Requirements
Applicants are expected to earn a bachelor’s degree from a college of arts and sciences or engineering that is accredited in the U.S. or Canada. Applicants who have not graduated from an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution, but who completed a minimum of two (2) years in such an institution, including all of the prerequisites, may be considered to be eligible and should bring the details of their record to the attention of the Committee on Admissions. Occasionally a candidate of unusual ability is accepted after attendance for three academic years in an undergraduate school if he or she has satisfactorily completed all of the prerequisites and the minimum entrance requirements of 90 semester hours. The following courses are required:
- English Composition or Literature (1 year)
- Humanities (1 year)
- Biology (1 year) with Lab
- General Chemistry (1 year) with Lab
- Organic Chemistry (1 year) with Lab
- Physics (1 year)
All prerequisites must be completed before a student can matriculate at BUSM. We generally prefer that applicants take these courses at 4-yr undergraduate institutions, rather than utilize advanced placement credits or community courses. If an applicant has placed out of a required college level course, we will also accept another course in that discipline at the same or a higher level.
A knowledge of quantitation in chemistry is recommended; usually these methods are taught in general chemistry or organic chemistry. A course in college level mathematics is recommended but not required; many students find that a course in statistics is more helpful than the traditional calculus course. The biology and chemistry courses should include laboratory exercises. Applicants currently enrolled in a professional or graduate school must be in the terminal year of the degree program to be considered for admission to the first-year class.
Applicants are urged to acquire a broad experience in the humanities, as well as in the behavioral and social sciences during their college years, but they should follow their own interests whether in the arts or in the sciences. It is not recommended that applicants try to anticipate subjects that will be required in medical school.
Throughout a student’s four years at Boston University School of Medicine, beginning with the Introduction to Clinical Medicine and followed by various clerkships, personal transportation will be required. While some of the sites are within the areas served by public transportation, others are not. The student will be responsible for providing his or her own transportation, although students frequently collaborate on this.
The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs has a variety of programs and resources to support students from groups underrepresented in medicine. These resources may include financial aid provided through the need-based scholarship and loan programs of the school. These programs are described in more detail at the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs web site.
All applicants must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and should communicate directly with the Association of American Medical Colleges, for information concerning these examinations. Applicants who have not taken the MCAT by September 12, 2009 cannot be considered for entry in 2010. The oldest MCAT scores considered for entry in 2010 will be the April 2006 tests. Applicants are encouraged to take the MCAT in the spring of the year of application and to have most of the basic science requirements completed at the time of application. While we do our best to give equal consideration to all applications that are completed prior to our published deadlines, we have a very large applicant pool and early applications may be more likely to receive a favorable review.
