Pre-Medicine
Introduction
Students interested in a career in allopathic (MD) or osteopathic (DO) medicine may pursue a four-year degree in any major along with completing specific prerequisites. Students are encouraged to prepare for both the allopathic and osteopathic options. Medical school admission is very competitive and students should work closely with the Pre-Med advisor throughout their college years to engage in rigorous academic and co-curricular preparation to build a high quality application. Students should learn about the healthcare system and gain clinical experience through hospital volunteerism, paid clinical employment, and shadowing physicians, and demonstrate a commitment to service and social justice.
Students applying to medical schools complete an in-house application process to receive a letter of evaluation from the Health Science Advisory and Recommendation Committee in support of their application to medical school. This letter addresses the student's core competencies for entering medical school.
Academic admission requirements vary somewhat by medical school. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) includes some content from courses not specifically required by all medical schools. Students must complete coursework that both satisfies medical school requirements and also prepares them to score well on the MCAT. In addition to the information in this section, please check the general information at the pre-medical and pre-health section of the catalog.
Joint and Early Assurance Programs
Canisius students may apply to early assurance programs (4+4) at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (NY, PA and FL campuses). Students may apply to the LECOM program at the same time they apply to Canisius while in high school or during the first year or sophomore year at Canisius. A seven-year (4+3) primary care physician pathway is also available through LECOM. Students in the LECOM programs with the appropriate academic indices are not required to take the MCAT. The Early Opportunity in Medicine Program is an Early Acceptance Program that we hold with the SUNY University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science. The JSMBS is currently making some adjustments to this program. Please contact the Director of the PreMedical Center, Dr. Backstrom, for additional information.
Recommended Pre-Medical Courses
Recommendations include those courses needed to meet most medical school requirements and to prepare for the MCAT. Students must consult individual medical schools for additional specific requirements (a few medical schools have additional biology or math requirements). The Pre-Med Center has resources to help students in this process.
English
One year of English composition or the Honors Program equivalent:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Option 1: | ||
| ENG 111 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Writing about Literature | 3 |
| Option 2: | ||
| HON 101 | Honors English | 3 |
| and an Honors Literature course | 3 | |
Biology
Please note that some schools require additional courses in biology. Students work with the Pre-Med Advisor to plan for any additional courses.
At least one year of general biology with laboratory:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 111 & 111L | Introductory Biology I and Introductory Biology Laboratory I | 4 |
| BIO 112 & 112L | Introductory Biology II and Introductory Biology Laboratory II | 4 |
Chemistry
One year of general chemistry and one year of organic chemistry with laboratories:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHM 111 & 111L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHM 112 & 112L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHM 227 & 227L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHM 228 & 228L | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
Biochemistry
One semester of biochemistry is required by most medical schools, while lab requirements vary by school. Two semesters are required as the content for the MCAT exam is spread over two classes. A student's major may dictate the option they should select:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Option 1: | ||
| BIO 211 & 211L | Biochemistry and Cell Biology I and Biochemistry and Cell Biology Lab I | 4 |
| BIO 212 & 212L | Biochemistry and Cell Biology II and Biochemistry and Cell Biology Lab II | 4 |
| Option 2: | ||
| BCH 301 & 301L | Introduction to Biochemistry and Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| BCH 302 | Cellular Biochemistry | 3 |
Physics
One year of introductory physics with laboratory. A student's major may dictate the option they should select:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Option 1: | ||
| PHY 201 & 201L | College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | 4 |
| PHY 202 & 202L | College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory | 4 |
| Option 2: | ||
| PHY 223 & 223L | General Physics for Physical Science Majors I and General Physics for Physical Science Majors I Laboratory | 4 |
| PHY 224 & 224L | General Physics for Physical Science Majors II and General Physics for Physical Science Majors I Laboratory | 4 |
Mathematics
Math requirements vary at different medical schools. Most medical schools require one year of college level math. Some specifically require calculus; most specifically require statistics. The MCAT utilizes statistics typically learned through science courses. We recommend students take a minimum of one semester of statistics (MAT 141 or PSY 201) and strongly encourage students to also take one semester of calculus (MAT 111) as a prerequistie for physics.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Calculus | ||
| MAT 111 | Calculus I | 4 |
| Statistics | ||
| PSY 201 | Basic Statistics for Behavioral Sciences | 3 or 4 |
| or MAT 141 | Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science | |
Behavioral/Social Science
One semester each of psychology (either PSY 101 or PSY 102) and one semester of sociology (SOC 110) are required. Some medical schools require more than two courses in the behavior/social sciences. The MCAT includes content from PSY 101, PSY 102 and SOC 110. If a student does not take both PSY 101 and PSY 102, they may learn some psychology content independently.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | ||
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology I | 3 |
| or PSY 102 | Introduction to Psychology II | |
| Sociology | ||
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
Elective Courses
Students not majoring in a science are encouraged to take additional science elective courses or complete a science minor. Students majoring in a science are encouraged to take additional coursework or complete a minor in the humanities or social sciences. Additionally, several specialized courses of interest are available to help students explore aspects of medicine and healthcare in more depth.
HRP 101 allows students to explore different health professions.
HRP 111 introduces students to medical terminology.
HRP 201 and HRP 202 allow students to explore areas of medicine in more depth.
HRP 498 is an internship in medical informatics. A medical scribe internship in neurology is also available.
HRP 498A is a medical service learning trip.
