Premedical Curriculum
Premedical Curriculum at Columbia College and Columbia Engineering
The First Year - The Second Year - The Third Year - The Final Year - MCAT - Labs - Barnard Courses - Summer Courses at Other Institutions
Medical schools in the United States all list as entrance requirements four specific science courses: General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. Some schools require calculus or some other math options; a few require two years of biology and a handful will have other social science requirements. An increasing number require, or strongly recommend, Biochemistry. Most require a year of English and a few want one or two other non-science courses, usually covered by our core curriculum. While the prescribed Columbia premedical curriculum will cover most of the basics, students should be certain to check with individual schools for additional requirements and recommended courses.
Medical Schools with Math Requirements
Medical Schools with Additional Biology Requirements
Medical Schools with Additional Prerequisites
Columbia College (CC)
Students will be take a minimum of 124 credits in order to graduate. Medical schools are interested in the variety and difficulty of your courses, your course load, and your grades. Whether or nt it adds up to a major or concentration is immaterial as long as you are challenging yourself along the way. Because the College core requirements can range from 35 to 55 credits, and the premed requirements from 36 to 43, a student who chooses a major (usually another 42 credits), which doesn't overlap with either, is going to have little room for electives.
Columbia Engineering (SEAS)
Columbia Engineering has one graduation option: the major. Students in SEAS who wish to do so, can declare a premed concentration along with their major and can also add a minor. However, you can apply to medical school without declaring a premed concentration. This does not pose a problem to any student seeking acceptance to medical school. Students from every major have been accepted.
The Major
Medical schools are genuinely indifferent to the student's choice of undergraduate major. They like to see a range of interests in their student body and are just as happy with the art history major (assuming good performance in the required science courses) as they are with the biochemist or electrical engineer. They would not want a class consisting entirely of either. Your choice of major should be guided solely by your own intellectual interests and aptitudes.
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The First Year
Columbia College
Chemistry
Most students will take Chemistry C1403-1404. The accompanying one semester lab course W1500 can be taken either concurrently or in another year (you will receive recommendations about when to take lab from placement exam results). Those who have advanced preparation in Chemistry and an AP score of 4 or 5 on the Chemistry AP test and an appropriate grade on the Chemistry department placement exam given during orientation may elect to Second Semester Chemistry (Intensive) (C1604) followed by the laboratory course (W2507 or W1500). Students with a Chemistry AP score of 5 and an appropriate score on placement exam may elect Intensive Organic Chemistry for First Year Students (C3045-C3046) and appropriate labs (W2507 and W3543).
Biology
Students are expected to take an introductory biology course at Columbia even if they have a 5 on the Biology AP test. This course is normally not taken until the second year. Students interested in a major in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology may elect to take EEEB W2001 in their first year. Premedical students who choose this course are advised to take first-year Chemistry at the same time and plan to take Biology C2006 rather than Environmental Biology EEEB W2002 in the spring.
First-year students may take Biology EEEB W2001 without special permission.
Mathematics
Calculus should be taken in the first year or concurrently with Chemistry.
Physics
Of the various levels of introductory physics, the appropriate choice for premedical students will depend on their preparation in mathematics and the extent to which they wish to pursue advanced science courses. Students seriously considering a major in physics should consider beginning physics during the first year.
Columbia Engineering
The courses that are required of you as a first-year engineering student fulfill a significant portion of the entrance requirements to medical school. In the first year, all SEAS students are required to take calculus, physics, and chemistry.
The Second Year
Columbia College
The sophomore year of college is a time to complete core requirements, proceed with premed requirements, and sample courses for a prospective major or concentration. There are many, many alternatives, none of which are wrong, but one of which is probably best for you. You should discuss your choices carefully with your Advising Dean.
Many premedical students consider doubling up on their science prerequisites during the sophomore year, often taking the combination of Biology and Physics, or Organic Chemistry and Physics. It is important, especially for non-science majors, to demonstrate an ability to handle the rigor of multiple sciences in the same semester. Sophomore year is often a good time to tackle this. You may choose to double up during junior year, but this may be more challenging for this is a time when you might also be completing upper division courses in the major or concentration, taking on leadership roles in student organizations, and beginning preparation for the MCAT.
