Beginning Your Premed Strategy

Ideally, premedical planning begins during high school, since getting into the right college is often a steppingstone to successful medical school admissions. Realistically, though, many students are late bloomers, taking general education classes the first year until their interests are channeled in a certain direction. If you’re one of those late bloomers, don’t worry; the days when medical schools preferred only science majors are long gone. Some medical schools like to have a diverse class, and they recruit good non-science majors into their programs.

One of the major changes in students admitted to medical school is their undergraduate major. The total number of applicants majoring in science has remained steady, but the percentage of non-science majors being admitted has increased. The emphasis on non-science is reflected in the new MCAT, which includes a section called Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior. According to the AAMC, the addition of this section determines an applicant’s knowledge of socio-cultural and behavioral aspects of health and health outcomes. And it’s one of the reasons some medical schools require applicants to have courses in psychology and/or sociology.

A good strategy is to make sure you have the prerequisites all medical schools require, as well as courses other schools require in addition to those. After all, you’re not going to apply to just one or two schools, so make sure that you cover your bases broadly. Take psychology or sociology as electives, for example, because a growing number of medical schools are requiring those as prerequisites. The best way to get an idea of differing requirements is to look at the medical school’s web site.

Today’s medical schools are looking for well-rounded students who happen to be great in science. After all, you can be the most empathetic and compassionate person in the world, but if you don’t have the capacity to learn and understand scientific facts, you’re not going to make it through the first year of medical school. They also look for students who, regardless of their major, can show their passion for medicine by having participated in some sort of medically related activity at a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office. Your strategy, then, needs to include not only a strong foundation in the sciences but a resume of activities that prove to admissions officers that you have what it takes to succeed in medical school.

From: The New Medical School Preparation & Admissions Guide, 2025, 5th Edition