Prerequisite Coursework Requirements

The University of New Mexico School of Medicine encourages application from all interested students, regardless of their area of academic study. To receive consideration for the admissions process, applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater. See the chart (below) for the minimum prerequisite course requirements.

*Biology courses must be human-based and include a corresponding lab. Some examples of acceptable Biology classes include Genetics, Cellular and Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Anatomy & Physiology. Non-human biology courses will not be accepted (e.g. Zoology, Plant Ecology, etc.).

**The biochemistry course should be at the 400 level. Students taking biochemistry at UNM may take ONE of the following class combinations to meet the biochemistry prerequisite requirement:

• Biochemistry 423 ONLY
• Both Biochemistry 445 and 446
• Both Chemistry 421 and 425

For prerequisite biochemistry courses taken in institutions other than UNM, to be successful in medical school, it is recommended that the course(s) include the study of molecules and metabolic reactions that take place within the cell and how these reactions are regulated by physiology. Course work should emphasize fundamental biochemical principles that maintain normal homeostasis in humans which requires learning cellular integration of biochemical pathways, regulatory mechanisms that control intermediary metabolism and how physiologic signals determine pathway utilization. Molecular structures and how they relate to function, enzyme kinetics and bioenergetics are also fundamental. Specific topics include:

1. Bioenergetics, Catalysis
2. Protein Structure/Function
3. Membranes and Signal Transduction
4. Molecular Biology (replication, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression, methods)
5. Carbohydrate Metabolism (both catabolism and anabolism for all)
6. Lipid Metabolism
7. Nitrogen-containing Compounds Metabolism
8. Bioenergetics (again) and Hormonal Control

Other Recommended Courses

  Pre-Med Coursework Documentation Form

All of the prerequisites, except for organic chemistry labs (both I and II) and biochemistry, must be completed prior to the submission of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application. The organic chemistry labs and biochemistry prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation. For accepted applicants, all prerequisite grades must be posted to the transcripts by June 30th of the matriculating year.

All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a letter grade of C or better (C- is not acceptable) and must be earned at colleges and universities recognized by one of the U.S. Regional Accrediting Agencies. Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grading is not accepted, except for during the Spring 2020 semester/quarter through the 2023 Spring semester/quarter due to the Covid pandemic. Advance Placement and International Baccalaureate credit will be accepted for introductory Biology, Chemistry or Physics ONLY if college credit was granted by the institute. College Level Examination Program credit will be accepted as long as the applicant has the sufficient number of semester hours to fulfill the required prerequisites.

Accepted applicants are required to complete all degree programs listed on the AMCAS application prior to medical school matriculation. This includes undergraduate bachelor degrees and advanced master and doctoral degrees. All degrees must be conferred on the official transcripts by June 30^th, prior to medical school matriculation. Any accepted applicants with a degree completion date after matriculation will be required to defer matriculation to the following year in order to complete pending degree.

Applicants with a bachelor's degree from outside the United States must complete at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of coursework at a college and/or university accredited by one of the U.S. Regional Accrediting Agencies. Of these hours, a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours must be in upper-division (junior and senior level) coursework. This coursework must be taken for a letter grade.

Online Coursework

We will continue to accept prerequisite lectures/labs completed online during the pandemic from Spring 2020 semester/quarter through Spring 2023 for all admissions cycle. Starting with Summer 2023 semester/quarter, we will return to the previous online prerequisite coursework policy where applicants will be allowed to take a maximum of TWO required prerequisite lecture courses online and labs taken online will no longer be accepted for any of the required prerequisite labs. The two allowed prerequisite courses taken online after Spring 2023, will be in addition to any prerequisite coursework taken online during the pandemic between Spring 2020 through Spring 2023.

Accreditation

All prerequisite coursework must be earned at a U.S. college or university recognized by one of the U.S. Regional Accrediting Agencies:

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities (WASC-ACSCU)