U-M’s Introductory Biology Sequence:

• BIOLOGY 171: Introductory Biology Lecture (Ecology and Evolution)

• BIOLOGY 172: Introductory Biology Lecture (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental)

• BIOLOGY 173: Introductory Biology Lab

If you have A.P. or I.B. credit for Introductory Biology (BIOLOGY 195), you should take BIOLOGY 173 plus at least two biology lectures and one additional lab course.

Some programs require additional biology coursework beyond the introductory sequence. A subset of these programs may specify that this requirement must be at the 300 or above level. Check with your target programs when making a decision about this.

 Several sub-disciplines fall under the “Biology” umbrella. Some of these include:  

Physiology

Physiology is not required, but it is typically tested to some degree in the Biological Sciences section of the MCAT.  There are several lecture courses that work well:

• BIOLOGY 225: Principles of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology

• PHYSIOL 201: Introduction to Human Physiology

• PHYSIOL 502: Human Physiology

• BIOMEDE 419: Quantitative Physiology

(Note that any of these lectures will work for medical schools, but Physician Assistant programs generally insist on human anatomy only, and thus tend not to take BIOLOGY 225.) Physiology labs are not required but do count as a general biology lab.

• BIOLOGY 226

• PHYSIOL 404

Anatomy

Anatomy is not tested on the MCAT. Human Anatomy, however, is among the very first topics taught in the first year of medical school, so a course in Anatomy can be helpful.

• ANATOMY 403 (Human Anatomy: Structure and Function)

• ANATOMY 303 (Online Systems Based Anatomy)

Genetics

While Genetics is tested on the MCAT, this subject is typically covered well enough at the introductory level that you need not take a course in it to simply prepare for the test.  However, it is important to note that a subset of health professions schools list coursework in Genetics as recommended or required to prepare for their curriculum.  

• BIOLOGY 305 (Genetics)

Microbiology

Microbiology is not required by most medical schools, but is required for a significant subset of dental schools in the United States, including the University of Michigan Dental School.

• BIOLOGY 207: Microbiology lecture with  lab included [not an upper level course]

• MICRBIOL 405/350:  Microbiology lecture and Microbiology lab (350 is taught only in winter)

Additional upper-level biology courses

Additional courses labeled BIOLOGY, CDB, EEB, MCDB, MICRBIOL and PHYSIOL will typically be included as Biology courses.  Note that some medical schools require a specific number of Biology credits or courses taken at the 300 level or higher. Here are some additional examples:

• CDB 450: Introduction to Histology

• EEB 341: Parasitology lecture with lab included

• PHYSIOL 541 / ANATOMY 541 / PSYCH 532: Mammalian Reproductive Endocrinology   

• MCDB 427/429: Molecular Biology lecture & Lab

• MCDB 428/429: Cell Biology lecture and Lab

Biology laboratory courses

Medical schools typically (but not always) require two laboratory courses in Biology.  Note that independent research courses, such as those in which you earn credit for working on a particular research project, may not be considered sufficient. 

It is safest to either take two regular methods lab classes or to carefully check the requirements of each of your target medical schools. As an LSA student, you will typically begin with BIOLOGY 173 (Introductory Biology Laboratory), and then take another methods lab associated with a regular biology lecture.   

If you plan to take CHEM 352 lab (Introduction to Biochemical Research Techniques), as a requirement for your major or for interest, note that this lab will sometimes count as a Biology lab for the purposes of medical school admissions.  

Health professions schools typically require one year of inorganic chemistry and one year of organic chemistry (with lab experience). You will likely begin with general chemistry (I):

• CHEM 130: Macroscopic Investigations & Reaction Principles and CHEM 125 and 126: General and Inorganic Chemistry: Laboratory.*

If you have A.P. credit or a high score on the chemistry and math placement exams, you may begin with organic chemistry (I):

• CHEM 210: Structure and Reactivity and CHEM 211: Investigation Laboratory (1)

• This is followed by organic chemistry (II):

• CHEM 215: Structure and Reactivity II and CHEM 216: Synthesis and Characterization of Organic Compounds Laboratory.

The last term of general chemistry (II) typically includes:

• CHEM 230: Physical Chemical Principles and Applications or CHEM 260: Chemical Principles**

* If you do not have A.P. credit, but you place directly into organic chemistry and therefore choose not to take CHEM 130, CHEM 125, and CHEM 126, you are entitled to a chemistry placement letter. Request this letter from your pre-health advisors after you have begun your application to a health professions program using the form linked below this paragraph.*** Some schools may not accept this letter and instead will insist on courses taken on a college campus. It is also the case that some schools will not accept A.P. credit for chemistry. If you need or wish to take additional coursework in general chemistry, consider CHEM 245/246/247 (Biomedical Analytical Chemistry).

