How to Succeed as a Tulane Premed
/Learn everything you need to know about being premed at Tulane, including premed requirements, the best extracurriculars, and the Tulane premed acceptance rate
LEARN HOW TO GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL AS A tulanE PREMED
----
Part 1: Introduction
Tucked away at the end of a long street lined with several shady trees in the center of New Orleans, you’ll find Tulane University. This small, quaint school is currently #44 in National Schools in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges. Though its acceptance rate is a little higher than some of the schools we profile, at 10%, it’s still highly competitive.
Tulane was founded as The Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 as an institution designed to train New Orleans doctors against yellow fever and cholera, so it has a long-standing history of being on the front lines of incredible and impactful medical research. Not surprisingly, the school is one of approximately 65 schools that are part of the Association of American Universities, which is a prestigious group of top-ranked research universities.
If you have your sights set on Tulane for undergrad, you’ll come out of it well-prepared for medical school, whether that’s at Tulane School of Medicine or elsewhere. In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the requirements for premed students at Tulane and hone in on how you can fulfill each of those requirements. Then, we’ll discuss options for extracurriculars that are available for Tulane premed students. Finally, we’ll look at what the future may look like for Tulane graduates, especially those interested in continuing their education at Tulane School of Medicine.
----
Part 2: Tulane premed requirements
While Tulane offers a wide range of course options for undergraduate students, as a premed, you will have certain courses you’ll need to take in preparation for the MCAT as well as medical school in general. This means that for the first two years of college, your schedule won’t look much different from other premeds since the requirements are so stringent. However, as the years go by, what you have room to take varies depending on what you took earlier on.
To help you visually see what classes you might take, we’ve put together a table that outlines Tulane’s premed requirements based on the recommendations from the pre-health advising department at Tulane.
| Biology: Two courses with lab | General Biology 1 and 2 (with labs) |
|||||
| Chemistry: 1. General chemistry: One year with lab 2. Organic chemistry: One year with lab 3. Biochemistry: One course |
1. Chemistry 1 and 2 (with labs) 2. Organic Chemistry 1 and 2 (with labs) 3. Biochemistry |
|||||
| Calculus: One course | Calculus 1, 2, or 3 |
|||||
| Statistics: One course | Stats for Scientists | |||||
| Physics: Two courses with lab | Physics 1 and 2 with lab |
|||||
| College-level English/writing: Two courses | Writing | |||||
Note that while the Pre-Health Academic Advising page at Tulane’s website does not specify any coursework in English/Writing, Psychology, or Sociology. However, completion of those courses prior to taking the MCAT will better prepare you for what is on the exam. To remain competitive, you should strive to complete all of the above plus at least two courses in English/Writing, and one course each in Psychology and Sociology.
Based on the list of recommended courses above, chances are that you may end up taking more than one science course in a given semester, especially in the early years of your college career. Many premed students at Tulane major in Biology or Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB). Below is just one example of how you might balance your coursework as a premed majoring in Biology or CMB at Tulane:
| Freshman Fall | CHEM 1070 / LAB 1075 CELL 1010 or Other Biology ENG 1010 |
|||||
| Freshman Spring | CHEM 1080 / LAB 1085 EBIO 1010 / LAB 1015 |
|||||
| Sophomore Fall | CHEM 2410 / LAB 2415 CELL 2050 Genetics CELL LAB 2115 |
|||||
| Sophomore Spring | CHEM 2420 / LAB 2425 MATH 1210 |
|||||
| Junior Fall | PHYS 1210 / LAB 1211 MATH 1230 |
|||||
| Junior Spring | PHYS 1220 / LAB 1221 CELL BIOCHEM 4010 |
|||||
----
Part 3: Tulane premed extracurriculars
With over 200 student organizations on campus, you’re sure to find one that fits your interests and desires! The following may interest premed students at Tulane:
Biology Enthusiast's Association of Students at Tulane - BEAST is a biology club designed to provide opportunities for networking and research for those with an avid interest in the biological sciences.
Biomedical Engineering Society - This is a group that sponsors academic, professional, and social programs for those interested in biomedical engineering.
Global Health Collaborative - While this group may interest many premeds, it would be of particular interest to those with an interest in a career in global health.
Minority Association of Pre-Med Students - This organization strives to prepare underrepresented groups with the knowledge and skills necessary to remain competitive during the med school application process.
Pre-Medical Society - As an organization, this group collectively aims to foster a sense of community among premed students at Tulane while also providing them with opportunities to hear from select speakers and engage in community service.
Healthcare Policy Club - This organization provides students with varied interests in political science, public health, economics, and international relations a way to join those interests together as they work toward learning and understanding how healthcare policy affects their communities.
As a premed at Tulane, you’ll also be expected to engage in activities such as shadowing physicians, clinical and community volunteering, and research. The following provides students with opportunities to fulfill those interests:
MEDLIFE - MEDLIFE is an organization whose goal is to “build a worldwide Movement empowering the poor in their fight for equal access to healthcare, education, and a safe home.” This student organization is likely to particularly interest students with a passion for public health.
Public Health Undergraduate Student Government - PHUSG provides students with ample opportunities to engage in discussions surrounding health-related issues outside the classroom. Whether it’s a documentary screening, networking event, or alumni mixer, premeds at Tulane are given the opportunity to explore the topic of public health from many angles.
Biomedical Innovation for Global Impact - This is an organization with a mission to come up with innovative solutions to common challenges in global health.
Students with an interest in fellowship opportunities might look into the Truman Scholarship, designed for high-achieving students (3.5+ GPA) with an interest in public service. Those looking for research opportunities with international leanings may be interested in the DAAD RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) which will enable them to complete a summer research internship in Germany at a top university!
Further reading: How to Ask to Shadow a Doctor
----
Part 4: Getting into medical school as a Tulane premed
Undoubtedly, you’ve spent your whole time at Tulane with one end goal in mind: getting into medical school. Whether you’re interested in Tulane Medical School or attending elsewhere, your time during undergrad is important toward achieving those goals.
Getting into Tulane Medical School
Tulane Medical School’s admission rates are tough, and they only admitted around 190 students for the class of 2026. Out of nearly 16,000 applicants, only about 600 received an invitation to interview. Of those who matriculated, the average GPA was 3.58 and the average MCAT was 510.
In addition to being a high-achieving student, Tulane Medical School recommends completing coursework in the following areas:
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
Laboratory or Field Experiences
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Expository writing
Statistics
Psychology
Genetics
Physics
Sociology
Biochemistry
Further reading: How to Get Into Tulane Medical School
Final thoughts
Tulane University is known for turning out strong candidates for medical school. According to data from the AAMC, 242 graduates from Tulane University applied to med school for the 2022-2023 application year. If you have a passion for medicine and an interest in exploring the broader areas of healthcare, consider applying to Tulane and pursuing a premed path.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
