 classes :S

Call them and ask

 

[sector9]

Moving to school specific discussions