Planning A Program for Health Careers
Oberlin does not have a premed major. Medical schools admit students who major in any discipline. The most popular majors at Oberlin for students interested in health-related careers are Biology, Biochemistry and Neuroscience, but students majoring in other disciplines (Chemistry, Economics, English, Geology, History, Biopsychology, Physics, Mathematics, Religion, Sociology, for example) have gained admission to medical schools in recent years. Applicants to medical school are required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is designed to test skills in verbal reasoning, writing, and basic subject matter in biology, chemistry, and physics. The science and mathematics courses listed below should be completed before taking the MCAT. At the earliest, students may take the MCAT at the end of their junior year and apply to medical schools in the summer between the junior and senior years. Many students, however, opt to defer the MCAT examination to their senior year or later and apply to medical school in the summer following graduation or later. This schedule permits students to pursue in depth other interests at Oberlin and elsewhere before beginning their medical education.

The most common requirements for admission to medical school are the following:
1.	One year of General Biology (Biology 118, 119, and 213, 214)
2.	One year of General Chemistry (Chemistry 101 and 102 or Chemistry 103 and 374)
3.	One year of Organic Chemistry (Chemistry 205 and 254 or Chemistry 205, 325, 326)
4.	One year of Physics (Physics 103 and 104 or Physics 110, 111)
5.	One year of English (typically two 100 level in the English department; or advanced literature courses that require intensive writing)
6.	One year of college mathematics (typically two 100 level Math courses, which includes calculus and statistics).
*Requirements for dental school are similar to medical schools.
*Requirements for nursing, physical therapy, veterinary and other schools in the health professions often include more courses in the life sciences. You should determine by the end of your first year the specific requirements for professional schools of interest to you. The Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements can be viewed on the web at this site. For more specific information on other health careers, go here.

YEAR	FALL SEMESTER	SPRING SEMESTER
FIRST	Chem 101 4 hrs	Chem 102 4 hrs
	Biol 118, 119 4 hrs	Math 133 4 hrs
SECOND	Biol 213, 214 4 hrs	Chem 205 4 hrs
		Math 113 or 114 4hrs
THIRD	Physics 103 4 hrs	Physics 104 4 hrs
	Chem 254 4 hrs	MCAT April

For students with limited or no high school chemistry and/or who are advised to take Math 131, the following is an alternative schedule:

Many other schedules are possible. Consult early and often with your academic advisor and with Carol Sedgwick and/or one of the other health professions advisors (Professors Mark Braford, William Fuchsman, Yolanda Cruz, or Dennison Smith) about the best schedule for you.