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Pre-Medicine Pathways

If you are interested in careers in medicine, such as physician, pharmacist, physician's assistant, veterinarian, registered dietician nutritionist (RDN), food scientist, or dentist you will need a bachelor's degree with additional professional graduate level schooling.  There is no pre-medicine major, so you can choose the major for your bachelor's degree, but you will need to complete several science and math classes as prerequisites for graduate programs. These classes include biology, anatomy & physiology, chemistry, physics, and often statistics and at least 1 quarter of calculus.

In addition to high grades in these course and their overall GPR, students will need to take entrance exams prior to applying, such as the MCAT or GRE, which require additional knowledge in courses like microbiology, psychology, and biochemistry.

At Edmonds College, you can take the courses you need on a flexible schedule, with academic support and smaller classes to fit your busy lifestyle and financial needs.  You can start by earning either a biology DTA or AST-1 associate degree to help you transfer to a university to begin your bachelor's degree program. While both associate degree options allow you to earn transfer credits for these programs, careers with a biology focus, such as physician, physician assistant, and dentist are encourage to consider the biology DTA.  If you prefer a chemistry or physics focus or are interested in careers in registered dietician nutritionist, food science, or pharmacy are encouraged to select the AST-1 option.  If you already have a bachelor's degree we also offer classes that you may need to fulfill the prerequisite courses for admission to graduate programs.

Degree Credits Time to Complete Average Cost*
Associate in Biology - Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA/MRP) 90 2 years $9,544
Associate in Science-T - Track 1 - Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Earth Sciences 91 2 years $9,672

*Average costs include tuition based on WA state resident full-time enrollment. It does not include fees. The costs may vary. Learn more about Tuition & Fees.

Required Courses

Some of the science and math courses which may be required for entrance into medical and graduate schools offered at Edmonds College are listed in the table below.  Some graduate programs may have specific requirements for additional courses other than what is listed on this table.  Check with your transfer programs to determine course equivalency and whether these or other courses fit the prerequisites.

Course Number Course Title Credits
BIOL& 211 Majors Cellular with lab 5.0
BIOL& 212 Majors Animal with lab 6.0
BIOL& 213 Majors Plant  with lab 6.0
BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/ lab 5.0
BIOL& 242 Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/ lab 5.0
BIOL& 260 Microbiology w/ lab 5.0
CHEM& 161 General Chemistry I with  lab 6.0
CHEM& 162 General Chemistry II with lab 6.0
CHEM& 163 General Chemistry III with lab 6.0
CHEM& 261 Organic Chemistry I with lab 6.0
CHEM& 262 Organic Chemistry II with lab 6.0
CHEM& 263 Organic Chemistry III with lab 6.0
MATH& 146 Introduction to Statistics 5.0
MATH& 151 Calculus I 5.0
PHYS& 114 General Physics I with lab 5.0
PHYS& 115 General Physics II with lab 5.0
PHYS& 116 General Physics III with lab 5.0

Talk to a faculty advisor: Jonathan Miller (jonathan.miller@edmonds.edu) or Lori Hays (lori.hays@edmonds.edu) to help you get started on an academic plan today.


Meet Our Students

Student Success Stories

Jonathan T."I was recently accepted into the University of Washington  pharmacy school class of 2027, and I know that I wouldn't have been able to achieve this without the help of the professors at Edmonds. I am truly grateful for their support."

Jonathan T.- University of Washington- Pharmacy Doctoral Student

 

 

David"Throughout my time in Edmonds, I had the privilege of learning from many inspiring professors, especially those in the Biology Department. Their dedication to teaching and mentoring their students helped me succeed in challenging courses such as Human A&P, Biology, and Microbiology. I am forever grateful for their unwavering support and encouragement, which allowed me to achieve my academic and professional goals."

David T.- University of Washington, Pharmacy Doctoral Student

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