Preparatory Coursework

Our preparatory course recommendations are not prerequisites for admission, and we will review all applications regardless of prior coursework. However, competitive applicants are ready to succeed academically in our program. We strongly recommend that applicants complete all preparatory coursework prior to applying to the program, and within the last ten (10) years. Please note that coursework in progress or older than ten (10) years will not be considered during the review process. Coursework should be completed at the postsecondary level only; AP credit or coursework completed in high school does not fulfill our coursework recommendations and will not be considered during the review process. The program does not grant  Advanced Placement. Coursework may be completed at the undergraduate or post-baccalaureate level or through graduate degree work, at any regionally accredited institution of higher education. While we prefer that recommended preparatory coursework be completed in person, we will consider coursework completed online in our review.

Because preparatory coursework is strongly recommended but not required, we do not make exceptions or provide waivers for preparatory coursework. If a course does not meet the criteria described here (e.g., is a specialized psychology or statistics course, or was completed more than ten years ago), we will note the course but it will not satisfy our preparatory coursework recommendation.

Please refer to our admission FAQ for more information. 

We strongly recommend that applicants complete the following coursework prior to applying:


Biology

This should include at lease one semeser/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of General Biology or Human Biology. 


Microbiology

This should include at lease one semeser/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of Microbiology.


Anatomy & Physiology

This can be completed separately, as at least one semester/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of Anatomy and at least one semester/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of Physiology (including Animal, Human, or Exercise Physiology), or as two semesters/quarters (6-10 units or credits) of a combined Anatomy and Physiology course. We strongly prefer that these courses include a lab component. 


Chemistry

This should include at least one semester/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of General Chemistry or Biochemistry.


Organic Chemistry

This should include at lease one semeser/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of Organic Chemistry. 


Statistics

This should include at least one semester/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of General Statistics or Biostatistics. Please note that specialized statistics courses, such as Statistics for Psychology, do not satisfy this recommendation. 


Psychology

This should include at least one semester/quarter (3-5 units or credits) of General Psychology. Please note that specialized psychology courses, such as Developmental Psychology or Psychology of Aging, do not satisfy this recommendation. 


Upper Division Courses

In addition to the courses above, we recommend that applicants complete three (3) additional upper-division bioscience courses (3-5 units or credits each) prior to applying. Common examples of upper-division bioscience courses include, but are not limited to: Cell Biology, Embryology, Endocrinology, Genetics, Histology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, and Virology.

Please note that some institutions offer lower-division courses in these areas. Most upper-division courses are offered only to advanced students at four-year institutions and carry a course number of 300 or above. However, there are exceptions (for example, the University of California system classifies courses numbered 100-199 as upper division). To ensure that your coursework satisfies our upper-division course recommendation, please verify that your course is classified as upper division by your institution. Unless the course is explicitly classified as upper division by your institution, it will not satisfy our course recommendation.


Medical Terminology

We suggest that applicants, especially those without strong prior healthcare experience, consider taking a course in Medical Terminology prior to matriculation. No specific course type or units/credits are recommended.