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College of Arts & Sciences

UNL's Largest and Most Diverse College

Pre-Medicine


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The medical profession offers a wide variety of exciting, challenging, and rewarding career options.  Although the environment in which medical services are provided has been changing rapidly, and will continue to evolve, the physician's role as diagnostician, healer, and patient advocate remains central to the provision of health care in our country.  Although most physicians provide direct patient care, some M.D./D.O. degree recipients concentrate on basic applied research, medical education or administration, or some combination of these areas.

Medical Education

There are 126 allopathic medical schools and 20 osteopathic medical schools accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  Despite philosophical differences between allopathic and osteopathic traditions in the treatment of patients, virtually all programs prepare students to be general medical practitioners and to render comprehensive patient care.  Educational preparation generally consists of four years of academic coursework and clinical experiences leading to the medical doctorate or osteopathic doctorate degree.  Following the traditional academic and clinical preparation will be three years of “residency” to receive specialized training in a particular area of medicine.  Residency training is completed at a training hospital and is considered a paid employment position.  Students whose particular interests and strengths lie in research may consider combined degree programs, i.e. M.D./PhD, where the final outcome consists of conducting medical research or becoming a member of a medical faculty.  Curriculum and outcomes vary from school to school, so students should contact programs of interest directly to determine their curriculum content.

Undergraduate Preparation

Many medical schools, including the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and Creighton University School of Medicine, recommend that students get their baccalaureate degree first; however, for many schools it is required.  These programs believe that the fourth year of undergraduate study allows a student to develop greater maturity and a broader academic background.

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Required Courses

The following fulfill the entrance requirements for UN College of Medicine and CU School of Medicine.  Students who are considering medical schools outside of Nebraska are encouraged to contact those schools directly for a list of entrance requirements.  Consult the Medical School Admissions Requirements publication (AAMC) for additional information on all medical schools. 

Required Coursework

AP Credit does not apply at UNMC; however, Creighton University will accept some AP Credit.  Contact your pre-professional adviser regarding course options when you have earned AP or CLEP credit.

Classmin. semester hrs
Biological Sciences with lab8
General Chemistry with lab8
Organic Chemistry with lab8
Biochemistry3
Physics with Lab8-10
Genetics3
English Composition3-6
Humanities/Social Sciences12-16
Mathematics3

 

Recommended Elective Courses

We suggest taking classes in Anatomy, Advanced Genetics, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, Parasitology, Comparative Anatomy, Pathology, Embryology, Immunology, Physiology, and Zoology.

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Humanities in Medicine

For pre-medical students who are also interested in the humanities, the College of Arts and Sciences offers the Humanities in Medicine Program. This program is designed to encourage students to pursue a humanities degree and a pre-medical program simultaneously. Study in the humanities might include courses taught in the Classics, English, Modern Languages or Philosophy departments, or in other fields concerned with humanity and its cultures.

Founded through the support of Linda and Charles S. Wilson, M.D., of Lincoln, Nebraska, the Humanities in Medicine Program supports students by means of scholarships, special courses, special advising help, and special speakers and events.

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Beyond Academics

Pre-Medical students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular experiences such as leadership roles, volunteer work, research, and shadowing, which will help prepare them for medical school and the medical profession.  Extracurricular experiences play a significant role in a student's application to a professional school program.  Such experiences demonstrate a commitment to and knowledge of the profession.  In conjunction, shadowing medical professionals and involvement with clubs such as NU-Meds, Pre-Health Club, or Alpha Epsilon Delta, will help students to learn more about the medical profession.

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Application and Admission

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

The MCAT is now computer-based and is offered on set dates throughout the year (19 dates for 2007).  Information about the exam, registration, and the MCAT student manual can be found online at http://www.aamc.org/students/
mcat/start.htm.  Students should obtain this manual as soon as possible and use it as a guide while taking introductory science courses and preparing for the MCAT exam.  A student with one year of course work in Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics should be prepared for the exam.  It is recommended to complete Genetics and Biochemistry.

American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS)

Application for admission to UNMC, Creighton, and most other medical schools is made through AMCAS (allopathic) or AACOMAS (osteopathic).  This standardized application service is available online at http://www.aamc.org/students/
amcas/start.htm (allopathic) or https://aacomas.aacom.org/ (osteopathic).  Part of the application process is the composition of a personal statement.  When you submit the completed form to the centralized service you will designate the medical schools where you wish your application to be sent.  AMCAS and AACOMAS will duplicate your application and forward it to the designated medical schools.  The schools will then contact you to verify receipt of your application and inform you of any additional materials they require to complete your application, such as secondary applications and letters of recommendation/evaluation. 

Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation

Letters of Recommendation are an important component of each application.  The number of required letters varies by school.  UNMC requires recommendations from two instructors, at least one of whom is in a scientific discipline; Creighton University requires three letters, consisting of two science faculty and one non-science faculty.  You should get to know your professors and let them get to know you.  This is essential because the instructor needs to accumulate enough information about your potential as a medical school student so he/she can write a meaningful letter, which will be of help to your application.

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