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Pre-Med Option

Pre-Med Option

Requirements

The pre-med option is directed at students planning to apply to medical or dental school who also wish to target chemistry as a career pathway. A B.S. degree in chemistry provides a strong foundation for many professions and post-graduate degrees. Students can earn a chemistry degree in four years while also taking pre-med option courses in biology, biochemistry and related areas that are important components for application to medical school.

Chemistry core (79 - 81 credits)

Pre-med option (34-35 credits)

Courses by year

This page serves as a general suggestion for students looking to complete their pre-med option degree within four years. We always recommend working with your adviser to find the best academic plan for you.

Biology (12): BI 221, 222 and 223
General Chemistry (15): CH 231 (or 231H) & 271, 232 (or 232H) & 272, 233 (or 233H) & 273
Careers in Chemistry (1)a: CH 220b
Health Professions: Medical (1)b: BI 109
Elementary Functions (4)c: MTH 112c
Calculus (8): MTH 251, 252
Writing I (Bacc Core) (3): WR 121(or 121H)
Speech (Bacc Core) (3): COMM 111 (or 111H) or 114 (or 114H) or 211 or 218

Organic Chemistry (9): CH 334, 335, 336
Experimental Chemistry I (6): CH 361, 362
Vector Calculus I (4): MTH 254
General Physics (15): PH 211 & 221, 212 & 222, 213 & 223 or PH 201, 202, 203
Writing II (Bacc Core) (3): Options
Perspectives (Bacc Core) (6): Options
General Electives (1)

Genetics (4): BI 311
Cell and Molecular Biology (4): BB 314
Quantitative Analysis (4) or Analytical Chemistry (9): CH 324 or CH 421, 422 and 461d
Physical Chemistry (9): CH 440, 441, 442
Experimental Chemistry (6): CH 462 (WIC) or CH 463 (WIC) or CH 464 (WIC)
Introduction to Statistical Methods (4): ST 351
Perspective or DPD (Bacc Core) (6): Options
Synthesis (Bacc Core) (3): Options
General Electives (5)

General Biochemistry (7) or Biochemistry (6): BB 450 & 451 or BB 490 & 491
Inorganic Chemistry (6): CH 411 & 412d
Biomedical Ethics (4): PHL 444
Perspective (3): Options
Synthesis (3): Options
General Electives (22-23)

Sample course timetable

Fall term

  • CH 231 & 271
    MTH 112a
    CH 220b
    BI 221

Winter term

  • CH 232 & 272
    MTH 251
    BI 222

Spring term

  • CH 233 & 273
    MTH 252
    BI 223
    (BI 109)c

Fall term

  • CH 334
    CH 361
    PH 211 & 221 (or PH 201)
    MTH 254

Winter term

  • CH 335
    CH 362
    PH 212 & 222 (or PH 202)

Spring term

  • CH 336
    PH 213 & 223 (or PH 203)

Fall term

  • CH 440
    BB 314

Winter term

  • CH 324d
    CH 441
    ST 351
    BI 311

Spring term

  • CH 442
    CH 463 (WIC)

Fall term

  • CH 411
    BB 450 (or 490)
    PHL 444

Winter term

  • CH 412
    BB 451 (or BB 491)

Notes

a MTH 112 can be taken to prepare for MTH 251 if the score on ALEKS Math Placement assessment is60-74 . MTH 112 is not a required course for the chemistry degree.

b Chemistry majors are strongly encouraged to take the chemistry major's orientation course, CH 220, Careers in Chemistry, fall term. This is 1 credit (P/N).

c BI 109, Health Professions: Medical is a pre-med orientation course and strongly suggested. This is 1 cr. (P/N). A pre-dental orientation course is taught winter term (BI 107).

d CH 324, an analytical chemistry course, is taught every term. The combination of CH 421, CH 422 and CH 461 may be substituted for CH 324 for students who desire the strongest background in analytical chemistry. With these three analytical chemistry courses, only one inorganic chemistry course is required (CH 411) so that the required credit hours only increases by 2 (compared to the program shown in the table). Note that CH 421 and CH 461 are taught only fall term and CH 422 is only taught in winter term.


This order of courses is suggested. However, for the track-two core courses (CH, MTH, PH), order is critical because of prerequisites and the fact that most CH courses are taught only one term per year. The option courses (BI, BB, ST 351, PH 444) can be taken at different times than indicated, but one must be concerned with the prerequisites for BB courses and upper-division BI courses and the fact that many upper-division BB and some upper-division BI courses are taught only one term per year.

Bacc Core courses are not shown in the table but are specified in the OSU Catalog and in MyDegrees under Baccalaureate Core Requirements

Students in this option should also meet with either Dr. Daniel Myles or Dr. Neal Sleszynski who are the pre-med advisers in the Department of Chemistry.

Additional information

If you cannot schedule PHL 444 Biomedical Ethics in a timely manner, any one of the following courses will be accepted as a replacement course to meet the requirements of the pre-med option in chemistry. (See below).

Introduction to Human Disease (3)

  • H 320
  • Not a Bacc Core

Drugs, Society and Human Behavior (3)

  • H 364
  • requires PSY 201 or 202
  • Not a Bacc Core

Introduction to Medical Anthropology (3)

  • ANTH 383
  • Bacc Core Synthesis, GI

Health Illness and Society (4)

  • SOC 350
  • requires SOC 204 or SOC 204H
  • Not a Bacc Core

History of Medicine (4)

  • HSTS 417
  • WIC and Bacc Core Synthesis STS
  • Ecampus

The following courses are offered less often

  • PHL 448: Native American Philosophies (3)
  • PHL 474: Philosophy of Biology (4)
  • ANTH 483: Medical Anthropology (4)
  • SOC 432: Sociology of Aging (3)

Also, see policies for other information, including external research.

  1. If students choose the analytical chemistry sequence CH 421, 422, 461, only one inorganic course (3 cr), CH 411, is required. CH 411 and CH 412 are a sequence so CH 411 is the specified inorganic chemistry course.
  2. CH 463 is the recommended WIC course. If CH 462 is taken as the WIC course or an extra lab, CH 422 is strongly recommended as a co-requisite with CH 462.
  3. PHL 444 option meets the Synthesis Baccalaureate Core for contemporary global issues. If you substitute another course for PHL 444 from the above list and it does not meet the GI course designation, you will need to take an additional course that does.
  4. BB 314 should be taken before BI 311 but it is no longer an enforced prerequisite for BI 311.
  5. Students should contact the College of Science Pre-Health advisors for more information. There are many resources available in the College of Science regarding pre-health professions. Chemistry students with a pre-med option usually have a chemistry academic adviser who is aware of some of the special considerations for students pursuing the medical profession. In chemistry, Drs. Daniel Myles and Neal Sleszynski are the primary chemistry advisers for pre-med students. For students applying to medical school this coming summer, in addition to contacting your own advisor, please connect with a Premedical Coordinator at the College of Science