Academic Preparation
HPAC helps students navigate the process of selecting the appropriate courses and give advice related to the many decisions to be made prior to applying to medical, dental, PA or other health profession school. Historically, the successful applicant has taken a holistic approach to their time at Cornell to develop strong academic credentials, a demonstrated commitment to the field of healthcare and the service of others, and the interpersonal skills needed by future healthcare professionals.
As a Cornell undergraduate, you may enroll in the courses that fulfill the requirements of schools, regardless of college/school. Your choice of a major reflects your personal interests and professional orientation. Base your decision on what you want to learn, not how others (admissions) will view you. The strength of the academic credentials, rather than the major, is the best predictor of who gains admission to health professional schools. You are more likely to succeed at—and benefit from—subjects that intellectually interest and stimulate you. Health career graduate schools do not require, recommend, or favor any particular undergraduate major course of study, and Cornell does not have a Pre-Health career major. In majors offered throughout the university, you can complete the pre-professional requirements while at the same time exploring your own interests. There is no significant difference in admissions rates between different majors.
Please read the following important reminders:
- We strongly encourage you to work with a pre-health advisor in HPAC on pre-health requirements and your college/school advisor as well as major/faculty advisors on other Cornell requirements, including distribution and major requirements. Requirements vary across the university and are not universal across all majors. We outline below courses that fulfill most pre-health prerequisite requirements and we encourage you to verify with your college/school and major that the course you intend to take aligns with your major or degree requirements.
- When taking a course please consider the rigor and what you’d like to demonstrate to admissions in taking the course, as well as fulfillment of requirement. We encourage you to be intentional in working towards your pre-health goals.
- Most medical and dental schools will not accept AP credit to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Schools may also change admissions policies from year to year, so taking required prerequisite courses at Cornell helps ensure you will meet admissions requirements at the schools you intend to apply to. Since many schools will not accept AP credit to fulfill prerequisite requirements, using AP credit may limit your options, and we strongly believe you deserve to have many! We know that you worked very hard to earn those AP credits, and depending on your college/school, those credits may be accepted. However, choosing to take pre-health courses at Cornell can be beneficial in the following ways:
- Fulfill prerequisite requirements of most medical, dental, and other health professional schools.
- Previous exposure to the materials can be a great way to help set you up for success in the course you take at Cornell – demonstrating academic success, resulting in a higher overall GPA and a higher BCPM (math/science) GPA.
- Taking courses at Cornell is a great way to prepare for required standardized entrance exams. Most Cornell applicants find that they do not need to purchase additional, expensive preparatory materials.
- Reassure admissions committees that you can handle the rigor of courses required at the professional school level.
- Taking courses at other institutions during the winter and summer sessions is not generally recommended; however, we understand that in extenuating circumstances, this may be necessary. We welcome you to meet with a pre-health advisor in HPAC (along with your college/school and major advisors) to strategize. Admissions committees prefer to see that you’ve taken rigorous courses during the semester along with other courses, at your undergraduate institution. We encourage you to consider demonstrating successful balancing of work/school/activities/research/etc. as success, rather than strictly grades alone.
- Please verify prerequisite and corequisite courses directly with the department.
Each health profession, and often each health professional school, has different prerequisite requirements. An overview of the prerequisites common to medical/dental/PA schools and veterinary medical schools are below, and it is important to check with a Pre-Health Advisor and your target schools for more specificity. There are also prerequisite databases available, including:
- Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR)
- Dental Explorer (ADEA)
- Osteopathic Medicine (DO) (AACOM)
- Veterinary Medical School Admissions Requirements (VMSAR)
Prerequisites for:
Cornell Courses that Satisfy Most Medical and Dental School Requirements
Offered fall, spring, and summer
BIOMG 1350 Introductory Biology: Cell and Developmental Biology
AND
BIOG 1440 or BIOG 1445* Introductory Biology: Comparative Physiology
AND
BIOG 1500 Investigative Biology Laboratory
Biomedical Engineering students please note: BME 2010 may also be taken as a physiology lecture course to fulfill medical school requirements for one semester of general biology
*BIOG 1445 is an individualized instruction format course
Note – The above courses are strongly recommended to meet both medical school requirements and prepare for the MCAT, DAT, etc. Medical schools typically require two semesters of introductory biology coursework with lab, which may also be satisfied by BIOEE 1610 (Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment) along with either BioMG 1350 *or* BioG 1440/1445 *and* BioG 1500.
