Pre-Medicine Pathways

Year 1

Plan with an Advisor

Map the Zaytuna curriculum, external prerequisites, summer coursework, and major application milestones.

Year 2

Complete the Zaytuna Core

Continue the College’s required program while using core writing/rhetoric, ethics, and mathematics where they satisfy pre-med expectations.

Year 3

Add External Prerequisites

Complete required sciences through a formal articulation arrangement or approved external program from an accredited institution.

Year 4

Build the Application

Add clinical hours, research and clinical experience, MCAT preparation, and the medical school application process alongside the Zaytuna degree.

SIMULTANEOUS BY DESIGN

The sample alumnus pathway uses summers and selected semesters for external science coursework while the student remains enrolled in Zaytuna’s program.

This is an advising framework: students should work closely with advisors to sequence prerequisites without losing successful progress in the Zaytuna curriculum.

Biological Sciences

2 semesters with lab

External

UC Berkeley Extension: General Biology I & Lab; General Biology II & Lab

General Chemistry

2 semesters with lab

External

UC Berkeley Extension: General Chemistry I & Lab; General Chemistry II & Lab

Organic Chemistry

2 semesters with lab

External

UC Berkeley Extension: Organic Chemistry I & Lab; Organic Chemistry II & Lab

Biochemistry

1 semester

External

Required by most medical schools; UC Berkeley Extension: Biochemistry I

General Physics

2 semesters with lab

External

UC Berkeley Extension: Physics I & Lab; Physics II & Lab

Mathematics

Calculus or statistics

Mixed

Calculus: fulfilled by core Zaytuna courses. Statistics: source draft lists UC Berkeley Extension, Introduction to Statistics; fulfillment status remains to be confirmed.

English

2 semesters of writing and rhetoric

Zaytuna Core

Fulfilled by core Zaytuna courses

Social Sciences

Many schools require 2 semesters of psychology or sociology

External

UC Berkeley Extension examples: General Psychology; Sociology of Health, Illness and Medicine

ACADEMIC STANDARD

All courses must be completed with a grade of C+ or better, and a B or better in each science is strongly advised.

Clinical Hours

Minimum 100 logged hours of direct patient contact in a healthcare setting (hospital, clinic, hospice, EMT, scribing). Hours must be supervised and verified by a licensed provider.

Research or Lab Experience

One semester of substantive participation in a faculty-mentored research project or a formal external lab placement. If research is conducted at another institution, a faculty supervisor must submit a written evaluation.

YEAR 1

Zaytuna writing + service

YEAR 2

External sciences

YEAR 3

Research + MCAT + clinical

YEAR 4

Applications + interviews

Year 1
(2015-16)

Fall & Spring

Zaytuna’s Freshman Seminar and Rhetoric. Volunteered at a homeless clinic, providing individuals with food and hygiene (designed as a class accompanied by six hours of volunteering each week).

1 year of English; volunteering is recommended

Year 2
(2016-17)

Summer

Psychology (Summer Term 1); Organic Chemistry 1 with lab (Term 2); Organic Chemistry 2 with lab (Term 3).

Psychology; 1 year of Organic Chemistry (with labs)

Year 2
(2016-17)

Fall

Nothing beyond Zaytuna’s program.

—

Year 2
(2016-17)

Spring

Biochemistry; Cell Biology

Biochemistry; additional Biology

Year 3
(2017-18)

Summer

A 10-week research internship at a medical institution in Texas.

Demonstrable exposure to health professions

Year 3
(2017-18)

Fall

Studied for MCAT and took it in January.

MCAT exam

Year 3
(2017-18)

Spring

Worked as a scribe in emergency department in Alameda.

Demonstrable exposure to health professions

Year 4
(2018-19)

Summer

Submitted medical school applications. Continued to work as a scribe in emergency department in Alameda.

Medical school applications; demonstrable exposure to health professions

Year 4
(2018-19)

Fall

Medical school interviews

Medical school interviews

Year 4
(2018-19)

Spring

Select a medical school. Complete the Experiential Learning grad. Requirement.

Volunteering is recommended

After Zaytuna

Summer

Possibly enroll in a genetics course (TBD).

Required for some medical schools

The sample is illustrative rather than prescribed. Its key lesson is sequencing: Zaytuna coursework remains the academic center while external science courses, research, clinical work, MCAT preparation, and applications are deliberately scheduled around it.