Pre-Medicine
Pre-Medicine (often referred to as Pre-Med) is an optional concentration in the Biology major that undergraduate students can pursue prior to becoming students in a medical school or physician assistant program. It shares a core curriculum with the biology major, but has an increased emphasis on human anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.
Common Career Paths
Some of the top jobs for those with a Pre-Med concentration can eventually lead to various careers (with more education in a medical school or physician assistant program) including surgeon, cardiologist, family medicine physician, physician assistant, and more.
Common Salary Ranges for Graduates*
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average annual salary for the following positions in North Carolina in 2023:
- Surgeon: $426,470
- Cardiologist: $450,610
- Family Medicine Physician: $225,170
- Physician Assistant: $123,860
* The positions and salary ranges reported here take into account not only graduating from Methodist University with a baccalaureate degree, but also graduating from a medical school or physician assistant program.
Average Tuition Cost
The average cost for an incoming residential freshman to attend MU is less than $18,000 – similar to the cost of attending one of the big-box public schools, but with the enhanced value of a highly-regarded private school with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
While tuition varies, depending on a student’s financial aid package, it’s important to know that the average financial award for an incoming residential freshman at MU is more than $34,000.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
More than 97% of MU students receive some form of financial aid, with the University offering more than $24 million annually to students for scholarships. If a student is active military, family of active military, or a veteran, they may also qualify for MU’s military education benefits.
Curriculum Requirements
The major in Biology with a concentration in Pre-Medicine consists of 73 credits distributed as follows:
Core Requirements
27 credits
| *BIO 1530/1531 Fundamentals of Biology I with Lab (4) | BIO 2960 Genetics (4) |
| *BIO 1560/1561 Fundamentals of Biology II with Lab (4) | BIO 2990 Evolutionary Biology & Population Genetics (3) |
| BIO 2430 Introduction to Zoology (4) | BIO 3960 Molecular Biology (4) |
| BIO 2440 Introduction to Botany (4) |
*BIO 1530/1531 and BIO 1560/1561 must be successfully completed with a final grade of C- or higher.
Required Biology Courses
20 credits
| BIO 2970 General Microbiology (4) | BIO 4000 Medical Microbiology (4) |
| BIO 3060 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (4) | BIO 4010 Embryology & Developmental Genetics (4) OR BIO 4100 Immunology (4) OR BIO 4400 Cellular Physiology (4) |
| BIO 3080 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (4) |
Required Chemistry Courses
20 credits
| CHE 1510/1511 General Chemistry I with Lab (4) | CHE 2220/2221 Organic Chemistry II with Lab (4) |
| CHE 1520/1521 General Chemistry II with Lab (4) | CHE 4500 Biochemistry (4) |
| CHE 2210/2211 Organic Chemistry I with Lab (4) |
Required Mathematics Courses
6 credits
| MAT 1130 Pre-Calculus I – Algebra (or higher) (3) | MAT 2200 Applied Statistics (3) |
Interested in majoring in Biology with a concentration in Pre-Medicine?
If you would like more information on the Pre-Medicine concentration, just email the Division Head below. Otherwise, click the link to apply now!
Contact
Vijay Antharam, Ph.D.
