2021-2022
Pre-Medicine (Advising Track)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Associate degree
Program description
Students interested in the pre-medicine advising track must obtain a bachelor’s degree and complete the necessary prerequisites for medical school. All prerequisites should be completed or on track to be complete prior to medical school matriculation. Best results occur when all prerequisite courses have been taken and grades are available at the time of application. Students interested in medical school should consult with a pre-professional health adviser to learn about requirements that are specific to the schools of medicine to which they hope to apply.
Declaration of a pre-medical advising track at VCU does not constitute admission to the VCU School of Medicine. Students must apply separately to the medical school of their choice at the appropriate time.
Students with an interest in preparing for medical school must declare an academic major and should declare and maintain their pre-medical advising track. Students do not earn a pre-medical degree. Students unsure of their academic majors initially should clarify their academic interests through regular conversations with their primary/major academic adviser. Pre-medical students are encouraged to major in fields of greatest interest to them.
Career opportunities
Physicians may earn a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) to practice allopathic medicine or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) to practice osteopathic medicine. Both types of physicians must select a speciality in which they will practice patient care such as pediatrics, cardiology, dermatology, or surgery. Additional career opportunities for physicians include research, teaching, healthcare administration, public health, or advocacy, to name a few.
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Health-Based Researcher
- Medical Doctor
- Physician Assistant
- Professor
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
n/a
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 151
- STAT 210
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7+ is required to apply to become a pre-professional health student and to stay on the pre-professional health advising track.
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2021-2022
Pre-Medicine (Advising Track)
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Attend Tyler Orientation
- Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
- Register for SDV course.
- A stellar GPA is vital to being a competitive student. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
- Review the resources on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website, especially the Pre-Medicine Advising Guide.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations
- Review volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Get involved with a student or professional organization.
- Review volunteer and shadowing opportunities to find healthcare volunteering and information about shadowing.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Take a career assessment through the career coach.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
- Explore all health professions.
- Review the Medical School Applicant Guide.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
- Use Navigate to remain on your pathway.
- Maintain a high GPA. Visit the Academic Resource Center to get ahead. Be prepared to earn good grades at VCU.
- Practice using flashcards and continuously assessing your knowledge of subjects that will be tested on the MCAT.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Participate in the STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Review VCU MD Program Admissions information.
- Volunteer to address a social issue (HandsonRVA).
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence
- Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
- Consider learning a foreign language.
- Learn about OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Plan to complete a research opportunity, internship, service learning course or other experience before your senior year of college.
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about the REAL graduation requirement.
- Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
- Search for a summer science opportunity.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Review resources at AAMC and begin to develop your own plan for applying and taking the MCAT.
Recommended courses
2021-2022
Pre-Medicine (Advising Track)
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| MTH 161 | Precalculus I (or MTH 263 Calculus I) | MATH 141 | 3 | General education |
| CHM 111 | General Chemistry I | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | General education (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| CST 100 | Principles of Public Speaking (or FRE 101 or SPA 101) | SPCH 121 | 3 | Elective |
| MTH 162 | Precalculus II (or MTH 264 Calculus II) | MATH 151 | 3 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| CHM 112 | General Chemistry II | CHEM/Z 102 | 4 | General education (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| Social/Behavioral Science | PSY 200 Principles of Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 | General education (Pre-medicine recommendation) |
| MTH 245 | Statistics I | STAT 210 | 3 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| PHY 201 or PHYS 241 | General College Physics I or University Physics I | PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 | 4 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| BIO 101 | General Biology I | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| Social/Behavioral Science | SOC 200 Principles of Sociology | SOCY 101 | 3 | General education (Pre-medicine recommendation) |
| ENG | Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1) | ENGL | 3 | General education |
| PHY 202 or PHY 242 | General College Physics II or University Physics II | PHYS 202 or PHYS 242 | 4 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| BIO 102 | General Biology II | BIOL/Z 152 | 4 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| History | History elective (select 1): HIS 111, 112, 121, 122 | HIST | 3 | General education |
| Humanities elective | PHI 220 Ethics | PHIL 201 | 3 | General education (Pre-medicine recommendation) |
| Elective | Select any approved transfer elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective |
| John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU | 61 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| The courses listed below are required or recommended for pre-medicine students. Students must also select a VCU major and complete the major requirements. The minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree at VCU is 120 credits. | |||
| CHEM/Z 301 | Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory | 5 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| CHEM/Z 302 or CHEM 403 | Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory or CHEM 403 Biochemistry I | 3 to 5 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| Upper-level biology elective | Select from: BIOL 300 Cellular or Molecular Biology or BIOL 303 Microbiology | 3 | Elective (Pre-medicine requirement) |
| BIOL or CHEM elective | Select from: CHEM/Z 302 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory or CHEM 403 Biochemistry I or BIOL/Z 310 Genetics and Laboratory | 3 to 5 | Elective (Pre-medicine recommendation) |
| Courses required for VCU major and electives | 41 | Major | |
| Minimum number of credits completed at VCU | 59 | ||
| Minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree | 120 | ||