University of Central Florida College of Medicine 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.

1 semester · 4 credits · lab

Most medical schools ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.

One semester with lab, not the usual year.

1 semester · 3 credits

One semester, with the lab only if your institution offers one.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two semesters with labs. UCF accepts either the algebra-based or the calculus-based sequence.

2 semesters · 6 credits

Two semesters of college English. Writing-intensive courses may be substituted, but UCF decides that case by case rather than as a standing policy.

1 semester · 3 credits

Most medical schools ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.

Statistics is recommended, not required, though UCF notes that familiarity with the principles of statistics for analysing data is important. It can count toward the two required semesters of college mathematics.

2 semesters · 6 credits

Two semesters of college mathematics. UCF does not restrict which maths courses count, but it strongly recommends that some of your college work be in calculus.

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.

1 semester · 3 credits

Genetics, cell biology, and comparative anatomy are all recommended rather than required.

1 semester · 3 credits

UCF encourages coursework in the humanities and communications arts alongside the natural sciences.

150+ hours

UCF publishes no hour figure but names the categories its reviewers score you on. First is "Clinical volunteering: Consistency of medical clinical volunteering in hospitals, clinics, or mobile units." It says applicants selected for interview "will likely have demonstrated a long-term, consistent motivation for medicine and for assisting people by way of volunteer activities," and that the experience should be "mainly performed in the U.S." Consistency over years is the stated bar, not a total.

50+ hours

Scored as its own category: "Physician Shadowing: Like clinical volunteering but more a personal relationship in learning the responsibilities of a physician in a specialty." One important substitution rule: "paid scribing and Med Asst/CRN-type jobs can substitute for shadowing, but they will not substitute for medical volunteerism." A scribe job covers your shadowing but not your clinical volunteering. No hours are published.

150+ hours

Scored separately from clinical volunteering as "Community service/Humanism: Non-medical volunteering such as feeding the homeless, public health fairs, community outreach, ministry outreach, nursing/hospice homes, short-duration medical mission trips to foreign countries." No hours are published. UCF adds that it accounts for applicants whose family, work or athletic commitments limit available time.

100+ hours

UCF is unusually direct about where research sits: "Research: Not a requirement, but helpful. If done it should be in a role where you gain an understanding of the research 'process' to the point of poster presentation or publication. Other research roles such as a lab tech or data mining projects are helpful but often don't lead to the complete process of research understanding." Depth to the point of a poster beats logged bench hours.

No published minimum

"A Pre-Health Advising Committee letter/packet may fulfill our letter requirements", but with a caveat: "our preference is for the committee letter to be appended with the individual letters submitted to the Pre-Health Office/Committee to support that letter. If individual letters are not included with the committee letter, the applicant may wish to solicit individual letters in addition."

No published minimum

"Applicants are required to submit at least three, but no more than five letters of reference. At least one of your letters is required to be from a core science faculty (i.e. Biology, Chemistry, Physics) who has taught you in a lecture or lab course, and who can adequately speak to both your academic readiness and personal suitability for the pursuit and practice of medicine."

No published minimum

"A physician letter is encouraged, but not required." UCF adds the reason: "if you indicate in your application that you have spent a significant amount of time with an individual, such as a physician or research mentor, it is advisable to have this individual submit a letter on your behalf." The letter is how a claimed experience gets corroborated.

No published minimum

"Non-Traditional Applicants may submit a letter from a current or recent supervisor in lieu of the required faculty letter." The remaining letters "may come from professors, advisors, research coordinators or preceptors, supervisors, coaches, mentors and personal or professional colleagues."