Although not required, students find courses in the following areas useful in understanding advanced concepts and providing greater depth of preparation for MCAT exams:
BIOMG 2800 Genetics Lecture (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMG 2801 Genetics Lab (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMI 2900 General Microbiology Lectures (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMI 2911 General Microbiology Laboratory (offered fall, spring)
NS 3410 Human Anatomy and Physiology (offered spring)
NS 3420 Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory (offered spring)
Other courses in the areas of cell biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, microbiology, neurobiology, behavior, nutrition, and physiology may be useful. Students are encouraged to consult with a pre-health advisor or academic advisor to select courses.
Any of the following:
BIOMG 3310 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism (offered fall)
AND
BIOMG 3320 Principles of Biochemistry: Molecular Biology (offered spring)
BIOMG 3300 Biochemistry, Individualized Instruction (offered spring and fall)
BIOMG 3350 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology (offered spring)
NS 3200 Introduction to Human Biochemistry (offered fall)
BIOMG 3330 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology (note: this course is no longer offered as of Fall 2021, but fulfills the biochemistry requirement if taken previously)
Most medical schools require a full year of general chemistry. The General Chemistry course website lists a number of options. Some options include:
Option 1
CHEM 2070 General Chemistry I (offered fall, summer)
AND
CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II (offered spring, summer)
Option 2
CHEM 2150 Honors General and Inorganic Chemistry (offered fall)
Accelerated one-semester course leading directly to organic chemistry. An AP score of 5 on Chemistry or instructor permission is required
Option 3 (For Engineering Students Only)
CHEM 2090 Engineering General Chemistry (offered fall, spring)
AND
CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II (offered spring, summer)
OR
CHEM 2150 Honors General and Inorganic Chemistry (offered fall)
Some medical schools require a full-year of organic chemistry. Schools that do not require a full-year organic chemistry sequence usually require a one-semester biochemistry course and may also require biochemistry lab.
Option 1
CHEM 3570 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences (offered fall, summer)
AND
CHEM 3580 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences (offered spring, summer)
AND
CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (offered fall, spring, summer)
Option 2
CHEM 3590 Honors Organic Chemistry I (offered spring)
AND
CHEM 3600 Honors Organic Chemistry II (offered fall)
AND
CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (offered fall, spring, summer)
Option 3
CHEM 3530 Principles of Organic Chemistry (offered fall)
AND
CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (offered fall, spring, summer)
Most medical schools will accept First-Year Writing Seminars (FWS) in fulfillment of their writing requirement; however, writing-intensive courses from other disciplines may also be acceptable. Students are encouraged to check the requirements of specific medical schools as the English requirement varies.
One semester each of calculus and statistics
Calculus
MATH 1106 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences (offered spring)
MATH 1110 Calculus I (offered fall, spring, summer)
MATH 1910 Calculus for Engineers (offered fall, spring, summer)
Statistics
STSCI 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall, spring)
STSCI 2150 Introductory Statistics for Biology (offered fall, spring)
BTRY 3010 Biological Statistics I (offered fall)
MATH 1710 Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (offered fall, spring)
AEM 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall)
ILRST 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall, winter, spring, summer)
PSYCH 2500 Statistics and Research Design (offered fall, summer)
ECON 3130 Statistics and Probability (offered fall)
SOC 3010 Evaluating Statistical Evidence (offered fall)
ENGRD 2700 Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics (offered fall, spring, summer)
CEE 3040 Uncertainty Analysis in Engineering (offered fall)
PUBPOL 2100 Introduction to Statistics
PUBPOL 2101 Statistics for Public Policy Majors
Crossovers between PHYS 1101/2208 and PHYS 2207/1102 are acceptable
Option 1 – Individualized instruction, not calculus-based
PHYS 1101 General Physics I (offered fall, summer)
AND
PHYS1102 General Physics II (offered spring, summer)
Option 2 – Calculus-based; recommended for majors that require calculus-based physics
PHYS 2207 Fundamentals of Physics I (offered fall)
AND
PHYS 2208 Fundamentals of Physics II (offered spring)
Option 3
PHYS 1112 Physics I: Mechanics & Heat (offered fall, spring, summer) – Corequisite: PHYS 1110 must be taken to remain enrolled in PHYS 1112
AND
PHYS 2208 Fundamentals of Physics II (offered spring)
Option 4 – For Engineering Students
PHYS 1112 Physics I: Mechanics & Heat (offered fall, spring, summer)
AND
PHYS 1110 (laboratory, co-requisite for PHYS 1112 starting Fall 2021)
AND
PHYS 2213 Physics II: Electromagnetism (offered fall, spring, summer)
AND
PHYS 2214 Physics III: Oscillations, Waves, and Quantum Physics (offered fall, spring, summer)
The “Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior” section of the MCAT covers topics taught in social science courses. A student can prepare for this section by taking courses in Sociology, Psychology, Human Development, Global Development, and Public Policy.
