Requirements for Entrance in August 2010

The MCAT is required and should be taken no later than September 2009 to be considered for admission in August 2010. Applicants are strongly urged to complete the regular four-year undergraduate curriculum and take the appropriate recommended courses before the study of medicine. The school encourages a balance between the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.

Minimum academic requirements for admission are satisfactory completion of the required subjects as specified below with a total of ninety hours of acceptable semester hours at the time of registration. All coursework must be completed in a satisfactory manner, at a grade-level of C or better, in an educational institution within the United States that has been approved by an appropriate accrediting agency.

Acceptance of advanced placement for credit toward fulfilling specific requirements in the sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) may be approved on a case-by-case basis.  Transfer credit from medical schools outside of the United States is generally not permissible.

REQUIRED SUBJECTS

Chemistry

Eight semester hours of general/inorganic chemistry with laboratory
and
Eight semester hours of organic chemistry with laboratory

Physics

Eight semester hours of general physics with laboratory.

Biology

Eight semester hours of general biology with laboratory.

English

Six semester hours of spoken and written English.

OTHER RECOMMENDED COURSES

Enrollment in any of the following science courses may be beneficial to applicants: biochemistry, cell biology, comparative vertebrate anatomy, computer sciences, embryology (developmental biology), histology, mathematics, microbiology, molecular genetics, physiology, statistics (epidemiology).
Selection from the following arts and humanities courses is recommended: economics, English, ethics, foreign languages, history, philosophy, psychology, public speaking, sociology.

MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST (MCAT)

LSUHSC School of Medicine in New Orleans requires every applicant to take the MCAT.  The test is administered multiple times during the year at testing centers throughout the nation.  This examination must be taken at an appropriate time by all applicants. To apply for the MCAT examination or additional information sign on to the MCAT web page: www.aamc.org/mcat 

The MCAT is required and must be taken by September 2009 which enables scores to be received by the Admissions Office prior to the November 30, 2009 AMCAS application deadline.

AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGE APPLICATION SERVICE (AMCAS)

All applicants must apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). A web application is available from the AAMC's website: http://www.aamc.org/

For informational purposes, the address and telephone number for AMCAS is indicated below:

American Medical College Application Service
Association of American Medical Colleges
Section for Student Services
2501 M Street, NW. Lbby-26
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 828-0600

The Association of American Medical Colleges also has a one-stop medical education shop on the Web, connecting all aspiring and new physicians to the services and information they need.
It's home base for everyone with medicine in their future: http://www.tomorrowsdoctors.org

SECONDARY APPLICATION

All applicants must submit the LSU Secondary Application to the School of Medicine. All applicants must be in compliance with the Technical Standards in order to be considered for admission.  The Technical Standards may be viewed at: admissions/docs/TECHNICAL%20STANDARDS.pdf Once the Office of Admissions has received the AMCAS application, the applicants will be notified by e-mail with the web address to download the Secondary Application. 

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Each applicant must submit three letters of recommendation from professors who have taught them in didactic classes in the sciences or math or the applicant may submit a composite recommendation from their school's pre-professional committee. Additional letters, while not required, may be submitted for consideration by the Admissions' Committee.

In order for the application to be considered complete, an applicant's file must contain the AMCAS application, the LSU Secondary Application and the required letters of recommendation or composite recommendation.