The pre-med timeline can be confusing and understanding medical school application requirements can be intimidating. Not every student takes the same path to medical school. But here’s a general breakdown of each step on the “traditional” pre-med track.
The Ultimate Pre-Med Timeline Breakdown
The 4-Year Overview
“Pre-Med” is not a major. It’s a “track” involving a series of courses required for admission to medical school. Students complete these “pre-med” courses in addition to the courses required for their major. Some of these courses overlap, particularly if the student is majoring in biology or chemistry. This is why many pre-med students choose to major in the sciences. But pre-med students can major in whatever they want.
Read here about how many pre-meds actually become doctors.
All of the pre-med courses cover material that is tested on the medical school admissions test, or MCAT. Generally, all medical schools require applicants to have completed the following courses:
| medical school pre-requisites |
| – General Biology I / General Biology II |
| – General Chemistry I / General Chemistry II |
| – Organic Chemistry I / Organic Chemistry II |
| – Biochemistry (some schools) |
| – Statistics or Calculus |
| – Physics I / Physics II |
| – Introductory Psychology (most schools) |
| – Introductory Sociology (most schools) |
Freshman Year
Extracurricular: Begin looking for opportunities for clinical, research, or volunteer experience.
Pre-med students begin their required medical school coursework freshman year. Most medical schools require university level general biology (high school AP biology doesn’t count). Students also complete their general chemistry courses freshman year.
Some university’s require students to have completed at least one mathematics course before they can take physics. Most students therefore take the required mathematics their freshman year and begin physics their sophomore year.
The pictured timeline does not include these mathematics courses, elective coursework or other coursework for your major. It also does not include introductory psychology and sociology courses, though these courses rarely have pre-requisites and therefore are generally easy to fit in a student’s schedule at any semester.
Sophomore Year
Extracurricular: If you haven’t already, begin looking for opportunities for clinical, research, or volunteer experience.
Sophomore year is generally one of the more challenging years for pre-med students. Most students take their organic chemistry courses sophomore year (because general chemistry is a pre-requisite). And having completed their required mathematics courses freshman year, most students take their consecutive physics courses sophomore year as well.
The rest of the schedule is filled with electives and other courses required for a student’s major. Again, this could be a good time to fit in the often required introductory psychology or sociology courses.
Junior Year
Extracurricular: Continue gaining clinical, research, or volunteer experience. Begin reaching out for letters of recommendation (most schools require 2-3). Finalize a list of medical schools to apply to and research any school-specific requirements.
Junior year is another critical year in the pre-med timeline. This is generally the year students take the MCAT, as they have now completed all pre-med courses covering MCAT material. Biochemistry, introductory psychology, and introductory sociology are also recommended for the MCAT. So if a student has not yet completed these, they should take these courses junior year.
By spring of junior year, a student should be ready to take the MCAT. If a student decides to retake the MCAT, they still have adequate time to review the material and schedule a second attempt. Read more about retaking the MCAT here.
Senior Year
Extracurricular: Continue gaining clinical, research, or volunteer experience. Submit primary applications the summer going into senior year. Secondary applications and interviews will continue through the fall and winter. Decisions generally arrive in winter or spring.
By senior year most students have completed the required pre-med coursework, taken the MCAT, and submitted their medical school applications. Students spend this year finishing the courses required for their major and preparing for graduation.
Final Thoughts
This is the generalized, “traditional” pre-med timeline. Many students do not follow this timeline, and the exact sequence presented above is by no means the only way to complete the pre-med requirements. Many students wait until their senior year to take the MCAT, giving them at least one gap year between graduation and medical school. Some students take time to work in research or complete a masters degree before applying to medical school. Read more about gap year opportunities here.
There is no “one way” to get into medical school and students shouldn’t be afraid to take a break if they need one or to adjust their future plans or timelines. Talk to your pre-med advisor if you feel you have a special situation or if you’re not sure what your next step should be. Every journey is unique.
