If you're choosing a pre-medical track, you're serious about what's next. While you're setting goals, we'll help you complete those prerequisites, prepare for the MCAT, and offer some exposure to your field of choice.

To develop competencies in the sciences, the following courses are recommended for Sewanee pre-med students (individual medical school requirements may vary). 

One year of Biology with Laboratory - 
BIOL 133 and BIOL 233 are non-lab courses that are prerequisites for upper-level biology lab courses:
BIOL 133 Introductory Molecular Biology and Genetics
BIOL 233 Intermediate Cell and Molecular Biology 

While any two 4-credit biology courses with lab will satisfy the requirement, the following courses are highly recommended and cover core competencies on the MCAT:
BIOL 223 Genetics (Lab) and/or BIOL 243 Molecular Methods (Lab) 
BIOL 314 General and Human Physiology (Lab)

Two years/Four semesters of Chemistry with Laboratory - 
Note that some schools only require that you complete chemistry through organic regardless of semester hours, while others require the full two years. Chemistry courses listed below are required by most medical schools and are highly recommended for MCAT competencies:
CHEM 120 General Chemistry (Lab, prerequisite CHEM 119/placement) OR CHEM 150 Advanced General Chemistry (Lab)
CHEM 201 Organic Chemistry I (Lab)
CHEM 202 Organic Chemistry II (Lab)

For schools that require a fourth semester of chemistry with lab, these courses generally satisfy that requirement: 
CHEM 210 Solution and Solid State Chemistry (Lab) or CHEM 352 Thermodynamics and Kinetics (Lab)

Biochemistry Course - 
Note: This material is represented heavily on the MCAT and is becoming required or highly recommended by most medical schools. As of now medical schools do not require a laboratory, and some will allow you to replace the fourth semester of General Chemistry with a biochemistry course. BIOL 236 is offered during the summer and will count toward the biology major but not the biochemistry major.
BIOL 236 Biochemistry or BIOL/CHEM 316 Biochemistry of Metabolism and Molecular Biology (Lab)


One year of Physics with Laboratory:
PHYS 101 General Physics I or PHYS 103 Modern Mechanics
PHYS 102 General Physics II or PHYS 104 Electric and Magnetic Interactions

Some medical schools also require two semesters of English and a math course at the level of Calculus and/or Statistics. 

Many Sewanee students fulfill the English requirement with the following courses:

  • ENGL 101: Literature and Composition + ENGL XXX
  • HUMN (with GFWI) + ENGL XXX 
  • WRIT courses also are accepted by some medical schools

Recommendations for MCAT2015

The AAMC recommends the same courses that were appropriate for the old MCAT (biology, chemistry (including organic), physics) and four new courses for MCAT2015 (introductory sociology, introductory psychology, introductory biochemistry, and statistics). The courses at Sewanee that best fit these requirements are:

  • BIOLOGY: BIOL 233 Intermediate Cell and Molecular Biology, BIOL 243 Molecular Methods, and BIOL 312/314 Gen. & Human Physiology
  • PHYSICS: PHYS 101/102 General Physics I & II or PHYS 103/104 Modern Mechanics & Electric and Magnetic Interactions
  • CHEMISTRY: CHEM 120/150 General Chemistry and CHEM 201/202 Organic Chemistry
  • BIOCHEMISTRY: BIOL 236 (no lab) or BIOL/CHEM 316 Biochemistry of Metabolism and Molecular Biology
  • PSYCHOLOGY: PSYC 100 or PSYC 101
  • SOCIOLOGY: Anthropology courses are good for this competency 
  • STATISTICS: STAT 204 Elementary Statistics

What is on the MCAT2015 

Please visit the AAMC which allows you to explore the various topics on the exam.