MCB is an excellent choice for pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, and other pre-health career students. Our curriculum is proven to successfully prepare students for health-related careers including medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. 

Typical four-year plan for pre-health

The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign ranks fourth in the Top 20 Best Pre-Med Colleges according to the website Online College Plan.

Typical four-year plan

This plan is to be used only as a guideline. There are many factors that may affect the sequence and timing of courses. Course selections are best made in consultation with an MCB Advisor.

Students who are not taking a gap year, typically take the MCAT or other pre-professional exam during the spring of their junior year and apply in during the summer following their junior year. Most prerequisite courses should be completed by the end of junior year with grades of C or better. Visit The Career Center Health Professions Website for additional information.

Semester-by-semester plan

FIRST YEAR

   
   
   

SEMESTER 2

Intro Bio: MCB 150 or IB 150 (4 hrs)

Gen. Chem: CHEM 101, 102/103, or 202/203 (3-5 hrs)

Begin MATH sequence per placement* (3-5 hrs) or Composition I (3-4 hrs)

First Year Enrichment Course: LAS 101 or LAS 122 (1 hr)

Options:
Language, Gen Ed.**, or Elective (0-5 hrs)

Total Credit Hours: 14-16

Intro Bio: MCB 150 or IB 150 (4 hrs)

Gen Chem: CHEM 102/103, 104/105, or 204/205 (4-5 hrs)

Begin or continue MATH sequence per placement* (3-5 hrs) or Composition I: (3-4 hrs)

Options:
Language, Gen Ed.**, or Elective (0-5 hrs)

Total Credit Hours: 14-16

 

SECOND YEAR

SEMESTER 3

SEMESTER 4

Molecular Genetics & Lab: MCB 250 & MCB 251 (5 hrs)***

Chemistry: Finish gen chem or begin organic (4–6 hrs)

Choose 1–2 of the following: (1–6 hrs)

  • Math/Stat: Begin or continue if necessary*
  • Language: Begin or continue, if necessary
  • Research: MCB 290
  • General Education Course**
  • Elective

Total Credit Hours: 14–17

Cells, Tissues & Develop. & Lab: MCB 252 & MCB 253 (5 hrs)

Chemistry: Finish CHEM sequence, if necessary (2–6 hrs) or
Physics: PHYS 101 or 211, if CHEM complete (4–5 hrs)

Choose 1–2 of the following: (1–6 hrs)

  • Language: Begin or continue, if necessary
  • Research: MCB 290
  • General Education Course**
  • Elective

Total Credit Hours: 14–17

 

THIRD YEAR

SEMESTER 5

SEMESTER 6

Biochemistry: MCB 354 (3 hrs)

Physics: Begin or continue PHYS sequence (4–5 hrs)

Choose 2–3 of the following: (5–10 hrs)

  • General Education Course**
  • Anatomy & Physio: MCB 244 and/or MCB 245+
  • Research: MCB 290
  • Elective course

Total Credit Hours: 14–18

Approved Advanced MCB course or lab: See approved list**** (2–4 hrs)

Physics: Continue PHYS sequence, if necessary (4–5 hrs) or
Approved Advanced MCB course or lab (2 - 4 hrs)

Choose 2–3 of the following: (6-10 hrs)

  • General Education Course**
  • Anatomy & Physio: MCB 246 and/or MCB 247+
  • Research: MCB 290
  • Elective course

Total Credit Hours: 14–18

 

FOURTH YEAR

SEMESTER 7

SEMESTER 8

1 or 2 Approved Advanced MCB courses or lab: 
See approved list++ (1–8 hrs)

Choose 2–3 of the following: (6–10 hrs)

  • General Education Course**
  • Anatomy & Physio: MCB 244 and/or MCB 245+
  • Research: MCB 290
  • Elective course

Total Credit Hours: 12-18

1 or2 Approved Advanced MCB courses or lab:
See approved list++ (2–8 hrs)

Choose 2–3 of the following: (6–10 hrs)

  • General Education Course**
  • Anatomy & Physio: MCB 246 and/or MCB 247+
  • Research or Senior Thesis: MCB 290 or 492
  • Elective course

Total Credit Hours: 12-18

* Statistics is highly recommended to prepare for the MCAT and medical school.

