Pre-Med Program

96% Residency Placement Rate Low Student-to-Faculty Ratio Holistic Application Process.

Program Overview.

Pre-med, or pre-medical, is an academic pathway for undergraduate students aiming to prepare for medical school. This track encompasses essential coursework in the sciences, including biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as studies in mathematics and the humanities. The goal of the pre-med journey is to provide students with the foundational knowledge and skills required for medical school and a successful career in healthcare.

Vanguard University’s Pre-med Program is a fully accredited, online asynchronous program designed to meet the unique needs of prospective MD students. This program offers both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students a structured path to fulfilling medical school prerequisites. Our Pre-med Program supports undergraduate students in completing required coursework and credit hours for entry into Vanguard’s School of Medicine. Additionally, it assists those with a completed undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution by allowing them to take or retake required courses, ensuring a solid mastery of the material and enhancing their medical school applications.

Pre-Med Program Details

The fully accredited asynchronous Pre-med Program at Vanguard University’s School of Medical Sciences is designed to help both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students meet medical school admission prerequisites. This program deepens students’ understanding of health science careers and strengthens their medical school applications. It serves undergraduate students who need to complete the necessary credit hours and coursework for admission to Vanguard’s School of Medicine. .

Program Requirements

• Verbal, written, and conversational proficiency in English.
• Completion of high school, General Educational Development (GED) test, or an equivalent educational experience sufficient for college or university admission.
• If a student is not using transfer credits, there is no specific GPA requirement.
• If transfer credits are applied or if a student has a bachelors degree, a minimum cumulative GPA (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale is required.

Program Advantages

• Online learning – Asynchronous learning completed online (number of undergraduate terms required depends on student prerequisites)
• Fully Accredited Program
• At Vanguard, a superior education doesn’t come with a large price tag. We provide exceptional education at a cost that is affordable for students, making the dream of becoming an MD a reality.

Program Objectives

• The program is designed to meet the 90 credit hours required to advance to the MD program.
• Exams that assess student preparation, participation, critical thinking skills, and knowledge application.
• Evaluation through various formats that assess each student’s capabilities to demonstrate problem-solving techniques.
• Successful education of the required principles to prepare each student to advance to the MD program.

Foundational Courses

Vanguard University’s College of Medicine offers a comprehensive range of Pre-Med courses designed to provide aspiring medical professionals with a strong foundation. Covering core disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, these courses equip students with the essential scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills required for success in medical studies.

Our rigorous curriculum, supported by expert faculty, ensures students are well-prepared for the challenges of advanced medical education. Additionally, each student benefits from a personalized study plan tailored to complete the prerequisites for admission to our MD program.

Explore our diverse undergraduate offerings and take the first step toward a fulfilling career in medicine.

BIO/CHM338 Biochemistry : This course introduces molecules of biological importance. Topics include the chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and enzymes and their role in metabolism. 3 credits

BIO101 General Biology : This course is the first part of a two-semester course sequence that covers an introduction to the general concepts that form our current understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of life. Emphasis will be given to chemical concepts and to structure and function of the cell, its metabolism, its DNA and chromosome structure, and of the mechanism of heredity, basic recombinant DNA technology, gene regulation, molecular genetics, transcription, and translation. 3 credits

BIO101L General Biology Lab : This course is a laboratory course, with emphasis placed on basic biological chemistry, cell structure and function, metabolism, energy transformation, genetics, and microscope techniques. 1 credit

BIO102 General Biology II : This course is the second part of a two-semester course sequence in biology. Diversity of life, plant and animal form and structure, animal systems, and ecology are covered. 3 credits

BIO102L General Biology II Lab : This course is a laboratory course with emphasis placed on organisms, biodiversity, plant and animal systems, ecology, and microscope observations and dissections. 1 credit

BIO202 Human Anatomy & Physiology I : This course is an introduction to biological processes and terminology, followed by an integrated study of the structure and function of the human body including tissues, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and somatic nervous systems. 4 credits

BIO203 Human Anatomy & Physiology II : This course is a continuation of the study of the anatomy and physiology of the organs and systems of the human body including autonomic nervous, endocrine, circulatory, digestive, urinary, reproductive, and respiratory systems. 4 credits

BIO230 Medical Terminology : This course is an introduction to biomedical terminology through the study of prefixes, suffixes and root words. 3 credits

BIO370 Introduction to Microbiology : This is a course in general microbiology including study of fungi, algae, protozoa, and viruses, but with special emphasis on bacteria. 4 credits

BIO410 Genetics : This course is a study of the principles of genetics or heredity, including classical and molecular genetics. 4 credits

CHM111 General Chemistry I : This course includes the fundamental principles and qualitative aspects of general inorganic chemistry. Topics discussed include the study of chemical stoichiometry, atomic theory, chemical bonding, and kinetic molecular theory. 3 credits

CHM111L General Chemistry I Lab : This course includes the fundamental principles and qualitative aspects of general inorganic chemistry. Topics discussed include the study of chemical stoichiometry, atomic theory, chemical bonding, and kinetic molecular theory. 3 credits

CHM112 General Chemistry II : This course is a continuation of CHM 111. This course includes the study of solution chemistry, kinetics, oxidation-reductions, equilibria, and acids and bases. 3 credits

CHM112L General Chemistry II Lab : This course is a continuation of CHM 111. This course includes the study of solution chemistry, kinetics, oxidation-reductions, equilibria, and acids and bases. 1 credit

CHM335 Organic Chemistry I : This is the first course in the study of the compounds of carbon. This course includes the study of structure, mechanisms, synthesis and reactions of organic compounds. 4 credits

CHM336 Organic Chemistry II : This course is a continuation of CHM 335. 4 credits

MATH102 College Algebra : Topics include solving equations, inequalities, and systems of equations; exponents; radicals; polynomial, inverse and rational functions and their graphs. 3 credits

PHY201 General Physics I : This course is a study of the principles of physics with an emphasis on mechanics, heat, and wave. 4 credits

PSY201 Introduction to Psychology : This course is a survey of the history, theories, methods, and data of psychology. Emphasis is placed on physiology, perception, learning, emotion, motivation, personality, measurement, and social behavior. 3 credits

PSY202 Human Growth & Development : This course is a comprehensive coverage of the growth and development of the human organism from conception to death. 3 credits

Medical Research 1 : This course serves as an introduction to both the research and writing techniques relevant to higher education. The goals of the course are: to improve students’ understanding of the concepts related to research methodology and various forms of publication; to expose students to the APA model, to improve the students’ ability to clearly communicate ideas, and to clarify both quantitative and qualitative frameworks. This is a Writing Intensive course consisting of Journal Reviews, Annotated Bibliographies, and a basic research proposal. 3 credits

Medical Research 2 : This course continues the foundational work set by RSM 200. Students will elect to create either a Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods research proposal. Students will be expected to present and defend their selected proposal. 3 credits