Undergraduate pre-requisite coursework: Six important tips for pre-medical students considering Osteopathic Medical school in the USA

Abstract

The road to becoming a physician is a long and winding and becomes muddied further by the complex administrative processes of medical schools and oversight boards involved in the admissions process. Pre-medical students in the US and around the world can find themselves quickly lost as they try to navigate this process, especially defining pre-requisite coursework. Without access to traditional support or resources, premedical students can find themselves wasting valuable time learning the ropes of the pre-requisite course work instead of focusing on strengthening skills that will help them to succeed in these courses.Three phases dominate the time students spend on the pre-requisite course work, namely, planning, implementing, and improving. Six tips have been selected and organized logically to enhance student's growth and improvement, and to alleviate the stress associated with their pre-medical journey.We provide data collected from most of the medical schools in the USA, regarding required and recommended courses for admission. The tips presented here reflect a summary of the experience and knowledge of medical school faculty, admissions officers, and recent literature concerning the importance of pre-requisite course work. This work is dedicated to premedical students worldwide but could be useful to medical science educators, admissions officers, and college administrators setting the prerequisites for admission. Leveling the field for all medical school applicants may help many students to improve their chances for admissions in medical schools.