Pre-Medical Studies

Most medical schools require one year of courses (with labs) in General Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and General Physics, as well as a year of English and college-level math. Some schools also suggest a year of social and behavioral sciences. Be sure to check the specific requirements for each school you are considering—these often vary and frequently change. We also recommend you consider taking some of the upper-level courses listed below:

• BIOL 235 Microbiology
• BIOL 241 Developmental Biology
• BIOL 245 Histology
• BIOL 250 Biostatistics
• BIOL 310 Human Anatomy
• BIOL 312 Pathophysiology
• BIOL 315 Neuroscience
• BIOL 335 Genetics
• BIOL 340 Biochemistry
• BIOL 350 Computational Biology
• BIOL 360 Epidemiology
• BIOL 341 Genetic Engineering
• BIOL 432 Cell Biology
• BIOL 435 Evolutionary Biology
• BIOL 461 Cancer Biology
• CHEM 350 Instrumental Analysis
• CHEM 410 Physical Chemistry I
• CHEM 420 Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• CHEM 440 Drug Discovery & Development

We also recommend that you select additional courses from the following list of general electives:

• PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology
• SOCI 101 Introduction to Sociology
• SOCI 376 Medical Sociology
• ICPH 306 Bioethics
• ICPH 301 Philosophy of Human Nature

All medical schools require the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). If you wish to have your application reviewed in the fall of your senior year, you will need to take the MCAT no later than the summer following your junior year. This means you will need to prepare to take the MCAT in three years, not four. Other students choose to take the exam in their senior year and take a year or more after graduation as an opportunity to gain experience as a research assistant or further prepare for medical school. We recommend you attend MCAT information sessions offered by the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences to learn about your options. 

A successful medical school candidate must display academic ability, research activity, clinical experience, and community service. Our Office of Career Success and Experiential Education can help you pursue volunteer and internship opportunities at hospitals, clinics, and research facilities. Perform independent research with our faculty, or apply to our Advanced Research Core program to engage in independent research with faculty members from our medical school. Or find your own opportunities shadowing a physician, doing paid work at a clinic or hospital, or participating in other forms of community service. All of these will help you demonstrate that you have the motivation and commitment to the community to pursue a medical career.

The New York Institute of Technology Pre-Professional Committee can help you obtain a letter of evaluation to support your medical or other health professional school application.  This letter of recommendation, which is available to all eligible students upon request, will include letters from three or more faculty members (at least two of whom must be STEM faculty), and be submitted to the program(s) of your choice as a single package.  These letters are strongly advised for all students applying to professional programs.

In order to be eligible for a letter, you should:

• Be planning to submit a professional school application in the next six months
• Have completed all required standardized tests
• Not have been found responsible for any violations of the New York Tech Academic Integrity Policy
• Have met the GPA, standardized test score, and clinical hours requirements outlined in the following table:

To request a Committee Letter, you must obtain the following at least two months before your application deadline:

• Copy of your (unofficial) transcripts
• Copy of your standardized test scores (if required)
• Proof of clinical hours (if required) 
• Personal statement
• Resume or CV (contact career@nyit.edu for help crafting a professional document)
• Examples of how you meet the AAMC Core, Entry-Level Competencies
• Names of faculty members who have agreed to write letters of recommendation on your behalf
• Type of professional school to which you are applying 
• Instructions on where to submit the letter, and the date it is due

Identify Faculty Recommenders

Prior to submitting your request, identify three (3) professors who know you well, and can speak positively about you as a student and your potential for success in your intended program.  At least two (2) of these professors should be in STEM fields. Send your selected professors an email indicating that you will be requesting a pre-professional committee letter, and ask them (politely) if they will be willing to contribute a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Provide faculty recommenders with some basic info about yourself, the nature of the program you are applying for, and specific items you’d like them to highlight. Remember, it is in your best interest to waive your right to view any of recommendation letters written on your behalf.

Make sure you have an email confirmation of these professors’ agreement prior to your submitting a committee letter request.

Complete the Pre-Professional Committee Letter Form

Instructions for Current and Former Students

Please submit your letter request here.  You must be logged in with your New York Tech account in order to access the form.  Alumni who no longer have access to New York Tech email should send a request to CASCommitteeLetter@nyit.edu.

Instructions for Faculty Recommenders

You may upload your completed recommendation here.  You must be logged in with your New York Tech account in order to access the form.  Recommendations should be on New York Tech letterhead, and follow the AAMC guidelines.  Please only agree to write a letter for students whom you know personally, and can recommend strongly.