Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Medical Studies

Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET), in conjunction with BU’s College of Arts & Sciences, offers the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Medical Studies. This certificate program permits those with bachelor’s degrees from regionally accredited US colleges and universities to pursue the course requirements for application to medical school and other health career programs, including but not limited to dental, physician assistant/associate, and veterinary schools.

As the certificate is intended for career changes, eligible applicants will have previously taken either very few or no prior science courses. The program is meant for students with strong academic backgrounds; a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.3 is required for admission. Students who have already completed more than three of the prerequisite courses are not eligible for the program at Boston University.

This program requires an average of over 24 months to complete. Students may begin the program in the fall or spring term.

Learning Outcomes

• Preparedness for admission to medical school and other health career programs, having completed the course requirements typically needed for entrance to these programs.
• Satisfactory undergraduate preparation in calculus, physics, general and organic chemistry, and biology.

Admissions Information

For current admissions information, please visit the Metropolitan College website.

Certificate Requirements

A total of 11 courses (44 units) is required, as follows below. To receive the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Medical Studies, students must take at least 8 courses (32 units) of the following 11 courses (44 units) in the premedical course sequence at Boston University. Certificate students are eligible for advising assistance from the Pre-Professional Advising office in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Calculus (choose one course)

• CAS MA 121 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences I
• CAS MA 122 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences II
• MET MA 123 Calculus I
• MET MA 124 Calculus II

Statistics (choose one course)

• CAS MA 115 Statistics I
• CAS MA 116 Statistics II
• MET or CAS MA 113 Elementary Statistics
• MET or CAS MA 213 Basic Statistics and Probability
• MET or CAS MA 214 Applied Statistics

Physics (choose two courses)

• MET or CAS PY 105 Physics 1
• MET or CAS PY 106 Physics 2

General Chemistry (choose two courses)

• MET or CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1
• MET or CAS CH 102 General Chemistry 2

Organic Chemistry (choose two courses)

• MET or CAS CH 203 Organic Chemistry 1
• MET or CAS CH 204 Organic Chemistry 2

Biology (minimum of two courses)

• MET or CAS BI 107 Biology 1
• MET or CAS BI 108 Biology 2
• MET or CAS BI 210 Human Anatomy (for pre-PA track only)
• MET or CAS BI 211 Human Physiology (for pre-PA track only)
• More advanced biology courses with advisor approval

Biochemistry (choose one course)

• MET or CAS CH 373 Principles of Biochemistry (without a lab)
• MET or CAS BB 421 Biochemistry 1 (with lab)