Pre-Medicine

preProfessional

Academics / Departments & Programs / Pre-Professional Health / Academics / Pre-Med

Pre-Medicine

preProfessional

Degree Overview

How do you know you're looking at a top-tier pre-medicine program? The results speak for themselves: Calvin graduates score far above the national average on the MCAT and get into prestigious med schools all over the world.

Here, you'll discover everything you expect from a great pre-med program. Challenging courses. Faculty with deep experience in many medical fields. Research and internship opportunities you'd normally only experience as a graduate student.

Now add to that expert Christian professors who are actively rooting for your success. They know the skills and experiences top med schools look for and will make sure you graduate with them. You'll work with them one-on-one to identify healthcare careers that fit your interests and skills. And you'll get plenty of support as you navigate the med school application process.

Program Distinctives

Incredible research - Med schools want to see research experience on your application, and you can get it here. Calvin pre-med students do paid research in areas like tropical disease, reproductive health, cancer treatment, multiple sclerosis, and many more.
Helpful partnerships - Through our close partnerships with area medical schools, you have a chance at one of several guaranteed seats at Wayne State or Michigan State University, or a full-tuition Calvin scholarship and guaranteed interview at the University of Michigan.
A unique community - West Michigan is home to a huge medical community that includes some of the top-rated hospitals in the world, like Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and Spectrum Health. That means plenty of opportunities for clinical experience in cutting-edge facilities before you graduate.
A flexible program - Our pre-med programs let you major in virtually anything--even a non-STEM field. We'll help you choose a major that moves you toward your goals, whether it's chemistry or music or anything else.

Take the next step:

Degree Information

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  • Overview
    What should I major in?

    Nationally, half of med school applicants are biology majors of some type. However, you would have just as good a chance of being accepted to medical school with a music, history, or any other major. So, you should select a major in a field that you enjoy—something you're good at, where you can get good grades. Pre-medical requirements will then be fit into your elective categories.

    When should I select a major?

    By the end of sophomore year, preferably before.

    Is there a math requirement?

    Yes, a semester of statistics is required for the MCAT. In addition, many—but not all—med schools recommend calculus. Talk to your advisor about specific schools and their requirements.

    More options

    The pre-med program is part of a family of health science programs at Calvin, many of which share a common course foundation. To learn about other options in the health sciences, see the School of Health page.

    Are there core requirements?

    Yes. Calvin’s core is designed to provide an educational foundation from a Christian liberal arts perspective. This provides you with a breadth of knowledge and experience that can greatly assist your everyday work with people—an integral part of the health professions.

    The core curriculum is very important. Not fulfilling core requirements will result in a graduation delay.

    Opportunities not to miss
  • Advising

    For more information about this program, please reach out to its team of advisors:

  • Careers
    Selected med schools attended by Calvin grads
    • University of Michigan
    • Johns Hopkins University
    • Wayne State University
    • Temple University

    See the full list

    Physicians work in one or more specialties, including:
    • Anesthesiology
    • Family and general medicine
    • General internal medicine
    • General pediatrics
    • Obstetrics and gynecology
    • Psychiatry
    • Surgery

    More information about getting into grad school after Calvin

    Paths to becoming a doctor

    There are two paths to becoming a doctor: allopathic medicine, which leads to a doctor of medicine ( MD), or osteopathic medicine, which leads to a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO).

    Learn more about the fields of allopathic medicine » and osteopathic medicine ».

    Other Career Avenues
    • Health communication
    • Technical writing
    • Medical law

A world of possibilities

This program is part of a family of health science programs, many of which share a common course foundation. Learn about other options in the health sciences »

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