Pre-Medicine

This is a course list rather than an actual program. You may start any semester and complete it at your own pace.

Des Moines Area Community College's liberal arts Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees provide the flexibility and opportunity to get a solid start on your four-year degree in pre-medicine while earning an Associate degree.

DMACC's class sizes are small and provide a high level of support while you build the foundation for your academic and professional career.

Since many of our graduates apply to Des Moines University after they finish their Bachelor degree, specific reference is made to their requirements.

Core Courses For Medical School
ENG 105 Composition I 3 credits
ENG 106 Composition II 3 credits
SPC101 Oral Communication3 credits
MAT157 Statistics4 credits
MAT211 Calculus I**
5 credits
BIO112 General Biology I4 credits
BIO113 General Biology II4 credits
BIO186 Microbiology*4 credits
BIO168 Anatomy & Physiology I*4 credits
BIO173 Anatomy & Physiology II*4 credits
CHM165 General Chemistry I4 credits
CHM175 General Chemistry II4 credits
CHM263 OrganicChemistry I4 credits
CHM273 OrganicChemistry II4 credits
PHY160 General Physics I5 credits
PHY161 General Physics II5 credits
Suggested Additional Courses for AA Degree**
SOC110 Introduction to Sociology**
3 credits
PSY111 General Psychology**
3 credits
Core Social and Behavioral Science Course
PHI101 Introduction to Philosophy**​
3 credits
Core Humanities Course
DMACC Associate in Arts degree requirements
Communication9 credits
Social Science9 credits
Math and Science9 credits
Humanities9 credits
Distributive Requirements12 credits
Electives16 credits
*Diversity Requirement - 3 credits from select course list.

Total

64 credits

*Courses highly recommended by DMU
**Suggested additional courses for fulfilling DMACC AA degree requirements.

  1. Many medical schools now also require or recommend a biochemistry course. DMU requires a biochemistry course, preferably at the 300 or higher level.
  2. The prospective student will need to take MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). To be a competitive applicant, you should maintain a GPA for the pre-med courses of 3.5 or higher.
  3. Research, physician shadowing/health care experience, and volunteer services are highly recommended. DMU requires physician shadowing/health care exper​ience and a letter of recommendation from a physician documenting such experience.
  4. Students planning to apply to medical school should visit the website or admission office of programs they are interested in for detailed information.​