What Is a Pre-Med? Is It a Major?

What is pre-med, and is it the same as medical school? Not exactly, although the two are somewhat related.

Medical school is a demanding field, and the preparation process often begins long before enrollment. Some students consciously follow this path, choosing high school courses that will be important for medical studies.

On the other hand, not every teenager has a clear idea of their future career, and high school choices shouldn’t rule out a potential medical career. Moreover, while high school courses like biology and chemistry are helpful, they are just the beginning. Medical school requires a solid foundation in specific subjects, which students can build during college through the pre-med track.

So how can these two worlds be balanced? Pre-med can be a good solution. But what exactly is it? What can you do with a pre-med degree? In this article, we break down the pre-med path step by step.

Is Pre-Med a Major or Just a Track?

In the United States and Canada, the so-called pre-med does not exist as a separate major. Instead, it is an educational track designed to prepare students for applying to medical school.

As a result, future students may come from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including not only the sciences directly related to medicine but also more humanities-oriented fields. However, regardless of their prior preparation, every student applying to a course or pre-med program must meet the exact requirements, which are described in more detail in the following paragraph.

So, what does pre-med mean?

Adhering to the definition, pre-med, meaning “pre-medical,” refers to an academic track designed to prepare students for medical school, rather than a standalone major or degree.

The program is designed so that students can:

take the necessary science courses,
gain more research experience,
get ready for the MCAT (if their college requires it),
build social and ethical skills that are evaluated during medical school admissions.

What Is a Pre-Med Course and What Do Students Study?

The pre-medical program is designed to provide a strong foundation for studying medicine. Depending on the school or institution, the curriculum may vary slightly and emphasize different areas. However, students typically gain knowledge and skills in four main domains.

What is a pre-medical course?

1. Core Academic Courses

Typically include:

Biology.
General and Organic Chemistry.
Biochemistry.
Physics.
Mathematics and Statistics.
Psychology and Sociology.

2. Clinical Experience

Students engage in:

Volunteering at medical facilities.
Shadowing physicians.
Working in healthcare (e.g., as an EMT or medical technician).

3. Research Experience

Many medical schools require or highly value:

Participation in research projects.
Laboratory work.
Publications and scientific presentations.

4. MCAT Preparation

Pre-med programs can provide:

MCAT workshops and courses.
Practice exams.
Score analysis and study strategies.

When choosing a pre-med program, check in advance whether its curriculum aligns with your learning goals. You may only want to strengthen a single subject, in which case a general program may not be necessary. Or, you might be looking for a complete program that provides a solid foundation for future studies—in this case, a full pre-medical program will be the best.

Choose wisely!

What Can I Do with a Pre-Med Degree?

Although most pre-med students plan to apply to medical school, completing this track also opens up other opportunities. So, if you change your career plans while studying, or for some reason don’t get accepted to your chosen medical school, it’s not the end of the road—your education will still pay off in other fields.

Of course, much depends on the chosen fields of study, but in our other article, you can check which majors are considered the best from the perspective of future doctors (and researchers, for example)

What can you do with a pre-med degree?

Applying to MD or DO programs (medical school)

This is the natural goal for most pre-med students.

Other healthcare pathways

Completing the required courses can allow you to apply to:

Physician Assistant (PA) programs.
Dental school.
Pharmacy.
Optometry.
Public Health.
Nursing.
Podiatry, chiropractic, and other medical professions.

Careers in Science and Research

Pre-med graduates can work in roles such as:

laboratory technicians and assistants,
clinical research coordinators,
public health specialists,
biomedical project staff.

Of course, there are many more options, but even these examples illustrate that studying science within pre-med programs opens numerous doors.

How CMU Helps Pre-Med Students Transition to Medical School?

A significant part of the best pre-med schools (including ours) features a comprehensive curriculum in basic sciences.

At our Caribbean Medical University, we offer full support to students through our pre-med program.

This program is designed to give you everything you need to succeed in medical school. Over three trimesters (16 weeks each), you’ll dive into:

General and organic chemistry.
Biology.
Math.
Physics.

Because we teach in a truly international setting, with students from every corner of the globe, our pre-med program not only builds a strong foundation in essential subjects but also helps non-native English speakers improve their language skills.

So, if you already know what is pre-med major and you’re ready to take the next step and see yourself in this pathway, our university welcomes you. APPLY today and start an intensive prep course that will make medical school closer than you think.