PDF version of this chapterPostbaccalaureate Premedical Program
Office of College Advising
College Academic Services Building, Room 120
(213) 740-2534
Director: Larry Singer, Professor of Chemistry
This program allows postbaccalaureate students to complete the science and mathematics core requirements for medical school admission in a supportive environment. It is directed toward students with demonstrated academic achievement in their baccalaureate work, but with little or no prior college-level science and mathematics in their background. The typical student accepted into the program will have a liberal arts baccalaureate degree.
Admission Procedures and Requirements
To be eligible for the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, a student must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. The following are required for admission consideration: (a) a completed application form; (b) transcripts from all colleges and universities attended by the student; (c) two letters of recommendation from professors familiar with the student's academic credentials and motivation for undertaking an intensive program of study in the science/mathematics core; (d) the student's scores on one of the following standardized tests: ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT.Admitted students may begin the program at the start of any term, fall, spring or summer. However, all course work must be completed within a 24-month period from the date of entry into the program.
All students admitted into the program should discuss with the coordinator their readiness to begin the science/mathematics core. Occasionally, background course work in science and/or mathematics may be recommended before a student begins the program.
Requirements
Students must complete the following nine course core of science/mathematics courses. Up to two upper division electives may be substituted for courses in the core. Two courses (8 units) must be at the upper division level (numbered 300 and above).| core courses | units | |
|---|---|---|
| BISC 120L | General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution | 4 |
| BISC 220L | General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology | 4 |
| CHEM 105aLbL | General Chemistry | 4-4 |
| CHEM 322abL | Organic Chemistry | 4-4 |
| MATH 125 | Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS 135abL | Physics for the Life Sciences | 4-4 |
| upper division electives | units | |
|---|---|---|
Either or both of the following two upper division courses may be substituted for core courses: | ||
| BISC 320L | Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BISC 330L | Biochemistry | 4 |
Up to three of the above courses completed with grades of B or better and taken at USC or another accredited college or university prior to entry into the program may be accepted for credit towards the core requirements.
An overall GPA of 3.0 or better must be maintained in all attempted courses, including the two allowed substitute courses BISC 320L and BISC 330L.
Students in the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program may use the pre-health counseling services of the Office of College Advising. These students are eligible for a letter of recommendation from the Pre-Health Committee to help with their medical school application, providing they meet the requirements for such a letter.