What You Will Take and When

The way the Goucher post-bac program curriculum breaks down is simple. There are eight semester-long courses. Beginning in June, you will take one semester each of  general chemistry and organic chemistry over the summer. In the fall, you will complete the general chemistry sequence, along with biology and physics. In spring you will continue with biology and physics, as well as our combined organic chemistry/biochemistry course. All courses include labs. The biology sequence, at 10 credits, provides significant upper-level content in physiology and genetics, as well as developmental biology and immunology beyond the introductory level.  

Statistics is integrated throughout the coursework, labs, and our non-credit math review, and preparation in the social and behavioral sciences has been added to our nine-month MCAT course to best prepare you for the exam.

The program can be adjusted in some ways to meet your individual needs.  If you've already completed one of the core requirements, you may be able to replace it with an upper-level science course or substitute a course in an area relevant to medicine, such as ethics or sociology of healthcare.  Because we are strongly cohort-based, however, we prefer to admit applicants who will be taking all of the premedical prerequisite coursework along with their post-bac classmates.

In terms of repeating coursework, the Goucher post-bac program is designed for college graduates who want to become physicians but didn't take the required courses in their undergraduate years.   It's not intended to enhance an existing premedical education, nor is it an opportunity to retake previous science courses.  Prospective applicants who have completed one or two of the core requirements at least five years ago may call or email to discuss their particular situation.