The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) premed is a track, not a major. You can be in a humanities, social sciences, or sciences program, but you’ll need to take prerequisite courses that medical schools ask for.
Interested in going down the premed track at UPenn? We’ll talk about the requirements, extracurriculars, and resources you can expect at the school.
- UPenn Premed Requirements and Coursework
- Extracurricular Activities for UPenn Premed Students
- Resources for UPenn Premed Students
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
UPenn Premed Requirements and Coursework
UPenn premed isn’t a formal major. Instead, it’s a track to follow where you’ll need to take a set of prerequisite courses that are important for medical school applications. These courses are:
- Biology: two semesters with lab
- BIOL 1101 or BIOL 1121 with BIOL 1123
- BIOL 1102 or 2000-Level+ Biology Lecture with BIOL 1124
- General Chemistry: two semesters with lab
- CHEM 1011 or CHEM 1012, either with CHEM 1101 lab
- CHEM 1021 or CHEM 1022 with CHEM 1102 lab
- Physics: two semesters with lab
- PHYS 0101 or PHYS 0150
- PHYS 0102 or PHYS 0151
- Organic Chemistry: two semesters with lab
- CHEM 2411 with CHEM 2412 lab
- CHEM 2421 with CHEM 2422 lab
- Biochemistry: one semester
- BIOL 2810 or CHEM 2510
- English & Writing: two semesters
- Writing Seminar
- Any ENGL or COML course (COML course texts in English)
- Math & Statistics: one semester each
- MATH 1300 or higher calculus
- STAT 1110, BIOL 2510, or another statistics course
Different med schools will have their own set of requirements, but UPenn’s required courses for their premed students are enough to satisfy the basic core requirements of most med schools. If you’re set on applying to certain med schools, consult with academic and pre-health advisors regarding other courses you may need to take.
Despite medical school being science-heavy, having coursework in the humanities and social sciences can help further develop critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills. Courses in psychology, sociology, ethics, and literature can also improve your understanding of human behavior, social determinants of health, and ethical issues in medicine.
Popular majors for UPenn premed students
Contrary to popular belief, there’s actually no one best premed major. However, most aspiring med students take up science since many of your required courses will overlap with the UPenn premed track. But being a humanities premed student can be good too since it can give you a unique and well-rounded perspective.
With that, here are some popular programs among UPenn premed students:
- Neuroscience. This interdisciplinary major combines biology, psychology, and neuroscience and explores the biological foundations of behavior, cognition, and emotion. Neuroscience can give you a strong foundation for understanding the nervous system, brain function, and mental health, all of which are important in medicine.
- Biology. This is a classic pre-med major that covers a wide range of topics, including cellular biology, genetics, evolution, and ecology. It also provides a comprehensive understanding of living systems, which is important for medical school.
- Biochemistry. This major focuses on the chemical processes that happen inside living organisms, like metabolism, enzyme kinetics, and molecular biology. It gives you a good foundation on the molecular basis of life, which can help you understand disease mechanisms and drug development.
- Chemistry. This program gives you a fundamental understanding of the properties and behavior of matter, including chemical reactions and molecular structure. A good foundation in chemistry can help you understand drug interactions, metabolic pathways, and other biochemical processes.
- Health and Societies. This major helps you understand the social, cultural, and economic factors that affect health and disease. It gives you a broad understanding of the social determinants of health, which is increasingly recognized as an important aspect of medicine.
Extracurricular Activities for UPenn Premed Students
Extracurriculars are important to UPenn premeds because they show medical schools that they’re well-rounded outside of academics. They also hone soft skills like empathy, communication, and teamwork, which are important in the healthcare industry.
Research opportunities
As an Ivy League school, UPenn is also a powerhouse of research. In fact, the institution has more than $1.37 billion in annual R&D expenditures to help it generate new knowledge in fields like the medical and biological sciences.
If you’re a UPenn premed student, we highly encourage you to participate in research. Below are several benefits:
- Shows scientific curiosity. Research experience shows a passion for science and commitment to advancing medical knowledge.
- Develops critical thinking skills. Research involves designing experiments, analyzing data, and interpreting results, all of which are important skills for doctors.
- Strengthens application. Participating in research helps applicants stand out from other competitive applicants. Medical schools like applicants who have demonstrated research experience because it shows a strong foundation for medical research and practice.
- Improves problem-solving abilities. Research requires you to overcome challenges and find creative solutions, which are handy in the medical field.
- Getting letters of recommendation. Working closely with a research mentor can lead to strong letters of recommendation, which can boost your medical school applications.
Fortunately, there are many opportunities to get involved in research at UPenn. Perhaps the easiest way is through the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF). Aside from helping you find research opportunities, it’s also a valuable resource where you can apply for funding and develop proposal writing and research skills.
Alternatively, you can also look for professors whose research aligns with your interests and directly contact them to ask about opportunities.
Clinical experience and shadowing
Medical schools like applicants who have demonstrated a genuine interest in medicine through clinical experiences.
After all, clinical exposure helps you determine if medicine is really the right path for you. On top of that, shadowing provides insights into the realities of medical practice, including patient care, teamwork, and ethical considerations. It’s also a chance to see classroom information applied to real-world situations. Interacting with patients and healthcare professionals also improves your communication and empathy skills.
UPenn’s location in Philadelphia gives you access to a range of healthcare settings. If you’re not sure where to start looking, the university has programs that can help UPenn premed students get clinical and shadowing experience:
- UPenn’s Pre-Health Advising. Advisors can provide guidance and resources for finding clinical opportunities.