Cornell Courses that Satisfy Most Physician Assistant Program Requirements
The following courses are generally considered required, including lab components where relevant. Please check directly with individual PA programs.
General Chemistry
CHEM 2070 General Chemistry I (offered fall, summer)
AND
CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II (offered spring, summer)
Biology (2 semesters general biology)
Offered fall, spring, and summer
BIOMG 1350 Introductory Biology: Cell and Developmental Biology
AND
BIOG 1440 or BIOG 1445* Introductory Biology: Comparative Physiology
AND
BIOG 1500 Investigative Biology Laboratory
Note – The above courses are strongly recommended to meet PA school requirements. PA schools typically require two semesters of introductory biology coursework with lab, which may also be satisfied by BIOEE 1610 (Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment) along with either BioMG 1350 *or* BioG 1440/1445 *and* BioG 1500.
Microbiology
Offered fall and spring
BIOMI 2900 General Microbiology
AND
BIOG 2911 General Microbiology Laboratory
Anatomy & Physiology
Offered spring only
NS 3410 Human Anatomy and Physiology
NS 3420 Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory
*Please note, the requirement for PA programs, in general, is for 2 semesters. Cornell offers 1 semester of lecture and lab. Please contact schools directly to see if what is offered will suffice. Otherwise, you will need to find an alternate way to take the 2nd semester of anatomy. Possible options include the CU – Ithaca College Exchange Program (limited space), or a college of your choice. Please make an appointment with an HPAC advisor for questions.
English Composition and Writing
2 semesters. Most PA programs will accept First-Year Writing Seminars (FWS) in fulfillment of their writing requirement; however, writing-intensive courses from other disciplines may also be acceptable. Students are encouraged to check the requirements of specific programs as the English requirement varies.
Statistics
one of the following
STSCI 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall, spring)
STSCI 2150 Introductory Statistics for Biology (offered fall, spring)
BTRY 3010 Biological Statistics I (offered fall)
MATH 1710 Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (offered fall, spring)
AEM 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall)
ILRST 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall, winter, spring, summer)
PSYCH 2500 Statistics and Research Design (offered fall, summer)
ECON 3130 Statistics and Probability (offered fall)
SOC 3010 Evaluating Statistical Evidence (offered fall)
ENGRD 2700 Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics (offered fall, spring, summer)
CEE 3040 Uncertainty Analysis in Engineering (offered fall)
PUBPOL 2100 Introduction to Statistics
PUBPOL 2101 Statistics for Public Policy Majors
Social Science
Psychology or Sociology
The following courses are strongly recommended. Some PA programs may require some of the courses. Please check directly with schools on this requirement. If a lab component is offered, it is strongly recommended you take it.
Organic Chemistry
CHEM 3570 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences (offered fall, summer)
AND
CHEM 3580 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences (offered spring, summer)
Biochemistry
Any of the following:
BIOMG 3310 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism (offered fall)
AND
BIOMG 3320 Principles of Biochemistry: Molecular Biology (offered spring)
BIOMG 3300 Biochemistry, Individualized Instruction (offered spring and fall)
BIOMG 3350 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology (offered spring)
NS 3200 Introduction to Human Biochemistry (offered fall)
BIOMG 3330 Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology (note: this course is no longer offered as of Fall 2021, but fulfills the biochemistry requirement if taken previously)
Genetics
BIOMG 2800 Genetics Lecture (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMG 2801 Genetics Lab (offered fall, spring, summer)
NTRES 2830 DNA, Genes and Genetic Diversity (offered spring)
Calculus
Some courses at Cornell may require math as a pre-requisite. Math is usually required as part of major/college requirements. Please check directly with the individual PA programs. Some programs may or may not require math.
However, in order to be a competitive candidate, it is strongly recommended that math is taken. In addition, math is a content course that can aid in the success of other, more rigorous STEM courses.
The following courses are not required, but are of interest and can help better prepare you for PA School.
Physics
PHYS 1101 General Physics I (offered fall, summer)
AND
PHYS1102 General Physics II(offered spring, summer)
Additional Psychology or Sociology courses
Courses in medical terminology, history, trends, etc.
Foreign language
Cornell Courses that Satisfy Veterinary School Requirements
Offered fall, spring, and summer
BIOMG 1350 Introductory Biology: Cell and Developmental Biology
AND
BIOG 1440 or BIOG 1445* Introductory Biology: Comparative Physiology
AND
BIOG 1500 Investigative Biology Laboratory
*BIOG 1445 is an individualized instruction format course
Note – The above courses are strongly recommended to meet Veterinary school requirements. Vet schools typically require two semesters of introductory biology coursework with lab, which may also be satisfied by BIOEE 1610 (Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment) along with either BioMG 1350 *or* BioG 1440/1445 *and* BioG 1500.
