Career Services

Graduates of Cornell are accepted to medical school at the same rate, regardless of their major in a physical or social science, as long as they complete the required courses in introductory biology, general and organic chemistry, and physics. Some medical schools strongly recommend calculus and biochemistry. Those students in a social science major are encouraged to take a year of advanced biology.

Students interested in medicine or other health-related careers should meet with their faculty advisors or the college’s premed advisor  early in their academic career to plan their schedules. It is important to include electives from the humanities and social sciences that supplement the basic premed requirements. With careful planning, students can also take advantage of numerous off-campus study programs.

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Listed below are the minimum prerequisite courses for admission to most medical and dental schools. Many schools require additional coursework. Students should consult the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), a book published by the American Association of Medical Colleges, for current admissions information on all US and Canadian medical schools. Copies of the MSAR are located in Human Ecology’s CDC library and in the Cornell Career Services Library; they can also be purchased from the AAMC website.

A well-established evaluation process is used to measure the credentials of premed students from all seven undergraduate colleges. Cornell’s Health Careers Evaluation Committee (HCEC) will write a letter of evaluation for any student who has taken the required courses and follows the required procedures for obtaining a letter. Students begin working with this committee in the academic year preceding the submission of their applications.

Your college faculty and premed adviser will help you plan your course of study, locate opportunities for practical experience in the health care field, and consider career options. The university-wide Health Careers Program provides further information, resources, counseling, and workshops.

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Gaining clinical experiences through internships and externships is one of the best ways to test your interest in medicine and the health professions and is essential for acceptance into medical school. You can:

• Create your own internship at a hospital, clinic, or physician’s office by networking.
• Check internship postings in CornellTRAK.
• Read the postings each week in Communecology.
• Check weekly posting in the Career Development Center.
• Participate in the Externship and FRESH programs.
• Join PATCH, Human Ecology’s premed/prehealth student organization.
• Speak with your faculty advisor or the College's premed advisor and career counselors.

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Students who enjoy research are encouraged to pursue their interests. Exploration in the social or physical sciences is positively valued by medical schools. Independent research also offers an excellent opportunity to form valuable connections with a faculty member. However, unless students are pursuing an MD/PhD, research is not a necessity for competitiveness in the medical school application process. The Director of Undergraduate Affairs in Human Ecology can help students identify appropriate research opportunities.

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It is very important for transfer students  to attend all premed orientation workshops and meet with their faculty and college premed advisor as soon as possible. They must choose courses carefully in order to meet all academic requirements to fulfill the requirements for eligibility with the Health Careers Evaluation Committee. Understanding one's competitiveness and deciding about when to apply to medical school depends on individual circumstances and should be discussed with the college's premed advisor.

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