- Penn Center for Public Health. This center offers programs and opportunities related to public health and community health, some of which include clinical exposure.
- University of Pennsylvania Hospital (HUP). You can volunteer in various departments to gain exposure to different medical specialties.
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Volunteering at CHOP provides opportunities to work with pediatric patients and their families.
- Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Volunteering at the VA lets you serve veterans and gain experience in a unique healthcare setting.
- Local Clinics and Community Health Centers. Volunteering at these facilities provides exposure to underserved populations and community health issues.
Leadership
Medical schools don’t just want academically strong students—they also want well-rounded people with strong leadership qualities. After all, especially in medical emergencies, you’ll usually end up calling the shots to save your patients.
Aside from showing a willingness to take on challenges and responsibility, having leadership skills shows you can:
- Communicate effectively
- Motivate others
- Resolve conflicts
- Collaborate with others
- Serve others
- Manage stress well
There are many ways you can show leadership as a UPenn premed student. You can serve as an officer in the Penn Pre-Medical Association or organize initiatives that benefit the community. You can take a leadership role within a research lab in the form of coordinating data collection or training new members. Presenting research findings at conferences or leading discussions is a good example too.
Any role that requires you to constantly step up and make decisions that involve your group can be considered a leadership role.
Resources for UPenn Premed Students
UPenn premed students have many resources that can help them succeed. Let’s look at the main ones.
Pre-health advising
Pre-health advising falls under Career Services, but it’s worth singling out since it helps UPenn premed students navigate the complexities of the pre-medical track. You can have one-on-one appointments with advisers to create a personalized plan that aligns with your academic strengths and career aspirations.
You can also ask for guidance on the required science prerequisites for medical school, explore majors that align with your interests and career goals, and get information on research opportunities at UPenn and affiliated institutions.
Note: You’ll need to set a pre-health appointment to talk to an adviser in-depth. On top of that, discussions are limited to 30 minutes per appointment.
Career Services
Career Services also plays a big role in the UPenn premed track. While pre-health advising focuses on the specific requirements for medical school admissions, Career Services helps you develop broader professional skills that can help you be successful in any career. Some examples are:
- Resume and cover letter development. Career Services provides expert guidance on creating effective resumes and cover letters, which are needed for securing research positions, shadowing opportunities, and volunteer roles.
- Interview preparation. Career Services offers mock interviews to help you improve your communication and interviewing skills for medical school, research positions, and other opportunities.
- Networking opportunities. Career Services hosts career fairs, networking events, and alumni panels, giving UPenn premed students opportunities to connect with healthcare professionals that may offer them shadowing, research, and mentorship opportunities.
- Career exploration. Of course, UPenn premed students are focused on medical school, but Career Services can still help them explore related healthcare careers, such as research, public health, and healthcare administration. This broadens their understanding of the healthcare landscape and shows alternative career paths outside of being a physician treating patients in the office.
- Professional development workshops. Career Services offers workshops on various professional development topics, such as communication skills, leadership development, and time management—all of which are very important for future doctors.
Career Services also has Pre-Medicine resources, which can guide you in applying to medical school, navigating planning a gap year, and more.
Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM)
UPenn premed students don’t attend classes at the Perelman School of Medicine, but it still provides very valuable resources and opportunities.
The most notable advantage that PSOM provides is it offers shadowing opportunities and clinical experience in its affiliated hospitals, including the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. You can observe patient interactions, learn about different medical specialties, and gain firsthand experience in clinical settings.
You can get access to PSOM’s medical libraries and online resources too, which can be great if you’re conducting related research or studying for the MCAT.
Being involved in PSOM, whether by volunteering or attending a lecture, is a chance to network with medical professionals, researchers, and students. If you build the right relationships, you can find mentors, research opportunities, and shadowing experiences. If you work closely enough with a few of them, you may even ask for a letter of recommendation.
Student organizations
UPenn has hundreds of student clubs and organizations, and you can find several that are related to health. But among them, UPenn premeds should consider the Penn Pre-Medical Association and Minority Association for Pre-Medical Students.
These organizations provide a supportive environment where you can connect with others who have the same goals and challenges. This sense of belonging can reduce the stress related to the demanding premed track. You can share study tips, resources, and experiences, which creates a collaborative learning environment.
Organizations often host events with guest speakers like physicians, researchers, and medical school admissions officers, providing networking opportunities and insights into the medical profession.
Premed organizations also organize workshops and information sessions on topics like MCAT preparation and medical school application strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What’s premed?
“Premed” isn’t a major. Instead, it’s a track that requires you to take prerequisite courses and gain experiences that can help prepare you for medical school.
2. Does UPenn have a good pre-med program?
Yes, UPenn has a good pre-med program. In fact, it’s one of the best colleges for pre-med in the country, along with other well-known schools like Harvard and Johns Hopkins.
3. What percent of UPenn premeds get into med school?
According to UPenn’s statistics on medical school applicants for 2024, 81% of UPenn premeds got accepted into med school.
Takeaways
The UPenn premed track is a path that students from any program can take.
- The premed track requires you to take a set of prerequisite courses in preparation for medical school. No single major actually gives you an edge in medical school admission, but some popular programs for UPenn premed students include biology, chemistry, and neuroscience.
- UPenn premed students are highly encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities for a well-rounded medical school application. You can take advantage of opportunities for research, clinical experience and shadowing, and leadership.
- There are many resources available to UPenn premed students. These include pre-health advising, Career Services, the Perelman School of Medicine, and various student organizations.
- Wondering if UPenn is the right premed school for you? A private consultant can help you weigh your options and see what matches your overall academic and professional goals.
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