Most US MD schools expect a year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, usually with labs, plus biochemistry, writing and some math or statistics; each school sets its own list. You also need the MCAT, a four-section exam scored from 472 to 528. In 2025, students who enrolled in US MD programs averaged 512.1 on the MCAT and a 3.81 GPA, according to the AAMC.
What prerequisites are
Prerequisites are the undergraduate courses a medical school expects you to complete before you start. There is no national list. Each school publishes its own, and the AAMC collects them in its Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database. Its Premed Course Requirements report for the 2027 application cycle lists each school's courses, whether each is required or recommended, the credit hours expected, and whether labs, AP credit, online or community college courses are accepted.
The common core
Across the schools in that report, biology, chemistry and physics are the courses most often marked as required, with biochemistry close behind. Courses such as psychology, sociology, statistics and genetics are more often listed as recommended than required. A typical premed plan that satisfies most schools looks like this:
| Subject | Typical expectation | Why schools want it |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | Two semesters with lab | Foundation for physiology, genetics and pathology |
| General chemistry | Two semesters with lab | Needed for organic chemistry and biochemistry |
| Organic chemistry | One or two semesters with lab, though some schools accept biochemistry in place of the second semester | Drug structure and metabolism |
| Biochemistry | One semester | Heavily tested on the MCAT |
| Physics | Two semesters with lab | Physiology, imaging and the MCAT's physical sciences |
| English or writing | One or two semesters | Communication and written reasoning |
| Math or statistics | One or two semesters, statistics increasingly common | Reading research and evidence |
| Psychology and sociology | One semester each, often recommended | Covered on the MCAT's behavioral section |
Treat this as a planning template, not a rule. Some schools require only a few named courses and focus on the competencies you can show, while others specify credit hours and lab work exactly.
Details that trip applicants up
- AP credit. Some schools accept AP credit for prerequisites when it appears on your college transcript; others want you to take upper-level courses in the same subject instead.
- Community college and online courses. Policies differ. The MSAR report records each school's position.
- Pass/fail grades. Some schools accepted pass/fail prerequisite grades only for terms disrupted by the pandemic, such as spring 2020.
- Timing. Many schools want prerequisites completed by the time you matriculate, not necessarily when you apply. Check each school's wording.
Sequencing your courses
Because organic chemistry builds on general chemistry, and biochemistry builds on both, the order matters. A common plan is general chemistry and biology in the first year, organic chemistry and physics in the second, and biochemistry in the third. That sequence covers most MCAT content before you test, which suits students who want to apply straight after their third year.
If you plan to apply through AMCAS, our guide to AMCAS medical school requirements covers the rest of the application.
The MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), run by the AAMC, is required by almost all US MD schools. It is a computer-based multiple-choice exam with four sections.
| Section | Questions | Time | Main content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 | 95 minutes | General and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) | 53 | 90 minutes | Reading comprehension and reasoning in humanities and social sciences |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 95 minutes | Biology and biochemistry |
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 | 95 minutes | Psychology, sociology and biology of behavior |
Source: AAMC, What's on the MCAT Exam?
The AAMC puts total content time at 6 hours and 15 minutes. With optional breaks and check-in, the total seated time is about 7 hours and 30 minutes.
How the MCAT is scored
- Each section is scored from 118 to 132, with a midpoint of 125.
- The total score is the sum of the four sections, from 472 to 528, with a midpoint of 500.
- There is no penalty for wrong answers, so you should answer every question.
CARS has no science content, which is why reading widely in the humanities and social sciences is part of good preparation.
Retake limits
According to the AAMC, you can take the MCAT:
- Up to three times in one testing year
- Up to four times across two consecutive testing years
- Up to seven times in your lifetime, counting from April 2015
Voids and no-shows count toward these limits, and you can hold only one exam appointment at a time. Schools see all of your scores, so plan to sit the exam when you are ready rather than as a trial run.
When to take it
Most applicants take the MCAT after completing their core science courses, often in the calendar year before they plan to submit applications. If you apply early in the AMCAS cycle, you want your score back before schools begin reviewing applications. Check the AAMC's test calendar and score release dates for the year you plan to test.
What scores and grades are competitive
The AAMC reported that 54,699 people applied to US medical schools in 2025, and 23,440 enrolled.
| Group (2025 entering cycle) | Mean MCAT | Mean GPA |
|---|---|---|
| All applicants | 506.3 | 3.67 |
| Matriculants | 512.1 | 3.81 |
The matriculant averages were up from 511.8 and 3.79 in 2024. These are national means: individual schools publish their own medians in the MSAR, and many admitted students score below the average while others score well above it. Schools also weigh experiences, letters, essays and interviews.
If you are an international applicant
US MD schools generally expect the same prerequisites and the MCAT from international applicants, and some require part of your coursework to be completed at a US or Canadian institution. Policies vary widely, so check each school's MSAR entry. Our guide on how hard it is to get into medical school as an international student explains the extra hurdles. Some schools outside the US also accept the MCAT; for example, the Medical University of Warsaw lists it among the admissions tests it recognizes, as described in our guide to studying medicine in Poland.
Key takeaways
- There is no national prerequisite list; each school sets its own, and the AAMC's MSAR collects them.
- Biology, chemistry and physics are the courses most often required, with biochemistry next; psychology, sociology and statistics are often recommended.
- The MCAT has four sections, each scored 118 to 132, for a total of 472 to 528 and about 7.5 hours of seated time.
- You can take the MCAT up to three times a year, four times in two years and seven times in your lifetime.
- In 2025, US MD matriculants averaged 512.1 on the MCAT and a 3.81 GPA, against 506.3 and 3.67 for all applicants.