Requirements of veterinary schools vary. The following are common upper-level courses that may be required by some schools. Students are encouraged to check the requirements of schools to which they plan to apply.
BIOMG 2800 Genetics Lecture (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMG 2801 Genetics Lab (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMI 2900 General Microbiology Lectures (offered fall, spring, summer)
BIOMI 2911 General Microbiology Laboratory (offered fall, spring)
NS 3410 Human Anatomy and Physiology (offered spring)
NS 3420 Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory (offered spring)
ANSC 2120 Animal Nutrition (offered fall)
The General Chemistry course website lists a number of options. Some options include:
Option 1
CHEM 2070 General Chemistry I (offered fall, summer)
AND
CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II (offered spring, summer)
Option 2
CHEM 2150 Honors General and Inorganic Chemistry (offered fall)
Accelerated one-semester course leading directly to organic chemistry. An AP score of 5 on Chemistry or instructor permission is required
Option 3 (For Engineering Students Only)
CHEM 2090 Engineering General Chemistry (offered fall, spring)
AND
CHEM 2080 General Chemistry II (offered spring, summer)
OR
CHEM 2150 Honors General and Inorganic Chemistry (offered fall)
Option 1
CHEM 3570 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences (offered fall, summer)
AND
CHEM 3580 Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences (offered spring, summer)
AND
CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (offered fall, spring, summer)
Option 2
CHEM 3590 Honors Organic Chemistry I (offered spring)
AND
CHEM 3600 Honors Organic Chemistry II (offered fall)
AND
CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (offered fall, spring, summer)
Option 3 – Students should explore requirements of specific veterinary schools before choosing this option
CHEM 3530 Principles of Organic Chemistry (offered fall)
AND
CHEM 2510 Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (offered fall, spring, summer)
The English/composition requirements of schools vary. Some schools require one semester while others require two semesters, some with a focus on English composition. Students are encouraged to check the requirements of specific veterinary schools. Most veterinary schools will accept First-Year Writing Seminars (FWS) in fulfillment of their writing requirement; however, writing-intensive courses from other disciplines may also be acceptable. Some veterinary schools also require a course in oral communication.
Some veterinary programs require mathematics, but prerequisites can vary across programs. We encourage students to take 6 credits of mathematics credits at a level higher than college algebra. Calculus and Statistics are recommended. Applicants are encouraged to review the VMSAR for individual school-specific requirements.
Calculus
MATH 1106 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences (offered spring)
MATH 1110 Calculus I (offered fall, spring, summer)
MATH 1910 Calculus for Engineers (offered fall, spring, summer)
Statistics
STSCI 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall, spring)
STSCI 2150 Introductory Statistics for Biology (offered fall, spring)
BTRY 3010 Biological Statistics I (offered fall)
MATH 1710 Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (offered fall, spring)
AEM 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall)
ILRST 2100 Introductory Statistics (offered fall, winter, spring, summer)
PSYCH 2500 Statistics and Research Design (offered fall, summer)
ECON 3130 Statistics and Probability (offered fall)
SOC 3010 Evaluating Statistical Evidence (offered fall)
ENGRD 2700 Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics (offered fall, spring, summer)
CEE 3040 Uncertainty Analysis in Engineering (offered fall)
PUBPOL 2100 Introduction to Stats (offered spring)
PUBPOL 2101 Statistics for Public Policy (offered fall)
Crossovers between PHYS 1101/2208 and PHYS 2207/1102 are acceptable
Option 1 – Individualized instruction, not calculus-based
PHYS 1101 General Physics I (offered fall, summer)
AND
PHYS1102 General Physics II (offered spring, summer)
Option 2 – Calculus-based; recommended for majors that require calculus-based physics
PHYS 2207 Fundamentals of Physics I (offered fall)
AND
PHYS 2208 Fundamentals of Physics II (offered spring)
Option 3
PHYS 1112 Physics I: Mechanics & Heat (offered fall, spring, summer)
AND
PHYS 2208 Fundamentals of Physics II (offered spring)
Option 4 – For Engineering Students
PHYS 1112 Physics I: Mechanics & Heat (offered fall, spring, summer)
AND
PHYS 1110 (laboratory, co-requisite for PHYS 1112 starting Fall 2021)
AND
PHYS 2213 Physics II: Electromagnetism (offered fall, spring, summer)
AND
PHYS 2214 Physics III: Oscillations, Waves, and Quantum Physics (offered fall, spring, summer)
For suggested courses on demonstrating core competencies, please click here.
Learn more about Experiential Preparation next.