** There are alternatives to CHEM 230 and CHEM 260 taught on the UM Campus.  These courses cover similar content and have been accepted as a General/Inorganic Chemistry lecture by medical schools and some other health professions programs.  They are: 

• BIOPHYS 370/CHEM 370 (either designation is fine) or

• CHEME 330 in combination with CHEM 261 or

• BIOMEDE 221

*** The 2024-2025 Chemistry Placement Letter Request Form is here.  If you placed out of Chem 130, 125, and 126, and have an open application to a health professions program, you can request a chemistry placement letter by completing this form.***

LSA Honors students: Request your letter from LSA Honors Advising. 

Engineering students: Request your letter from Biomedical Engineering and Pre-Health Advisors, Rachel Patterson (rjpatt@umich.edu) and Ally Tharp (amtharp@umich.edu). 

Kinesiology students: Request your letter from the Kinesiology pre-health advisors.

Public Health students: Request your letter from School of Public Health Advisor, Jillian McConville (jmcconv@umich.edu). 

Ross School of Business students: Request your letter by emailing: rossugacadadvising@umich.edu.

Please note: This is a non-confidential letter that is typically submitted by you directly to schools after they have requested additional information: do not delay your application submission for this letter.

Most schools require two academic terms (two lectures and two labs) of physics. There are several versions of Physics I and Physics II taught on the U-M campus. It is important that you choose the physics sequence required by your academic program and your target professional school, some of which specify the calculus sequence. (Check with your academic advisor to be sure.) As far as health professions programs are concerned, it is perfectly fine for you to take one version of Physics I and another version of Physics II (for example, PHYSICS 140/141 combined with PHYSICS 250/251).  

• PHYSICS 140 and 141: General Physics I: Mechanics, Sound, and Heat (4); and Lab (1)
  — or —

• PHYSICS 135 and 136: Physics for the Life Sciences I (4); and Lab (1)
  — or —

• PHYSICS/BIOPHYS 15O and 151: Fundamental Physics for the Life Sciences I (4); and Lab (1)
  — or —

• PHYSICS 160 and 161: Honors Physics I (4); and Honors Mechanics Lab (1)

            — or —

• PHYSICS 125 and 127: General Physics Mechanics and Sound; and Lab (these courses are not taught at UM - they are posted transfer credits for non-calculus based physics courses taken elsewhere. See notes below.)

— AND —

• PHYSICS 240 and 241: General Physics II (4) and Elementary Laboratory II (1) calculus-based
  — or —

• PHYSICS 235 and 236: Physics for the Life Sciences II (4) and Elementary Laboratory II (1) calculus-based
  — or —

• PHYSICS/BIOPHYS 25O and 251: Fundamental Physics for the Life Sciences II (4); and Lab (1)
  — or —

• PHYSICS 260 and 261: Honors Physics II (4) and Honors E&M Lab (1) calculus-based

            — or —

• PHYSICS 126 and 128: General Physics Electricity and Light; and Lab (these courses are not taught at UM - they are posted transfer credits for non-calculus based physics courses taken elsewhere. See notes below. )

Notes:

• AP/IB credit in the form of PHYSICS 139 and 239 is generally accepted by medical schools (this is true for all of the medical schools in Michigan), but it is always safer to check.  Students applying to other health professions should check their target schools.

• Pre-health students should register for the PHYSICS/BIOPHYS sequence of 150/151 and 250/251 via PHYSICS, rather than BIOPHYS.  This is because the applications used by some health professions classify Biophysics as Biology.  If you've registered for these courses as BIOPHYS, it should still work out but might require an extra step (check with an advisor).

• Courses that transfer in as PHYSICS 125/127 (Algebra based Physics I) and PHYSICS 126/128 (Algebra-based Physics II) are typically accepted by health professions programs.  Furthermore, the application process will refer to your transcript from the original school to assess such courses.

• PHYSICS 290 is not a substitution for PHYSICS II. PHYSICS 290 is a one-semester course taught as an overview of physics with medicine and biology applications. This course is best suited for students who are looking to take an additional physics course not students needing to meet pre-requisite requirements for Physics I and Physics II with labs. Students needing this sequence should follow the above course recommendations. 

Many health professions programs require a lecture in biochemistry. In addition, biochemistry content is emphasized on standardized tests such as the MCAT, DAT, PCAT. Three introductory biochemistry lectures are taught at the University of Michigan, any one of which will satisfy a requirement for biochemistry. Your selection should also take into account the specifications listed by your major/academic program if this requires biochemistry.

