Studies & Degrees in Pre-Medicine
Pre-Medicine Study Programs
Pre-medicine, or pre-med, is the undergraduate preparation for medical school in the United States. It is not a medical degree. In the US system, medicine is studied after a first degree: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), physicians typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a degree from a medical school, which takes an additional 4 years, followed by 3 to 9 years of internship and residency, depending on the specialty.
A pre-med student therefore does two things at once: completes a bachelor's degree and builds the record that medical schools ask for. That means science courses, preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), advising, and usually clinical or research experience. In Spain and in most of Latin America, by contrast, medicine is a first degree that students enter directly after secondary school, so there is no separate pre-medical stage.
Qualifications and levels
The BLS notes that no specific undergraduate degree is required to enter a medical programme, although applicants have usually studied biology, physical science or a health-related field. Colleges organise pre-med in several ways.
- A bachelor's degree with a premedicine major: The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) offers a four-year interdisciplinary Premedicine degree with preparation in the natural sciences and supporting non-science courses. An integrated option adds a master of public health, with both degrees earned in five years.
- A pre-med track next to another major: at Arcadia University, pre-health students usually major in Biology or Chemistry, but the university notes that most medical schools accept students with excellent records regardless of major, provided they have a solid foundation in the basic sciences and mathematics. Advising offices, such as the Health Professions Office at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, guide students through course choices and applications.
- An associate degree for transfer: community colleges teach the first two years. North Idaho College awards an associate's degree with an area of emphasis in Pre-Medical Related Fields; students then transfer to a university to complete the bachelor's degree.
- Combined programmes: some medical schools offer combined undergraduate and medical programmes that last 6 to 8 years, according to the BLS.
- Preparatory courses in Europe: Duna International College in Budapest, established in 2010, runs preparatory programmes for applicants who want to continue at its partner universities; its courses include medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
Getting into medical school
The MCAT is the common entrance test. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which runs it, states that all U.S. and many Canadian medical schools require MCAT scores for regular admission and that many schools do not accept scores more than three years old. The exam has four sections, covering biological and biochemical foundations, chemical and physical foundations, psychological and social foundations of behaviour, and critical analysis and reasoning. Arcadia University notes that the MCAT is normally taken in the spring of the third year or the summer before the final year.
International students should check each school's policy early. According to the AAMC, 43 medical schools indicated in 2025 that they accept applications from international applicants. In the 2025 application cycle, 3,404 foreign applicants applied to MD programmes in the United States, 845 were accepted and 755 enrolled. The central application service does not accept foreign transcripts, which is one reason why completing the prerequisite courses at a US institution helps. Funding is the other obstacle: the AAMC says that in most cases international students need private or institutional loans, and that some schools ask for proof of funds for all four years.
Where to study pre-medicine
SpainExchange lists 51 active schools for pre-medicine. Forty-nine are in the United States, one is in Mexico and one in Hungary. The US schools range from community colleges such as North Idaho College to large universities such as Penn State, Purdue University and Rutgers. Teaching is in English. The listed school in Hungary is Duna International College and the one in Mexico is the Universidad de Guadalajara.
When comparing schools, look at the pre-health advising on offer, access to laboratories and clinical experience, and whether the college helps with letters of recommendation and the application itself.
Careers
Pre-med alone does not qualify anyone to practise medicine. Its purpose is entry to medical school, and the same science preparation serves students who move towards other health professions. Purdue's pre-professional advising office, for example, also covers physician assistants, who provide diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic care as designated by a licensed physician.
For those who complete the full route, the BLS counted 862,800 jobs for physicians and surgeons in the United States in 2025 and projects employment growth of 4 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently asked questions
Is pre-med a degree?
Usually not. At most colleges it is a track of courses and advising taken alongside a major. A few universities, such as Penn State, offer a bachelor's degree called Premedicine.
Which major should a pre-med student choose?
No specific undergraduate degree is required for medical school. Biology and chemistry are the usual choices, but other majors are accepted if the student has a solid foundation in the basic sciences and mathematics.
Can international students enter US medical schools?
Yes, but it is not common. In the 2025 application cycle, 845 of 3,404 foreign applicants were accepted, and only some schools consider international applicants.
How long does it take to become a doctor in the United States?
A bachelor's degree, then 4 years of medical school, then 3 to 9 years of internship and residency, according to the BLS.