The pre-medical pathway at Southwestern University prepares you to pursue a future career as a physician.
Medical schools seek applicants who demonstrate strong academic preparation alongside cultural competency, communication skills, and a commitment to service. At Southwestern, students receive comprehensive, individualized advising to help them design an academic and co-curricular pathway that develops these qualities while completing rigorous coursework in the natural sciences.
Southwestern has a strong record of preparing students for admission to medical school. In 2023, 100% of Southwestern applicants to medical and dental school were accepted when they applied with support from the University’s pre-health advising program.
Although many pre-medical students major in biology or biochemistry, successful applicants come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. At Southwestern, you can pursue any major while completing the coursework needed for medical school and building a competitive application through research, service, and clinical experiences.
Students preparing for medical school benefit from guidance through the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee, which provides individualized advising and a centralized process to support students throughout the medical school application process.
Each professional program sets its own entrance requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to research individual schools and ensure all prerequisite coursework is completed accordingly.
Core Courses
- BIO50-173/171: Molecular and Cellular Foundations in Biology (Lecture + Lab)
- BIO50-183/181: Evolutionary and Ecological Foundations in Biology (Lecture + Lab)
- + 2 additional upper-level courses in BIO
- CHE51-103/101: General Chemistry I (Lecture + Lab)
- CHE51-203/201: General Chemistry II (Lecture + Lab)
- CHE51-313/311: Organic Chemistry I (Lecture + Lab)
- CHE51-323/321: Organic Chemistry II (Lecture + Lab)
- CHE51-604: Principles of Biochemistry
- PHY53-154/150: Physics I (Lecture + Lab)
- PHY53-164/160: Physics II (Lecture + Lab)
- MAT52-114: Introduction to Statistics
- 6 semester hours of college English
Recommended Courses
- PSY33-104: Principles of Psychology
- SOC34-114: Introduction to Sociology OR SOC34-124: Social Problems
- HIS16-014: Disease, Health, and Medicine in World History
- PSY33-344: Lifespan Development
- PSY33-544: Health Psychology
Advising Resources
Current students, alumni, and advisors can visit our Pre-Health website for additional resources on preparing for professional school, navigating the application process, and requesting letters of recommendation.