Osteopathic MedicineFour Year Pre-requisite Requirements
Osteopathic Medicine Four Year Plan
Requirements for professional schools vary from school to school and can change year by year, students must carefully examine the pre-requisite requirements of the schools they are interested in to be current and accurate when registering for courses at Gustavus.
Consult the American Association of Colleges (AACOM) Choose DO Explorer for requirements and admission statistics to the 40+ Osteopathic programs (Private- 37, Public-7).
Indicated in italic type (MCAT) means the course is also recommended for the Medical College Admission Test.
First Year: Fall
BIO 110 Principles of Biology (MCAT) & BIO 111 Lab
*CHE 110 General Chemistry (MCAT) & CHE 111 General Chemistry Lab OR CHE 105 Foundations of Chemistry I (MCAT) & CHE 106 Foundations of Chemistry I Lab
*Before you can register for CHE110, you are required to take the Chemistry placement exam. (CHE 105/106 offered Fall only and CHE 107/108 offered Spring only) taking both are equivalent to CHE 110. Find out more about the CHE placement exam, click here.
FTS 100 First Term Seminar (Writing Intensive course- WRIT)
S/A 112 Introduction to Sociology (MCAT) (offered Fall, flexible)
First Year: Spring
BIO 120 Organismal Biology (MCAT) & BIO 121 Lab
CHE 120 Organic Chemistry I (MCAT) & CHE 121 Organic Chemistry I Lab (offered Fall and Spring)
*CHE 107 Foundations of Chemistry II (MCAT) & CHE 108 Foundations of Chemistry II Lab *(CHE 105/106 offered Fall only and CHE 107/108 offered Spring only) taking both are equivalent to CHE 110)
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (MCAT) (offered both Fall and Spring, flexible)
Second Year: Fall
CHE 220 Organic Chemistry II (MCAT) & CHE 221 Organic Chemistry II Lab (offered Fall only)
Second Year: Spring
CHE 230 Inorganic Chemistry I (MCAT recommended) & CHE 231 Inorganic Chemistry I Lab (offered Spring only)
Third Year: Fall
PHY 120 General Physics I (MCAT) & PSY 121 General Physics I Lab (offered Fall only)
CHE 270 Biochemistry (MCAT) & CHE 271 Biochemistry Lab (offered Fall or Spring)
Third Year: Spring
PHY 170 General Physics II (some content on MCAT) & PHY 171 General Physics II Lab (offered Spring only)
*English course
*Depending on what DO programs you are applying to the Two English course requirement may vary (composition or literature). FTS 100 typically will count as one composition course for the ENG requirement. Check with your specific DO programs to see if additional courses designated as “writing intensive” can count towards this requirement.
Fourth Year:
Recommended: Additional BIO course (Kansas City University requirement)
Recommended: MCS 142 Introduction to Statistical Methods (or equivalent), if planning to apply to MD and DO, research programs where you intend to apply for prerequisite requirements.
Regional DO Programs Pre-requisite Requirements:
Des Moines University
English two courses composition, speech, or literature. (FTS 100) accounts for one writing intensive course, need a second course English composition, speech, or literature course. Requires AAMC PREview™ exam.
Midwestern University Chicago, IL
English Composition two courses: (FTS 100) accounts for one writing intensive course, need a second English composition course.
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine Colorado/Utah/Montana
English or Literature two course requirement. (FTS 100) accounts for one writing intensive course, need a second English composition or literature course.
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
English two courses, Behavioral Sciences two courses (PSY 100 & S/A 112). EMAILED Zach Gates Senior admission counselor zgates1@marian.edu
Kansas City University
Biology: one additional course (BIO 110, BIO 120, and one additional BIO course)
Midwestern University Glendale, AZ
English Composition two courses: (FTS 100) accounts for one writing intensive course, need a second English composition course.
A.T. Stills University, Kirsville, MO
English – two courses. (FTS 100) accounts for one writing intensive course, need a second English course.
A.T. Stills University, Glendale, AZ
English – two courses. (FTS 100) accounts for one writing intensive course, need a second English course.
Consult the American Association of Colleges (AACOM) Choose DO Explorer for requirements and admission statistics to the 40+ Osteopathic programs (Private- 37, Public-7).
Updated 7/15/2024 HB