Pre-Medicine Program

 

Over 25% of our first-year students who declare pre-medicine go on to apply to medical school by the end of their senior year, compared to the national average of 16%. Of those students who utilize our pre-medical committee process over 85% are accepted into medical school on their first application cycle, compared to 44% nationally.

Overview

 At Illinois Wesleyan, pre-medicine students receive premier preparation in the sciences, supported by the breadth of a liberal arts education and personalized mentorship from expert faculty and professional advisors.

As at most universities, students at Illinois Wesleyan do not major in pre-medicine. Instead, they select a primary field of study—commonly Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience or Psychology—while completing the courses required for admission to medical school.

Pre-Medicine at Illinois Wesleyan — Our Advantages

• Close Faculty Mentorship – Small class sizes and a student-centered culture foster strong relationships with faculty, which are critical to academic success, research opportunities, and competitive letters of evaluation.

• Hands-On Scientific Experience – Students have access to top-tier lab facilities and state-of-the-art equipment, with opportunities to engage in independent research projects under the guidance of Ph.D. faculty.

• Holistic Advising Support – The Pre-Medical Advisory Committee and the Health and Science Career Counselor work collaboratively to support students throughout their pre-med journey, including course planning, MCAT guidance, personal statement development, mock interviews, and comprehensive letters of evaluation.

• Targeted Communication and Programming – Information about shadowing, research, internships, and application workshops is distributed through Handshake and regular programming coordinated by the Career Center. Students are surveyed twice per year to ensure tailored support aligned with their pre-professional interests.

As a result of this integrated and highly supportive approach, Illinois Wesleyan has a strong track record of placing students into a wide range of medical schools, including both MD and DO programs.

Curriculum

Your Educational Future

A sampling of the medical schools admitting our recent graduates includes:

• Baylor University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Creighton University
• Dartmouth College
• Duke University
• Indiana University
• Loma Linda University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• Michigan State University
• New York Medical College
• Northwestern University
• Penn State University
• Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
• Rush University
• Saint Louis University
• Southern Illinois University
• University of California-Davis
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado at Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Iowa
• University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• University of Missouri
• University of Nebraska
• University of New Mexico
• University of Southern California
• University of Texas Southwestern
• University of Toledo
• University of Virginia
• Vanderbilt University
• Wake Forest University
• Washington University in Saint Louis

Pre-Medicine: Biochemistry Major Course Plan

Pre-Medicine: Biology Major Course Plan

Pre-Medicine: Chemistry Major Course Plan

Pre-Medicine: Non-science Major Course Plan

Pre-Medicine: Physics Major Course Plan

Pre-Medicine: Biology Major Course Plan

The course plan below outlines the courses students need to successfully complete prior to taking the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test). Your faculty advisor will work with you to complete each semester's schedule.

As an IWU student, it is your responsibility to track your progress each semester towards completing graduation requirements using the MyIWU degree evaluation tool.

 

Study Abroad

For students interested in studying abroad, the fall semester of the third year is recommended for students who plan to apply to medical school at the end of their junior year and fall semester junior or senior year for students planning to apply in their senior year. It is highly recommended that students consult with Dr. Walker as early as possible if they plan to study abroad.

Additional Information

• Once enrolled, all students will have a degree evaluation tool available to them on MyIWU. This will help students determine what courses are required to graduate on time.
• The courses listed in the template must be completed prior to taking the Medical College Admissions test (MCAT) which is taken in the May/June of junior or senior year.
• In addition to the courses listed in the template, students must also take a one semester psychology course (PSYC 100), a one semester sociology course (SOC 101), and must have familiarity with basic statistics-thus an introduction to statistics may be required. 
• PSYC 100 also fulfills the Life Science Issues (LSI) general education requirement.
• SOC 101 also fulfills the Contemporary Social Institutions (CSI) general education requirement.
• Any of the following statistics courses would be sufficient - ECON 227, PSYC 227, SOC 227 or BIO 209.
• The MCAT is taken during the spring of a student's junior or senior year.
  
  • With the computer version of the MCAT, there are many possible dates. Consult a member of the pre-med advisory committee with any questions.
• Resources:
  • Premedical/Predental Advisory Committee – The chair of this committee is Dr. Loni Walker.
  • Premed Listserv – Students should be told to subscribe to the premed listserv. The premed committee uses this listserv to disseminate important information throughout the academic year and summer. Students can subscribe to the list through the MyIWU portal.
  • Career Center – The career center has a wealth of information concerning the health professions.