Premedicine Pathways

For some students the journey to medical school follows a straightforward path from an undergraduate pre-medicine major to medical school admissions straight out of college. But for others, the desire to explore a career in medicine comes a little later in life — sometimes even after beginning a career completely unrelated to science or medicine.

Northwestern’s post-baccalaureate pre-med program was designed with these types of medical school applicants in mind. The program — which can be completed in 12 to 21 months — provides students from diverse backgrounds with a solid foundation in the science coursework needed to apply to medical school, along with tips and advice on the application process.

So what educational and professional backgrounds do these students bring to the program? And how do they fare in the general medical school application pool? We put together an infographic on our pre-medicine students and the many paths they take to — and from — SPS’s pre-medicine program.