Cyclios

MD · Toledo, Ohio · public

University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences prerequisites

What Toledo asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 5 lines differ from the standard medical school set, marked below.

Read from the school’s pageCheck it with the school

Coursework

  • Biology with labrequired

    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.

  • General chemistry with labrecommendeddiffers

    2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

    Most medical schools ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab and list it as required.

    General chemistry is on Toledo's highly recommended list rather than its required one. It is still the prerequisite for the organic chemistry and biochemistry Toledo does require, so this changes the paperwork, not your schedule.

  • Organic chemistry with labrequired

    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.

  • Biochemistryrequired

    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.

  • Physics with labrequired

    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.

  • English or writing-intensiverecommendeddiffers

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Most medical schools ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits and list it as required.

    English appears only among Toledo's highly recommended courses.

  • Statisticsrecommendeddiffers

    1 semester · 3 credits

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

    Biostatistics and mathematics are both highly recommended at Toledo, neither required.

  • Calculusrecommended

    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.

  • Psychologyrecommended

    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.

  • Sociologyrecommended

    1 semester · 3 credits

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

  • Geneticsrecommended

    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.

  • Advanced biologyrecommendedextra here

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Anatomy, genetics, microbiology, and physiology are all on Toledo's highly recommended list, along with higher-level science courses generally.

  • Social sciences and humanitiesrecommendedextra here

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Toledo highly recommends psychology and social science courses, and encourages a broad undergraduate education including the arts and humanities and the behavioural and social sciences.

Experience hours

  • Clinical experiencerecommended

    150+ hours

    Almost no school publishes a number, but admitted applicants typically report a few hundred hours. 150 is the point where you can speak about patient care from experience rather than in the abstract; sustained hours over years read better than a summer sprint.

  • Physician shadowingrecommended

    50+ hours

    Aim for 40-50 across more than one specialty, including primary care. DO programs weigh shadowing more heavily and several ask for hours with a DO specifically. If DO schools are on your list, get those hours and the letter early.

  • Non-clinical volunteeringrecommended

    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.

  • Researchrecommended

    100+ hours

    Effectively expected at research-heavy MD programs and genuinely optional at many DO and community-focused schools. If research is not your path, put those hours into clinical work and say so clearly rather than padding a semester in a lab.

Also on the school’s page

Toledo's minimum list is short and will surprise you: one semester of biochemistry, one year of biological sciences, one year of organic chemistry with labs, and one year of physics. General chemistry is not a requirement: it appears only on the highly recommended list, alongside anatomy, biostatistics, English, genetics, mathematics, medical terminology, microbiology, physiology, psychology, and social science courses. Take general chemistry anyway; you cannot get into the organic chemistry Toledo does require without it. Note that only the organic chemistry line explicitly names labs, so the biology and physics lab lines below are the baseline's assumption rather than Toledo's stated wording. Every prerequisite needs a C or higher at an accredited institution, and Toledo does not accept virtual or online lab courses at all. You must be a US citizen or permanent resident, hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited US college, and have an MCAT from within five years of matriculation, a longer window than most schools allow.

School

utoledo.edu/med

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