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Premedical-Professions Advising Home > Podiatric Medicine - Curriculum

Podiatric Medicine - Curriculum

Choose any major - but do well!

Schools of podiatric medicine do not require or recommend a prescribed pre-professional academic program of study. Pre-professional students may major in any discipline in any of the nine schools or colleges at the University, or in an interdisciplinary major or contract major. The choice of major should be dictated by the student's individual interests rather than some precribed academic plan for medical school. Students who have entered medical schools have received degrees in such diverse areas as engineering, music, literature, computer science, mathematics, and economics as well as the more common majors in biology, chemistry/biology and chemistry. It is critical that your performance in each class is of exceptional quality. The typically successful applicants to medical schools maintain a GPA of ~3.5.

RECOMMENDED PREMEDICINE COURSE SEQUENCE
IN ADDITION TO THOSE REQUIRED FOR YOUR MAJOR

Year I

Chemistry	CH 110-111 College Chemistry	8 credits
Mathematics	M 144-145 Calculus*	8 credits
Biology	BIO 122-123 Biological Science or BIO 212-213	8 credits
Premed Studies	PPS 100***	1 credit

Year II

Chemistry	CH 230-231 Organic Chemistry	8 credits
Physics	PHY 120-121 Introductory Physics or Phy 112-(113 or 114) College Physics**	8 credits
Premed Studies	PPS 200***	1 credit

Year II

Premed Studies	PPS 300***	1 credit
Upper-Level Biology:****	BIO 352 Cell Biology BIO 272W,273W Genetics BIO 442 Microbiology	4 credits 4 credits 4 credits

*Calculus is not required by all medical-professions programs.
**Chemistry majors take Phy 112 and Phy 114. Students majoring in non-science disciplines can enroll in physics in their junior year.
***While PPS courses are not required, these courses are extremely valuable in assisting in the application process!
****While not required, these courses contain helpful information for the MCAT.

Advice from the Premedical Professions Advisory Committee

Consider Alternative Careers!

Since there are far more applicants to medical schools than there are positions in the first year classes, one must be realistic. Many qualified, aspiring premedical students do not gain admission to medical school, therefore, all premedical students should consider alternative career goals from the beginning.

Keep in contact with your advisors!

Whatever your choice of major:

Be sure your departmental advisor knows of your plans.
Consult with a member of the Premedical Professions Advisory Committee.
Plan your curriculum to include the additional science courses shown in the Calendar in this section of the website.

Consider extracurricular activities!

Demonstrate, by example, that you are a humanistic person concerned for others:

Volunteer in a hospital, clinic, or hospice.
Be involved in some medically-related foundation e.g., Diabetes Foundation.
Lead a fund-raising campaign for a foundation, or a medically-related cause.

Consider summer internships!

A summer internship can strengthen your application to medically-related graduate programs and add much to your education:

The Career Center has a listing of internship experiences available to students.
You can develop an internship during the summer near your home or at a locale that you would like to visit.

Read! Read! Read!

Reading speed and comprehension may be one of the most critical factors in your effort to achieve your career goals. The vocabulary on the admission tests is at the college level, while most text books are at the highschool level. Therefore, consider reading regularly a journal such as Science, Nature, Atlantic Monthly, or the Smithsonian.