Non-Science Major
Students who are reasonably sure that they are not going to major or concentrate in a science should probably begin to explore other academic fields. These students may choose to double up on their sciences during this year choosing to enroll in two of the following:
Biology C2005-C2006 (Intro to Cellular and Molecular Biology) & C2501 (Lab)
Physics V1201-V1202 (General Physics) and V1291-V1292 (Lab)
Chemistry C3443-C3444 (Organic Chemistry and W3543 (Lab)
Or they may decide to take one of these above courses and double up during their junior year. It is also acceptable to substitute the Barnard College 2000-level Biology course for premedical students. These courses are acceptable to meet the premedical requirements but will not be acceptable for student planning on a Biology or Biochemistry major. Students should discuss this decision in more depth with their class dean.
Chemistry Major
Students who want to major in Chemistry, presuming they did well in general chemistry and calculus, should take organic chemistry and the related labs, and Physics C1401-C1402 with C1491-1492 (lab) and second-year calculus.
Students unsure of their direction should consider taking organic chemistry by itself during sophomore year and use the remaining space in their schedules to explore other academic interests. Even if students find that a concentration in chemistry best suits their needs, they need not commit to the concentration so early in their academic careers.
Students who are interested in pursing a chemistry major or concentration may seek more specific advice from the Chemistry Department.
Biochemistry Major
Students who want to major in Biochemistry need to have strong interests and abilities in science. These students should take organic chemistry, with at least one semester of the lab, and Biology C2005. Prospective biochemistry majors should not take a biology lab during sophomore year. Students who did not take calculus as first-years shoud take it now. Students who have completed calculus and are fond of math may wish to take second year calculus during the sophomore year: it is recommended but not required for biochemistry majors. During spring term registration, students will talk with their biochemistry advisor about the biology courses that are most appropriate.
Biology Major
Prospective Biology majors who did reasonably well in chemistry and are generally serious about science should take Biology C2005 in the fall and Biology C2006 in the spring. Students particularly interested in organismic biology may wish to take the lab C2501 in the spring of sophomore year or the fall of junior year, followed by Biology W3002. There are several laboratory options, all of which should be discussed with the department. For more information, consult the Biology Department undergraduate Web page. Students should also take organic chemistry with one semester of lab. One year of calculus is also required, which students should take now if they have not already done so.
Students who are considering a concentration in Biology should take Biology C2005-C2006 and consult with the department about a lab. Students may opt not to take any biology labs until their junior year. Students should also take Physics 1201-1202 or 1301-1302, depending on their background in calculus.
Neurosciences and Behavior
Students who are interested in the Neurosciences and Behavior (which is a combined major with the Psychology Department) should take Biology C2005 and C2006, Psychology W1001, and either physics or organic chemistry. Students should consult with the advisors in the Biology or Psychology Departments about the appropriate choice of courses.
Environmental Biology
Prospective Environmental Biology majors should consult with the department for the appropriate sequence of courses.
Consulting the Biology Department Web page or talking with one of the Biology Department's advisors is a good idea for students who have specific questions. A student does not have to be a biology major or concentrator in order to consult a Biology Department advisor.
Barnard's introductory Biology course does not count towards the major or concentration at Columbia College, although it does count towards fulfilling the pre-medical requirement.
Other Science Majors
Students who are planning to major in a science other than Biology or Chemistry should consult immediately with their department's representative about appropriate sequencing.
Columbia Engineering
You will be completing the calculus, chemistry, and physics sequence as required by SEAS and any prerequisite courses for your intended major. The premedical English requirement can be fulfilled by either Literature Humanities or Contemporary Civilization; Asian Civilization does not meet this requirement. We recommend Literature Humanities.
You should take either Biology or Organic Chemistry in the sophomore year. If you wish, you can take the off-sequence version offered by Barnard (part one in the spring of sophomore year and part two fall semester of junior year) if it is not required by your major. Please note that Biomedical Engineering majors do not need to take Biology Lab W2501 because, in general, medical schools will accept the BME labs required for the major.
