Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Harlem prerequisites

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two semesters with lab. The single most universal prerequisite: essentially every MD and DO program asks for it, and it is the foundation the MCAT assumes.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two semesters with lab. Take it early: organic chemistry, biochemistry, and most upper-division biology all sit behind it, so a late start pushes the whole sequence past your MCAT date.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two semesters with lab at most schools. A meaningful and growing minority accept one semester of organic plus one of biochemistry. Do not drop the second semester on that assumption until you have checked the schools you actually want.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester, lab rarely required. Roughly two thirds of schools require it outright and the MCAT tests it heavily, so treat it as required even where it technically is not, and take it before you sit the exam.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two semesters with lab. Algebra-based is accepted almost everywhere; take the calculus-based sequence only if your major needs it or a target school names it.

2 semesters · 6 credits

Two semesters of English or writing-intensive coursework. Many schools accept writing-intensive courses from any department, but a few name English specifically. If your writing credits come from elsewhere, confirm before you count them.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester. Most schools with a math requirement accept statistics or calculus; statistics is the more widely accepted of the two and the more useful for reading clinical research, so the baseline tracks it here. If a target school names calculus, its own requirements will say so.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester. Required outright at a minority of schools (several of them highly selective) and accepted in place of statistics at most of the rest. Take it if calculus is already in your major's path.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester. A minority of schools require it, but a quarter of the MCAT is psychological and social foundations: this is the cheapest points on the exam.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester. Same reasoning as psychology: required by fewer schools, tested directly on the MCAT.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester. Required by a small number of schools and a common way to fill the upper-division science coursework that strengthens a science GPA.

150+ hours

Most medical schools ask for 150+ hours and list it as recommended.

No hours figure, but the letter requirement makes patient-facing experience effectively mandatory: "One letter of recommendation from a physician (DO or MD) who has observed you in a clinical/patient-based setting." TouroCOM will substitute "a letter from a non-physician supervisor who has observed your interactions with patients" or "a letter from a DO or MD who has supervised you in a lab or professional setting and can talk about your professionalism and your interactions with other staff members", so there is a route without a physician, but not one without someone who watched you work. Letters from relatives are not considered.

50+ hours

No hours minimum, but TouroCOM publishes a restriction few schools state outright: "virtual shadowing encounters will NOT be accepted." On the shadowing itself: "it is highly encouraged, when possible, to shadow a DO," and "a letter from a DO is preferred." So the hours are uncounted, but they have to be in person.

150+ hours

Service with no medical angle. Committees are reading for a habit, not a total, so one commitment held for two years beats five one-off events.

100+ hours

No hours and not required. Research is named among the things TouroCOM weighs: "we also evaluate you based on your research, clinical, extra-curricular, and community service experiences, as well as your interest in, and commitment to, practicing osteopathic medicine."

No published minimum

"You will need to submit an evaluation from a pre-professional advisory committee, OR two letters of recommendation from natural science faculty."

2 letters

"Two letters of recommendation from natural science faculty (e.g., biology, chemistry, or physics) familiar with your academic work in a classroom setting", the alternative to a pre-professional committee evaluation.

No published minimum

"One letter of recommendation from a physician (DO or MD) who has observed you in a clinical/patient-based setting." There are substitutes (see the supervisor line), but this is what TouroCOM asks for first, and no hours minimum is published. "Letters from relatives will not be considered."

No published minimum

"Please note that a letter from a DO is preferred. Also, it is highly encouraged, when possible, to shadow a DO." TouroCOM also states that "virtual shadowing encounters will NOT be accepted", so the uncounted hours behind this letter still have to be in person.

No published minimum

"A letter from a natural science-research laboratory supervisor can be used as a substitute for one natural science faculty letter."

No published minimum

Both of TouroCOM's substitution routes run through a supervisor. For the academic letters: "an applicant who has not been in school for five years or more may submit one letter of recommendation from a current supervisor in place of the second natural science faculty letter," and "if the applicant is working in a medical career field (e.g., nursing or pharmacy), a letter of recommendation from a medical/healthcare supervisor is preferred." For the physician letter: "a letter from a non-physician supervisor who has observed your interactions with patients" or "a letter from a DO or MD who has supervised you in a lab or professional setting." There is a route without a physician, but not one without someone who watched you work.