• CHEM 351: Fundamentals of Biochemistry

  or

• MCDB 310: Introductory Biochemistry

  or

• BIOLCHEM 415: Introductory Biochemistry

Medical and other health professional schools value effective writing skills and comprehensive reading skills. Two courses are frequently required, but requirements are school specific, so be sure to investigate your target programs.

Some schools are flexible and will be satisfied with writing courses from departments other than the English department, such as the courses that satisfy the LSA First-Year Writing Requirement or the Upper Level Writing Requirement. However, this is not a guarantee, and to be safe, we recommend that at least one of these courses should be English composition (e.g., ENGLISH 124 or 125). The second course might be another composition or English literature course, provided there is substantial writing required by the literature course. A very small number of schools require two terms of English composition.

Requirements for mathematics/statistics coursework vary significantly from school to school. Some schools may not require any form of mathematics. A small handful of health professions programs have a requirement for a course in calculus, and others have a non-specific requirement, such as six credit hours of college level mathematics. Most, if not all, health professions programs see value in (and might require) basic preparation in statistics. Given this variety, it is important to check your target programs and talk with an advisor before deciding.

Note also that the courses you take on this campus might require mathematics. For example, a course in calculus (Math 115) is an advisory prerequisite for the Physics for the Life Sciences sequence (Physics 150/151 and Physics 250/251).

The MCAT  includes a section titled “Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior,” which tests applicants’ understanding of the behavioral and social sciences as these explain the roles of sociocultural and behavioral factors in health and health outcomes.

The LSA departments of Psychology and Sociology were asked to review the topics to be tested by this MCAT section and to recommend some courses that will help students prepare for the exam. They recommended the following courses:

• PSYCH 111 (Introduction to Psychology) is essential 

• If you want to take another Psychology course and would like to use pertinence to MCAT prep as part of the rationale for that choice, PSYCH 280 (Introduction to Social Psychology) was determined to also cover a useful amount of content.  Some students choose to self study this.  And it's never a bad idea to choose a course based on your intellectual curiosity, so feel free to look at all the other PSYCH courses when choosing a follow up to 111.

PLUS

• SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (for Freshmen and Sophomores) or SOC 302 Health and Society: An Introduction to Sociology (for Juniors and Seniors)

In addition, it is a good idea to take courses that help you understand medicine in the context of the social, historical, economic, and cultural processes that help produce it (this is especially valuable as preparation for interviews).  Before you register for classes, use the keyword “health” on the LSA course guide to view your options. Here are a few suggestions that will help you learn more:

• AMCULT 331 Health in America
• ANTHRCUL 344 Medical Anthropology
• HISTORY 234 History of Medicine in the Western World from the 18th Century to the Present
• PUBHLTH 200 Introduction to Public Health
• PUBHLTH 300 Behavioral and Social Foundations for the Health Professions (non-LSA credit)
• SOC 302 Health and Society: An Introduction to Sociology
• WOMENSTD 220 Perspectives in Women’s Health
• WOMENSTD 300 Perspectives in Men’s Health
• PUBHLTH 465 / MEDPREP 470 / MOVESCI 477 / NEUROL 470 The Science of Medicine: Everyone will interact with the health care system during their lives whether caring for family and friends, or oneself. As such, this course is valuable to all. This course provides a vital understanding of how decisions on diagnostic tests and therapies are deeply rooted in science. The scientific approach is reviewed through an appreciation of the different types of study designs in medicine and public health. The modern concept of evidence-based medicine (EBM) is highlighted throughout the course.

As you prepare for a career in the health professions, you will benefit from an exploration of health and illness as social, cultural, and political processes. Among other things, such coursework will help you understand your decision more clearly and in the process will likely help you prepare to write a thoughtful application essay and respond well to some interview questions.

Before you register for classes, use the keyword “health” on the LSA course guide to view your options. Here are a few suggestions:

• AMCULT 331 Health in America

• ANTHRCUL 344 Medical Anthropology

• HISTORY 234 History of Medicine in the Western World from the 18th Century to the Present

• PUBHLTH 200 Introduction to Public Health

• PUBHLTH 300 Behavioral and Social Foundations for the Health Professions (non-LSA credit)

• SOC 475 Introduction to Medical Sociology

• SOC 302 Health and Society: An Introduction to Sociology

• WOMENSTD 220 Perspectives in Women’s Health

• WOMENSTD 300 Perspectives in Men’s Health