Creating a Master Schedule

1. Use the Pre-Health Workbook to tentatively map out your first-year to senior-year courses.
2. Write down your pre-med courses in the semesters you want to take. The sequence and pace are up to you, as medical schools don't care whether you take pre-med courses within the first two years or spread them out over all four years.
   
   Consider:
   • The sequence and pace will enable you to master the material best. Note that your major may also have implications for the sequence of courses. 
   • Other significant time commitments (e.g., varsity sport, orchestra) may interfere with your academic performance.
   • Study abroad. If so, assuming you will not take any pre-med requirements abroad is best. So, block off either your junior year's fall or spring semester.
   • When do you hope/plan to take the MCAT and apply to medical school? Plan to finish pre-med coursework before taking the MCAT!
3. Map out potential majors by inputting the required courses into the schedule. Refer to the College Catalogue for requirements and course offerings for concentrations (majors).
   • When courses are offered. Some courses are offered only in the fall (e.g., Chem 120, Biochemistry 346), while others are only offered in the spring (e.g., Organic Chemistry I). The letter F or S following the course number indicates the semester.
   • Course pre-requisites. For example, a biochemistry/molecular biology concentration requires either Physical Chemistry I or II, for which the prerequisite courses include Chem 120 or Organic Chemistry I, Calculus I, and Physics I and II. Prerequisites are noted in the College Catalogue.
   • Whether a course is a “lab” course, meaning that there are three hours of lab and three hours of classroom instruction.
   • The senior thesis/project. Some departments require only a one-semester thesis/project, some require two, and some give students a choice. 

Mapping out potential majors alongside pre-med requirements will enable you to see what is manageable. If it results in three lab sciences in one semester, then you should consider other options and may need to make some difficult decisions. Think of it like a complex puzzle or problem you must solve. As a pre-med, this will be just one of many!

Don’t forget to plan for courses you WANT to take (outside the sciences)!

Meet with an Academic Advisor for Course Selection

Make an appointment with your academic advisor during your first year once you have worked to better understand the trajectory of your pre-med requirements.

• Create a tentative four-year plan before meeting with your advisor to discuss time commitments and course trajectory during your meeting productively.