Summary Prerequisite Comparison for Five Professions(See a detailed lists of courses and application guide by profession) |
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CSUS Courses |
Semester Units |
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Medicine (MD/OD) |
Dentistry |
Optometry |
Physician Assistant |
Pharmacy |
|
Intro Biology |
8 or more (most) |
8 (most) |
8 |
0-8 (highly variable) |
8-12 |
Inorganic Chemistry
|
8 |
8 (most) |
4-8 (varies) |
0-8 (highly variable) |
8 |
Organic Chemistry
|
8 w/ lab (most)
|
8 w/ lab (most)
|
4-8 (varies) |
0 (but some include as a topic in a 1 year course) |
8 w/ lab |
Biochemistry
|
3 (required or strongly recommended) |
0-3 (most require at least one course) |
3-4 (varies) |
3 (most strongly recommend 1 upper division course) |
3-6 (highly variable) |
Physics
|
8 |
8 |
8 |
0-8 (most in CA do not require) |
8 |
Calculus
|
1 year (most require or strongly recommend) |
0-1 year (most out of state schools require 1 year) |
1 semester (most) |
0 (intermediate Algebra required; Calculus recommended) |
6-8 (most) |
Statistics
|
0-1 semester (a few out of state schools require statistics) |
1 semester (most) |
1 semester (most require or strongly recommend) |
0-1 semester (varies) |
0-1 (a few require 1 semester) |
- Intended as a general comparison across professions.
- For further information see Core Curriculum and specific profession links
- Prerequisites are set by individual schools and do vary
- see Assist.org for specific CA professional school prerequisites
- see the department web site of each prospective professional school