Brandeis Pre-Med Track (Curriculum & Pre-Reqs)

Brandeis does not offer a separate pre-med major or a fixed course plan that guarantees medical school admission. Instead, you earn a bachelor’s degree while completing the courses required by your target schools. Meet with a Brandeis pre-health advisor early, check each school’s current rules, and build a plan that balances grades, clinical experience, and application timing.

A common myth is that choosing a “pre-med” major is the first step to medical school. At Brandeis, pre-med is better understood as an academic and advising path alongside your degree. That gives you room to study a subject you value, but it also means you must plan carefully.

Your challenge is to meet several goals at once: complete your major, take the right prerequisite courses, protect your academic record, and learn whether patient care is a good fit. Requirements differ among medical schools, so a course plan that works for one school may not work for another.

Brandeis pre-med overview: advising, degree choice, and admissions

Pre-med at Brandeis is undergraduate preparation for medical school, not a separate degree or a promise of admission. You choose a Brandeis major and complete the courses needed for your degree and target medical schools. An advisor can help you plan, but each medical school sets its own admission rules.

Start by meeting with Brandeis pre-health advising early, ideally before choosing your first-year courses. Bring questions about degree planning, course sequences, research, clinical exposure, and application timing. Check the Brandeis catalog for your entry year because course offerings, numbers, and rules can change.

Choose a major based on real interest and academic fit. Medical schools do not require every applicant to major in biology. A major outside the sciences can work, but you still need to fit science courses into your schedule. A demanding science load beside major requirements may leave less time for other work, so plan each term with care.

Brandeis is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, or NECHE. Accreditation is a measure of institutional review, not a guarantee of medical-school admission. Confirm current standing in NECHE’s directory, and check each medical school’s own eligibility rules.

Curriculum and prerequisites: biology, chemistry, physics, and school-specific requirements

Medical-school prerequisites are courses that an individual school expects applicants to complete before enrollment or by a stated deadline. Common areas include biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, English or writing, and statistics or mathematics. Lab rules and accepted substitutions vary, so verify each course against each school.

Use the current Brandeis catalog and an advisor to identify courses that fit your catalog year and degree plan. Do not rely on an old list of course numbers from a website or another student. A Brandeis course may count toward your degree but still fail to meet a specific school’s lab, subject, or course-level rule.

Build a school-by-school matrix before registration. Use each medical school’s admissions site and the AAMC Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) to check what it accepts. MSAR is a reference tool, not a replacement for a school’s official rules. If an equivalency is unclear, ask the medical school and keep its written reply.

AP, IB, and transfer credits need individual review. Some medical schools accept them for certain prerequisites, while others may expect additional college coursework. Ask both Brandeis advising and each target school before relying on earlier credit.

Keep your matrix updated each year. Record the course, lab, school rule, source, date checked, and any reply from an admissions office. This simple record can help you spot a missing requirement before it affects your application or enrollment.

Academic success and student experience: GPA, advising, clinical work, and research

Medical schools review academic performance as part of a broader application. A 3.7 cumulative and science GPA can be a useful planning goal, but it is not a universal requirement or a promise of admission. Schools assess applicants in context and may weigh grades, course choices, experiences, and other factors in different ways.

Think of GPA planning as steady work, not a last-minute repair. Balance difficult courses across terms where possible. Use office hours, tutoring, and other campus support as soon as you notice a problem. If a course is not going well, ask an advisor about options and the effect of a change on your degree and prerequisite plan.

A strong application also shows that you have explored patient care and service. Clinical exposure can help you understand the work and the needs of patients. Community service, research, and leadership may also help you learn and contribute, though the value of an activity depends on what you do and how you reflect on it. Choose sustained activities you can explain honestly.

Illustrative planning scenario: A student wants to apply after junior year but has not yet completed a required lab course. Rather than assume an equivalent course will count, the student checks the school’s policy, asks the admissions office when needed, and reviews timing with a Brandeis advisor. That may lead to a later application cycle, but it reduces the risk of applying with a missing requirement.

Track your experiences as you go. Note dates, hours, duties, and what you learned. Do not wait until application season to rebuild that record. Seek faculty relationships through class participation, office hours, research, or other academic work. Ask about letters well before a deadline, and follow each school’s rules for who may write them.

Career pathways and outcomes: MCAT, application readiness, and next steps

The MCAT is a standardized exam used in medical-school admissions. Plan to take it after you have studied the tested material and can complete practice exams under realistic conditions. There is no universal qualifying score. Compare your practice results and eventual score with current information for each school, using AAMC and school sources rather than one national cutoff.

Use a readiness check before you choose an application cycle:

• Have you mapped every target school’s prerequisites, including labs and deadlines?
• Are your grades and course load at a level you can explain and sustain?
• Have you completed enough MCAT preparation to judge your readiness with practice tests?
• Can you describe what you learned from clinical and service experiences?
• Have you confirmed letter rules, application steps, and timing for the intended cycle?

Applications to U.S. medical schools commonly use AMCAS, but some schools use other services. Application dates, letter rules, and required materials vary by school and year. Check current instructions for your intended cycle. Build time for the primary application, school-specific secondary applications, and any required updates.

Illustrative planning scenario: A student has strong course progress but has not yet had meaningful clinical exposure and is unsure about MCAT readiness. Applying later may allow more time to explore patient care, prepare for the exam, and complete remaining courses. The right timing depends on the student’s record and target schools; it is not the same for everyone.

If you receive offers, compare more than the school name. Review accreditation, total cost, financial aid, location, curriculum, and personal fit. Keep completing any outstanding requirements and maintain your academic standing. A careful application timeline can help you pursue medical school without losing sight of your degree and well-being.

Frequently asked questions about Brandeis pre-med

These answers cover common planning questions, but medical-school policies can change by school and application year. Treat them as a starting point, then confirm details in the current Brandeis catalog, with pre-health advising, and on each medical school’s admissions site. When rules are unclear, ask the school directly.

Does Brandeis have a pre-med major?
No. Pre-med is a preparation path, not a separate Brandeis major. You choose a degree major and complete the courses needed for that degree and your target medical schools.

What major should I choose for medical school?
Choose a subject that fits your interests and strengths. Medical schools do not require all applicants to major in a science, but you must plan room for required science courses.

What classes do I need for medical school?
Common areas include biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, English or writing, and statistics or mathematics. Each school sets its own rules, including lab requirements.

Will Brandeis courses automatically meet every medical school prerequisite?
No. Degree credit does not always mean a course meets a medical school’s specific rule. Compare course details with each school and seek written guidance when a requirement is unclear.

Can I use AP, IB, or transfer credits?
Policies vary. Check with Brandeis advising and each target medical school before using earlier credit to meet a prerequisite. Some schools may ask for additional college coursework.

What GPA should I aim for?
A 3.7 cumulative and science GPA can be a planning target, not a required cutoff. No GPA guarantees admission. Review current school data and focus on strong, consistent academic work.

When should I take the MCAT?
Take it after covering the relevant material and completing practice exams that help you judge readiness. Check target schools’ policies and application timing before setting an exam date.

Does medical school require clinical experience or research?
Schools may assess experiences in different ways. Clinical exposure helps you explore patient care, while service, research, and leadership can add context to your application. Verify each school’s current expectations.

Who should I contact if a prerequisite is unclear?
Start with Brandeis pre-health advising and consult the target school’s admissions office. Save written replies with your course-planning records so you can review them before applying.

How can I avoid a delayed application?
Create and update a school-specific prerequisite matrix, check deadlines for the intended cycle, and review your plan with an advisor before registration and application.

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Christopher Langston. Visit our Meet the Team page.)