Revised 08/01/2018
Gaining Admissions to Medical School
Developing the Academic Competencies to Begin Medical School
1. Academic Preparation
The American Association of Medical Colleges is reworking the medical school admissions in order to gain better
information about applicants and to more accurately reflect the changing roles of communication, interpersonal skills,
and scientific knowledge in the modern practice of medicine. As part of this process, beginning in 2015 you will be
taking the new MCAT exam and need to begin developing the competencies (intellectual skills and knowledge base)
necessary to be prepared for it as soon as possible. These recommendations will almost certainly change over the next
several years, so please stay in touch with our office, and make sure you sign up for the UW's Pre-professional Health
List Serve at: www.uwyo.edu/preprof/
Rather than simply asking you to take certain courses, and hoping you develop the necessary skills to become an
effective doctor, the new MCAT exam will seek to measure intellectual competencies as well as knowledge of subject
matter. You will need to master the factual knowledge that will be covered by these tests. Much of this knowledge will
come from foundational science course work, but you may need to use elective courses, or study on your own, in order
to master the knowledge needed to earn a competitive score.
The new MCAT will consist of 4 sections:
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
Recommended courses:
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems & Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems:
• At least 3 years (6 semesters) of chemistry - CHEM 1020, CHEM 1030, CHEM 2420, CHEM 2440 (Course Catalog
for CHEM
found here) and either MOLB 3610 & MOLB 4100 (option 1) or MOLB 3000, 4600 & MOLB 4610, and
4615 (option 2 & MOLB/MICR majors). (Course Catalog for MOLB found here)
• At least 1 full year of biology - LIFE 1010 and MICR 2021 (preferred & physiology majors) or LIFE 2022. (Course
Catalog for LIFE and MICR
found here)
• At least 1 full year of physics - PHYS 1110 and 1120. (Course Catalog for PHYS found here)
Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior
• At least one semester each of psychology (PSYC 1000) (Course Catalog for PHYS
found here) and Sociology (SOC
1000) (Course Catalog for SOC found here). Many University Studies Classes (in the categories of Diversity in
the U.S., Global Awareness, and the Cultural Context areas) will also reinforce material in these areas. Students
may also consider upper division elective(s) to reinforce knowledge in these areas.
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
Make a habit of reading a variety of challenging material on a regular basis (beyond what is required for your
courses). Any course that requires rigorous thinking, extensive and challenging reading, and problem solving skills will
be helpful. In terms of specific coursework, be sure to take at least one semester of statistics (STAT 2050 or 2070) and
math courses until completing a least Calculus I (MATH 2200) (Course Catalog for STAT and MATH
found here).
Please note: These courses are solely recommendations for preparing for the MCAT. Specific medical schools may or
may not require these courses to apply. Schools may also require additional courses as entry requirements. You are
responsible for making sure that you are on track to fulfill individual school's requirements prior to application.
Additional Coursework: Taking additional coursework in any of the above areas should re-enforce and extend your
knowledge of the subject matter. You should focus on taking rigorous and challenging courses that interest you.
Selecting courses based on them being "easy" is unlikely to result in the intellectual growth needed for you to do well on
the MCAT, and become a doctor. Admission is highly competitive and there is a significant difference between meeting
the minimum requirements and being a competitive candidate.
2. Get involved! Community service and leadership activities are very important.
3. Gain health care and shadowing experience - you can’t have too much!
