Overview of the Program
How long will it take me to complete the program?
Your program will be individually tailored to meet your needs, taking into account the courses you have already completed as an undergraduate or graduate student. Students who have completed no more than calculus should be able to finish the program in 12 months of full-time study, including one summer session. Those who need calculus in addition to all of the science requirements can finish in 14 months, including two summer sessions. Some students may wish to remain at the University of Rochester during the “glide” year between completing coursework and MCATs and entering medical school, using this time to take advanced classes, work in laboratories or in health-related placements, and experience some of the other academic opportunities available at the University of Rochester.
What will my classes be like?
Your classes will be rigorous, challenging, and eye-opening. They are taught by full-time faculty who do not separate their love of teaching from their love for research. You will take your classes with our full-time undergraduates; occasional labs and recitation sections are created specifically for post-baccalaureate students. Most medical schools require their applicants to have a full year of biology, chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry with labs; many programs also require a year of calculus (and a year of English). Your science courses will be accompanied by laboratory sections, and in many cases by a recitation section as well. Some courses offer concurrent workshops that have proven to be highly effective in supporting student success.
Sample schedules for students who have completed calculus:
A: Summer Start
- Summer Session
- Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices I, with Lab [5 credits]
Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices II, with Lab [5 credits] - Fall Semester
- Principles of Biology, with Lab [5 credits] (or Principles of Genetics and Lab [5 credits] for those who have completed introductory biology)
Organic Chemistry I, with Lab [5 credits]
General Physics I, with Lab [4 credits] - Spring Semester
- Principles of Biology II, with Lab [5 credits] (or Introduction to Biochemistry and Lab [5 credits] for those who have completed introductory biology)
Organic Chemistry II, with Lab [5 credits]
General Physics II, with Lab [4 credits]
B: Fall Start
- Fall Semester
- Principles of Biology, with Lab [5 credits] (or Mammalian Anatomy with Lab [4 credits] for those who have completed introductory biology)
Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices I, with Lab [5 credits]
General Physics I, with Lab [4 credits] - Spring Semester
- Principles of Biology II, with Lab [5 credits] (or Mammalian Physiology with Lab [4 credits] for those who have completed introductory biology)
Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices II, with Lab [5 credits]
General Physics II, with Lab [4 credits] - Summer Session
- Organic Chemistry I, with Lab [5 credits]
Organic Chemistry II, with Lab [5 credits]
Sample schedule for students without calculus:
A: Summer through Summer
- First Summer Session
- Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices I, with Lab [5 credits]
Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices II, with Lab [5 credits] - Fall Semester
- Principles of Biology, with Lab [5 credits]
Calculus I [4 credits]
Organic Chemistry I, with Lab [5 credits] - Spring Semester
- Principles of Biology II, with Lab [5 credits]
Calculus II [4 credits]
Organic Chemistry II, with Lab [5 credits] - Second Summer
- General Physics I, with Lab [4 credits]
General Physics II, with Lab [4 credits]
When do I take the MCAT exam? When do I apply to medical school?
The answer depends in part upon when you begin your Post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Rochester, and in part based upon when you feel comfortably prepared for the exam. Most students will take the exam in July or August, after they have finished their coursework. MCAT scores generally take about a month to arrive. The medical school application process takes place in several stages. In the spring semester, you begin collecting letters of recommendation and write an initial draft of your medical school essay. During the summer, you revise your essay, prepare for the MCAT, and (in some cases) finish your studies at the University of Rochester. After you have received your MCAT scores, your application should be complete and ready to go out to medical schools. The “glide year” follows; it is the period of time between completion of your academic preparation for medical school and the start of medical school itself.
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