The Third Year
By the end of your sophomore year you should have chosen your major or concentration. What you take as a junior is determined by that choice and by the sciences you have taken as a sophomore. During this year, you will complete all the premedical sciences with the possible exception of a lab. You will complete the core, if you have not already done so, and you will continue taking courses in your major/concentration. For students planning to apply to go straight to medical school after graduating, this year will end with you taking the MCAT either in the spring or summer.
The Final Year
As a senior (if you are applying to go straight on to medical school) you will already have completed all of your premedical requirements with the possible exception of an upper level Biology course or a lab. The rest of your courses will be major requirements and electives. Occasionally the non-science major, who would not otherwise be taking any further science requirements as a senior, but has a lower science GPA may wish to take an additional science or two (usually advanced biology or biochemistry) in the fall.
The MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills in addition to knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.
In order to be prepared to take the MCAT, students should have successfully completed all premedical prerequisite courses (with the exception of labs). The timing of your MCAT depends on your application timeline. If you plan to apply to go straight on to medical school after graduation, you will need to take the MCAT in the spring or summer of your junior year or before.
The test consists of four sections: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and a Writing Sample. Medical college admission committees consider an applicant’s MCAT scores as part of their admission decision process.
The MCAT is now offered exclusively as a computer-based test. It will be offered on multiple test dates throughout the year, including test dates in January, April, May, June, July, August, and September. For a full calendar of test dates and sites, please refer to the MCAT section of the AAMC website.
The MCAT is a test you can and should prepare for. Whether you do it by means of a commercial preparatory course, or on your own with one of the myriad preparation books, is a matter of personal taste. Whichever you do, you should probably make some attempt to lighten your course or activities load during the semester/summer when you prepare.
Timing is essential for the medical school application, and it will be important that you take this test in a timely manner. It is helpful to consult a premedical adviser regarding your individual timing.
Labs
It is generally desirable to complete the labs before senior year; however, this is not critical. Biology and Biochemistry majors often will not take the major lab until senior year, and this presents no problem. Others may put off either the Biology or the Organic Chemistry lab until senior year if necessary. However the biology lab may be useful for MCAT preparation and, therefore, it would help to do it by the end of junior year.
Barnard Courses
It is permissible to take premed requirements at Barnard or the School of General Studies. It should be noted, however, that the Biology and Chemistry Departments in the College may not accept the courses towards the major.
The basic premedical and predental requirements at Barnard are are two semesters of introductory biology (BIOL BC 1500 and BC 1502) and two semesters of biology laboratory (BIOL BC 1501 and BC 1503) two semesters of general chemistry and one semester of laboratory (CHEM BC 2001, BC 3232); two semesters of organic chemistry and one semester of organic laboratory (CHEM BC 3230, BC 3231, BC 3328); two semesters of physics with accompanying laboratory (PHYS BC 2001, 2002 [calculus I and II are pre- or corequisities] or V 1201, V 1202, V 1291, and V 1292 [calculus I prerequisite].
You should have good reason for taking courses at Barnard and if you elect a sequence there you should try to take the entire sequence for consistency.
Note: some Barnard sequences begin in the spring and end in the fall. Thus, before choosing a Barnard sequence, please discuss the pros and cons with your adviser.
Summer Courses at Other Institutions
Summer Courses at other institutions are not transferable to Columbia (CC ONLY) except in a few clearly outlined circumstances. Summer work at Columbia is, of course, acceptable. IT IS NOT, HOWEVER, DESIRABLE TO TAKE ANY OF THE PREMEDICAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE SUMMER except in unusual circumstances. Occasionally, a student’s schedule will require taking summer courses, but the reason should not be to lighten your load during the academic year. Medical schools want to be assured of an applicant’s capacity to handle heavy science loads and therefore may question your decision to take summer courses. Again, please consult an adviser before taking required premedical courses during summer session.
The curriculum at SEAS can be very full, thereby requiring you to take one of the required premedical courses during a summer. Because SEAS students typically take four science courses a semester, a course taken over the summer won’t raise the same concerns as it might for student’s enrolled at the College. However, taking courses over the summer might lead you to miss out on other important opportunities, including summer research and clinical experiences.