A medical school applicant must have a well-rounded background in the sciences. At least one year of general chemistry with a lab is required at the college level. In addition, one year of organic chemistry with a lab is required. One year of biology with a lab and one year of physics with a lab round out the basic science requirements. One year of English at the college level is also required to get into most medical schools.
These requirements are for some medical schools and not all. It is best to check with the targeted medical school for additional requirements it may have. According to the Premedical Information for Harvard Students Handbook for 2009, nearly 50 schools require a year of college-level mathematics such as calculus or statistics. Fourteen schools require one semester of biochemistry. Seventeen medical schools require more than a year's study in biology. Finally, a few medical schools have requirements in the areas of psychology and sociology for prospective students.
Most medical schools will not accept a biology or chemistry that has been taken by an advanced placement test. Medical schools require that the class is taken with the lab during the college years. In addition, if the student uses testing to achieve advanced placement into a course, that course will not be accepted either. All of the pre-med classwork must be taken in college.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) tests a student's knowledge of basic biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and non-calculus physics. It is a requirement for all medical schools. All of the prerequisites to admission to medical school should prepare a student for this test so that no further advanced classwork is required. However, since the MCAT is a comprehensive test and all classes are different, it does pay to study separately for the MCAT to cover anything that may be missed in coursework.