Pre-Podiatric Medicine
Preparation for Podiatry School
What should I major in if I want to go to medical school? There is not a
specific major that is required for admittance in a podiatric medical program.
With your advisor’s assistance you can design a program that meets the
requirements to enter podiatric medical school while studying what you are most
interested. Students who have developed excellent writing and speaking skills,
possess analytic and synthetic thinking ability, life-long learners who are
enthusiastic, and understand the interpersonal aspects of medicine are they type
of students most podiatric medical schools seek. Your major does not determine
your success in being accepted to medical school.
There are
eight accredited podiatric medical colleges in the U.S.
Undergraduate Preparation
The “pre-med”
suggested 4 year plan
is a beginning point for students. There are certain criteria that must be
fulfilled for admittance to medical school. You and your academic advisor will
need to examine your interests, your academic record and the requirements to
determine the best academic path for you.
Most schools require:
- CHEM 1110/1111 & 1120/1121 - General chemistry with lab, (2
semesters)
- CHEM 3510/3511 & 3520/3521 - Organic chemistry with lab, (2
semesters)
- BIOL 1110/1111 & 3060/3061 + 4 additional hours - General biology
with lab, (2 semesters)
- PHYS 2010/2011 & 2020/2021 - Physics with lab, (2 semesters)
- MATH 1730 or 1830 or 1910 - College level math (some schools also
specify calculus)
- ENG 1010 & 1020 & COMM 1010 - English Composition & Public Speaking
- BIOL 4310/4311 & 4320/4321 - Biochemistry is highly recommended by
some schools
Early in your academic career you will need to research some of the medical
schools you are interested in attending in order to insure you will meet all
their
criteria for admission. Some basic factors common to all professional
schools include:
- Good undergraduate grades (overall GPA of 3.3, science gpa 3.1,
non-science gpa 3.4)
- Competitive MCAT Test scores (7.1 VR, 7.1 PS, 7.5 BS = 21.7 avg)
- True interest in profession as demonstrated by shadowing or volunteering
in the field
- Service-related experiences in people-oriented environments – long term
service preferred to short bursts of unrelated service activities
- Exceptional communication skills
- Strong reference letters from professionals who know your character, as
well as, your work ethic
Data source: AACPM Statistics average gpa and mcat scores for 2008
matriculants In 2008, there were 869 applicants and 425 matriculants to U.S.
podiatric medicine schools. Note some podiatric schools accept dat and gre
scores in lieu of mcat scores.
