Pre-Med Advantages at UR

As a premedical student at Rochester, you will have the following opportunities and services available to you:

  1. The proximity of the University of Rochester Medical Center, which houses Strong Memorial Hospital, the School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Arthur Kornberg Medical Research Building. Opportunities available to undergraduates include:
    1. Research
    2. Clinical volunteering
    3. Contact with School of Medicine faculty and admissions staff.
  2. Three full-time professional advisers who provide the following services:
    1. Assistance with academic planning, in conjunction with faculty advisers
    2. General information sessions about the medical school application process
    3. Advice about letters of recommendation
    4. Individual essay critiques
  3. Letters sent to the medical schools of your choice by the Health Professions Advisory Committee. These letters are available to all students who are in good academic standing and who follow the two-step request process. Letters are not limited to pre-screened candidates and are accompanied by a cover letter which includes descriptions of the premedical courses offered here and grade distributions for each.
  4. Reliable, comprehensive applicant results which include all candidates
  5. All of the other opportunities and programs available to Rochester students, including:
    1. The Rochester Curriculum
    2. The “Take Five” Scholars Program
    3. Certificates
    4. Quest courses
    5. ”3-2” Programs in a variety of disciplines
    6. Study overseas
    7. The option to design an individualized major, minor or cluster
    8. Internships for academic credit

There is no formal “premed major” or “program” at Rochester; it’s simply a matter of taking courses in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics in conjunction with the major(s) of your choice.

Medical schools have no preference for certain majors over others. The choice of major should be guided by:

  1. your academic interests and strengths; and
  2. the alternative career field(s) you would pursue if you don’t go to medical school.

Requirements