** At least one course in psychology and sociology should be taken. Three social/behavioral science courses are recommended.

*** General Chemistry 1 and 2 (CHEM 102 and CHEM 104) must be completed before beginning MCB 250.

Anatomy & Physiology courses are required for many allied-health professions, but not MD programs.

++ Approved advanced courses can be found at /undergrad/courses/advanced/. Courses that may be of particular interest to pre-med students include, but are not limited to, cell biology, endocrinology, immunology, microbiology, neurobiology, and physiology.

Volunteering, summer, and post-bacc opportunities

Universities, government agencies, clinics, and foundations offer a variety of opportunities for pre-health students who wish to hone their research skills, learn more about healthcare professions, participate in workshops and professional development activities, and prepare for medical school.

Summer programs

The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions provides a list of current Student Opportunities on its website.

The School of MCB also compiles a list of opportunities from a variety of programs that have expressed an interest in our students. It includes listings for the current year and most recent year in an effort to provide information about which institutions have offered summer programs in the past. 

Summer 2022

Post Date Institution — Program — Location — Application Deadline
Feb 24, 2022 Keck Graduate Institute — Multiple — Claremont, CA — June 10, 2022
Nov 6, 2021 University of Detroit Mercy — The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) New York, NY — Feb 15, 2022
Dec 5, 2022 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — Molecular Imaging Summer ProgramChemical Biology Summer Program —  New York, NY

 

Summer 2021

Post Date Institution — Program — Location — Application Deadline
March 28, 2021 University of Deroit MercyThe Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) New York, NY — March 1, 2021
March 28, 2021 University of Illinois Chicago2021 Summer Pharmacy Institute (SPI) Chicago, IL — April 1, 2021
March 28, 2021 SUNY College of OptometryEye-CARE Camp New York, NY — June 25, 2021
March 28, 2021 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterMolecular Imaging Summer Program and Chemical Biology Summer Program New York, NY — February 1, 2021
March 28, 2021 University of Michigan UM-SMART Summer Undergraduate Research Program 2021 February 1, 2021
March 28, 2021 University of Michigan Michigan Health Sciences Summer Institute February 3, 2021
March 10, 2021 Bristol Myers Squibb Various summer internships — Several locations
March 1, 2021 Campbell UniversityRansdell Family Health Professions Readiness & Enrichment Program (HPREP) — Buies Creek, NC — March 15, 2021 
Jan 19, 2021 Texas A&M University Summer Undergraduate Research in Genetics and Genomics (SURGe) Program — College Station, TX — February 15, 2021
Jan 14, 2021 The University of Alabama at BirminghamClinical and Research Undergraduate Summer Programs — Birmingham, AL — February 12, 2021
Jan 13, 2021 Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program — Athens, OH — February 1, 2021
Jan 11, 2021 SENS Research Foundation SRF Summer Scholars Program — Several locations — January 15, 2021
Jan 11, 2021 Oak Ridge Institute for Science and TechnologyRepperger Research Intern Program — Several locations — February 15, 2021
Dec 22, 2020 The Ohio State University Discovery Prep — Columbus, OH — Rolling admissions (roughly the beginning of Apil 2021)
Dec 10, 2020 Loyola University Loyola Adventures in Urobiome Data Summer Research — March 1, 2021
Nov 30, 2020 UC DavisNeuroscience Initiative to Enhance Diversity (April 22-23) — January 31, 2021
Nov 20, 2020 City InternshipsSummer 2021 Programs
Nov 18, 2020 University of Chicago Pritzer School of MedicineSummer Pathway Programs — Feb 8, 2021
Nov 18, 2020 UW-MadisonBiological Interactions: Phenotype, Genotype, and Environment Research Program — Feb 15, 2021
Nov 18, 2020 Johns Hopkins MedicineSummer Internship — Nov 8, 2020
Nov 18, 2020  Memorial Sloan Kettering — Chemical Biology Summer Program — February 5, 2021
Nov 18, 2020  Summer Health Professions Education Program — February 5, 2021
Oct 28, 2020 National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesSummer Internship — March 1, 2021
Oct 28, 2020 Office of Intramural Training and EducationSummer Internship in Biomedical Research 
Oct 28, 2020 National Science FoundationResearch Experience for Undergraduates
Oct 23, 2020 U.S. Department of Energy Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and ScientistsScience Undergraduate Laboratory Internship — Jan 12, 2021
Oct 20, 2020 University of Pennsylvania and Washington University St. LouisCenter for Engineering Mechanobiology — Feb 1, 2021
Oct 10, 2020 Mayo ClinicSummer Undergraduate Research Fellowship — Nov 8, 2020
Oct 10, 2020 Stowers Summer ScholarsMedical Research Experience — Kansas City, MO — February 1, 2021
Oct 2, 2020 University of Iowa Carver College of MedicineSummer Undergraduate Opportunities — Iowa City, IA

