Department of Biology

Pre-Medical Program

Medical school applicants have to consider the following:

  • Pre-requisite courses
  • GPA
  • MCAT test
  • Extracurricular activities such as research and volunteer work
  • Letters of recommendation

Pre-requisite science courses for Medical School: Most Medical Schools require that applicants have taken 8 credits in Biology, Physics, Calculus, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry (all courses with laboratory) and one year of English. A solid background in the humanities is expected. Courses in foreign languages or advanced science are a plus but are not required. For Biology majors, the Behavior and Physiology track is recommended.

At WPUNJ, we recommend that pre-medical students take the following science courses:

We recommend to take the requirements in the following sequence: Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. In addition, upper level electives in Biochemistry and General Microbiology are recommended.

MCAT: All medical school applicants are advised to take the Medical College Admissions Test(MCAT) in their junior year. The test is administered by the American College Testing Service twice a year in April and August. MCAT applications may be obtained from the pre-professional advisor or from the AAMC.MCAT courses are offered by Kaplan, Princeton Review, Examkrackers and Bette Blank.

GPA: The median Grade Point Average (GPA) of most matriculated Medical School students is 3.2 - 3.7. The average GPA for individual Medical Schools can be found in the handbook Medical School Admissions Requirements.

Extracurricular activities

  • Research: Most WPUNJ medical school applicants have participated in research projects at William Paterson University or laboratories off-campus. Through your research work you can demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to research. As a physician you will have to keep up with the latest developments in medicine such as new drugs that come on the market. Ask your Biology professors about research opportunities or contact the Center For Research.
  • Volunteer work: Students should have demonstrated their commitment and dedication to medicine through regular volunteer work in a clinical environment. As volunteer you will be exposed to the daily routine of health professionals and you can practice to communicate with patients. You will learn if medicine is right for you. Many hospitals in the area have established an office for volunteers where you can sign up. The following hospitals wait for your calls:

Letters of Recommendation

Upon request, the Pre-Professional Committee will submit a composite letter of recommendation together with the four to five letters of recommendation by individual professors. Students are advised to request individual letters of recommendation from their professors and to forward these letters to the Pre-Professional Committee.

A letter of recommendation will be supplied by the Pre-Professional Committee after the following has been received :

  • updated curriculum vitae (resume)
  • completed Pre-Professional registration form
  • letters of recommendation from individual professors
  • list of addresses of Admission Offices

Please allow two to four weeks for preparation of the recommendation letter.

Application

Information about Medical Schools

Prospective medical students can find information concerning the entrance requirements for medical schools by consulting the handbook Admissions Requirements of the American Medical Colleges published annually by the Association of American Medical Colleges. This handbook is available in the Cheng-Library, in the Pre-Professional Programs Office and from the AAMC.

Find a Medical School that is right for you

Additional information can be found at