As an internal medicine resident physician at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, both in Boston — and as a premed tutor at Harvard — Ahmed Mukhtar Ahmed, MD, understands well the stresses of applying to medical school. He also has a curious mind and wondered how much variability there was in course requirements and recommendations at US allopathic medical schools. So along with several colleagues, Ahmed set about to find that answer.
The result is the recent report “Premedical Course Requirements in US Medical Schools,” published in the Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). What Ahmed and colleagues learned is that, of the 157 US medical schools, no two are alike when it comes to required or recommended coursework. With the average student applying to 19 schools, according to AAMC, that can make things challenging.
“It’s essentially a ‘hedge-your-bets’ approach,” said Ahmed. “It can create challenges for students on what to take, how many credits, and whether to consider pass/fail, online courses, or community college courses. It’s very complicated.”
This can create challenges for college advisors, too, said Ahmed.
“How do you give advice on what courses students should take, especially if they’re outside the typical majors for premed?” he asked. “Those courses aren’t trivial — they’re among the top criteria admissions officers use when considering who to offer a second interview, and ultimately, admission.”
The new study sheds light on an issue worthy of discussion, according to Ahmed. “We think there could be benefit in understanding what the floor is,” he said. “Ideally, this will ensure that premed students are equipped to be competent medical students.”
Navigating a Confusing Landscape
According to Tami Levin, director of Premed and Applicant Resources at the AAMC, the fact that medical schools all have their own requirements is by design.
Ahmed Mukhtar Ahmed, MD
Ideally, this will ensure that pre-med students are equipped to be competent medical students.
“We don’t dictate or prescribe requirements for any of our med schools,” she said. “Each is unique. We often tell applicants and advisors to pay attention to the mission of the schools to determine which look like a good fit.”
The AAMC provides an annually updated report (the Medical School Admission Requirements) on its website, which details the coursework required by all medical schools. The site includes a variety of tools for premed students, like worksheets to track coursework and plan for interviews, and twice eac