 

Medical volunteering

Carle Foundation Hospital Volunteer Opportunities

OSF Healthcare Volunteer Opportunities

Avicenna Commmunity Health Center Volunteering

Thinking of participating in a medical mission trip abroad? Make sure to watch this YouTube video on medical volunteering to protect yourself and the people you are interacting with. If you aren't allowed to perform a procedure in the U.S., you should NOT perform it abroad.

Post-baccalaureate premedical opportunities

The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has a free post-baccalaureate premedical opportunities database where students can use specific filters to search for programs.

Post Date Institution — Program — Location
May 10, 2023 Drexel University - Intensive Medical Sciences (IMS) Program - Philadelphia, PA
May 10, 2023 Drexel University - Medical Science (MMS) Program - Philadelphia, PA
May 10, 2023 Drexel University - Biomedical Studies (MBS) Program - Philadelphia, PA
May 10, 2023 Drexel University - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (IHS) Program - Philadelphia, PA
May 10, 2023 Drexel University - Evening post-baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program (PMED) - Philadelphia, PA
April 4, 2023 University of Pennsylvania - Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Programs - Philadelphia, PA
Nov 14, 2022 Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush — Gap Year Research Opportunity — Chicago, IL
Nov 30, 2022 Hinsdale Orthopaedics and the Illinois Center for Orthopedic Research and Education — Gap Year Research Opportunity — Chicago, IL

 

Where do our students go?

Learn more about the top professional schools attended by graduates of the School of MCB.

Medical Schools

Allopathic
University of Illinois at Chicago-College of Medicine
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Rush Medical College

Osteopathic
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

Physician Associate Schools (formerly Physician Assistant)

Midwestern University - Downers Grove
Dominican University
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine
Southern Illinois University
Butler University
 

Dental Schools

University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine
Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois
Marquette University School of Dentistry
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Pharmacy Schools

University of Illinois at Chicago
Midwestern University - Downers Grove Campus
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis

Optometry Schools

Illinois College of Optometry
Midwestern University Chicago College of Optometry
Southern College of Optometry
The Ohio State University College of Optometry
University of Houston College of Optometry

Title
MCB professional mentoring program

Body

MCB's professional mentorship program connects motivated MCB students with accomplished physicians, pharmacists, dentists, and other health professionals across the country. Our mentors, many of them alumni, provide valuable insight to students through our formal mentoring program and multiple online or in-person events held during the year.

Video

Title
How to prepare for the MCAT

Body

Students who have been through the process offer their insight on studying and taking the Medical College Admission Test.