Biology majors with a primary interest in entering a health profession (medical, dental, veterinary, etc.) can meet the general prerequisites for their preferred program while fulfilling the requirements for the biology major. Curricula that satisfy the prerequisites of various health professions are similar but will vary based on the type of program and on the student’s planned application time. The course plans presented here represent two possible curricula for a biology major planning to apply to medical school after their junior year.
It is important that prehealth students meet with the chair or a member of the Premedical and Predental Advisory Committee to develop a course of study that best meets their individual needs and desires.
| Natural Sciences | Mathematics* | Social Sciences* | Humanities* |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101/102 Introduction to Biology | MATH 120/121** Calculus | PSYC 101 General Psychology | ENG 020/110*** |
| CHEM 101/102 Introduction to Chemistry | |||
| PHYS 110/111 Introduction to Physics | |||
| CHEM 131/132 Organic Chemistry | |||
| * Unlike the basic natural science requirements, these requirements vary from school to school, and some schools may not list them as requirements. They may expect you to have them, or something like these courses, in your undergraduate background when you apply to these schools. You must check with your prehealth advisor for guidance concerning these requirements for the health professions schools to which you plan on applying. | |||
| ** It may be possible – or even required – to substitute a statistics course for some health professions. | |||
| *** One year of English literature is required by most medical schools, which can be fulfilled with these two courses at Clark. Other English courses can be taken to fulfill this requirement. | |||
| Plus an additional eight courses in Biology, with at least one taken from each of the following categories as described for the Biology major: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cell/Molecular Biology | Organismal Diversity | Ecology/Evolution |
| At least four courses must be at the 200 level. One of these often is obtained with directed research at Clark or an internship at an outside institution, such as the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Either option is strongly recommended for Prehealth Biology students. | ||
| Year 1 | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| BIOL 101 Introduction to Biology 1 CHEM 101 Introduction to Chemistry 1 MATH 120 Calculus 1 ENG 020 Introduction to Literary Analysis |
BIOL 102 Introduction to Biology 2 CHEM 102 Introduction to Chemistry 2 MATH 121 Calculus 2 ENG 110 or above |
| Year 2 | |
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| CHEM 131 Organic Chemistry 1 PSYC 101 General Psychology BIOL 118 Genetics Elective/Perspective |
CHEM 132 Organic Chemistry 2 BIOL 109 Microbiology BIOL 243 Comparative & Human Physiology BIOL 106 Introductory Biostatistics |
| Year 3 | |
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| BIOL 137 Cell Biology BCMB 271 Biochemistry 1 PHYS110 Introduction to Physics 1 Elective/Perspective |
BIOL 111 Comparative & Human Anatomy BIOL 236 Biology of Cancer PHYS111 Introduction to Physics 2 Elective/Perspective |
| Year 4 | |
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| BIOL 143 Neuroscience BIOL 217 Ecology of Infectious Disease Directed research/ Internship Elective |
BIOL 218 Genetics of Disease Elective/Perspective Elective Elective |
| Year 1 | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| BIOL 101 Introduction to Biology I CHEM 101 Introduction to Chemistry 1 ENG 020 Introduction to Literary Analysis PSYC 101 General Psychology |
BIOL 102 Introduction to Biology II CHEM 102 Introduction to Chemistry 2 English 110 or above Elective/Perspective |
| Year 2 | |
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| CHEM 131 Organic Chemistry 1 MATH 120 Calculus 1 BIOL 118 Genetics Elective |
CHEM 132 Organic Chemistry 2 MATH 121 Calculus 2 BIOL 240 Comparative & Human Physiology BIOL 109 Microbiology |
| Year 3 | |
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| BIOL 137 Cell Biology BCMB 271 Biochemistry 1 PHYS110 Introduction to Physics 1 Elective/Perspective |
BIOL111 Comparative & Human Anatomy BIOL 236 Biology of Cancer PHYS111 Introduction to Physics 2 BIOL 106 Introductory Biostatistics |
| Year 4 | |
| First Semester | Second Semester |
| BIOL 217 Ecology of Infectious Disease BIOL 143 Neuroscience Directed Research/Internship Elective/Perspective |
BIOL 218 Genetics and Disease Elective Elective Elective |
Electives of particular interest to prehealth students include:
- BCMB 271/272 Biochemistry 1&2
- BIOL 106 Introductory Biostatistics
- BIOL 109 Microbiology
- BIOL 111 Comparative and Human Anatomy
- BIOL 137 Cell Biology
- BIOL 134 Neuroscience
- BIOL 206 Advanced Biostatistics
- BIOL 217 Ecology of Infectious Disease
- BIOL 218 Genetics and Disease
- BIOL 221 Developmental Biology
- BIOL 224 Ecology of Disease Vectors
- BIOL 230 The Human Genome
- BIOL 240 Comparative and Human Physiology
- Other Biology courses can also be of use to students in the prehealth curriculum.