Most students who apply to medical school elect more than the minimum number of science courses required for admission. This is true whether or not the students have chosen to major in a natural science discipline. Eight to ten semesters of science courses plus two courses in English form the core of the admission requirements for most medical and dental schools. Students in the Pratt School of Engineering should have humanities and social science courses represented in their electives. Admission requirements do vary among US medical schools and dental schools.
Some schools require several specific courses in addition to the general core described above.
A good time to check the stated requirements for any particular professional school is in your sophomore year of college when you are making decisions about your major and long term academic program. This information is made available in a variety of published manuals and handbooks in the Health Professions Advising Center, making it easier for Duke students to plan their curriculum. The core science courses are also those upon which the MCAT, DAT, and VAT are based, and scores from these tests must be received by admissions committees before they can evaluate your application. The core science courses must be completed on a similar schedule. If you plan to delay your application until after graduation, your course schedule will be more flexible.