Pre-Med
(Printable version)
UW-Eau Claire’s pre-professional study programs prepare you to enter another institution for matriculation in a professional degree or prepare you for graduate study after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Pre-med is not a major; you will need to declare a major at UW-Eau Claire. Most pre-medicine students complete a bachelor’s degree at UW-Eau Claire before going to medical school. Because the specific requirements of professional medical schools vary considerably, you should obtain admission information from the schools in which you are interested. A pre-med adviser at UW-Eau Claire will help you plan an appropriate curriculum.
Pre-med program
The courses recommended in the pre-medicine program do not constitute an academic major but are the courses required for entrance into the majority of medical schools. They also provide you with the information needed to obtain competitive scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is required for entrance into medical school. Courses in biology and chemistry form the core of the pre-medicine curriculum, and UW-Eau Claire has strong programs in both disciplines.
Choosing a major
The pre-medicine program is not an academic major. You must select a major and minor in order to graduate. Most pre-medicine students at UW-Eau Claire major in biology, chemistry, biochemistry or molecular biology, but any major is acceptable. Modern medical schools place an emphasis on science aptitude; however they also expect good communication skills and significant volunteer experience. Admission committees consider applicants from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, as long as they have completed the core group of pre-medicine courses, maintain a high grade-point average (3.6 or higher), and obtain above average scores on the MCAT. In other words, there is no “official” pre-med major.
Placement into professional programs
The majority of Wisconsin residents attend either the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison or the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Minnesota residents typically attend a University of Minnesota Medical School in the Twin Cities or Duluth. Other UW-Eau Claire graduates have attended private medical schools or schools of osteopathy all over the country.
Competitive placement and experience
The pre-medicine program has been very successful in preparing students for careers in medicine. UW-Eau Claire ranks third in the state for the number of students accepted into medical school. You’ll benefit from the location of UW-Eau Claire between two nationally recognized health institutes: the Mayo Clinic and the Marshfield Clinic. The proximity of these facilities, along with the number of health care facilities in the city of Eau Claire, creates opportunities to gain jobs, internships, and service learning hours without having to look very far!
Well-advised
Each pre-medicine student is assigned an adviser who provides individualized attention to students and is available to answer questions about medical programs, courses and other concerns. Advisers also have up-to-date information on the admission requirements of local medical schools.
Suggested freshman curriculum
- Ecology and Evolution
- General Chemistry or
Chemical Principles
- Math
- General education
courses
- Cell Biology and Genetics
- General Chemistry or
Quantitative Analysis
- Introduction to College
Writing
More advising information
Did you know?
Data from the Mayo Clinic indicate that 10-15% of their employees in laboratory medicine are Biochemistry/Molecular Biology (B/MB) graduates from UW-Eau Claire. Additionally, of 33 recent B/MB graduates, 45% are in regional graduate programs, 18% are in area professional schools, and 12% are employed in academic or industrial laboratories.
More career information
Places our grads go
- Pre-medicine graduates have been accepted into the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison, Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, University of Minnesota Medical School in the Twin Cities or Duluth, Northwestern university and Washington University.
- Osteopathic School in Des Moines, IA
Program contact information
Julie Andersonanderju@uwec.edu
715-836-4166 or
715-836-3860
