How to Succeed as a University of Wisconsin–Madison Premed
/Everything you need to know to navigate UW Madison premed, including UW Madison premed requirements and extracurriculars, the best premed major, and the UW Madison premed acceptance rate
learn how to get into medical school as a uw Madison premed
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Part 1: Introduction
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is one of the top public universities in the United States, to the extent that it is sometimes referred to as a “Public Ivy.” According to US News & World Report, UW Madison is the 12th-ranked public school and the 35th-ranked university in the country. It also ranks in the top 100 for “best value schools.”
With a total undergraduate enrollment of 35,665 in the fall of 2023, UW Madison consistently produces among the most medical school applicants of any school in the country. During the 2023-2024 cycle, UW Madison produced 477 applicants, which was 14th most in the nation. So, as a premed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison you certainly won’t be alone in your quest to get into medical school.
UW Madison’s freshman enrollment was 7,966 in the fall of 2023, which means that roughly 6% of UW Madison students end up applying to medical school. This percentage is, of course, inexact because people apply to medical school at various points in their lives. This should give you some sense, however, of what the academic landscape at UW Madison looks like. As a premed student you will be working alongside many students with similar goals, but in the overall university you will have access to a broad range of experiences.
With there being a significant premed population at UW Madison, the university also has many resources to help you make sense of the premed journey. Many of these resources can be accessed through the Center for Pre-Health Advising (CPHA), which provides information on pathways to a wide variety of health professions. CPHA offers weekly drop-in advising sessions and you can also go to their website to schedule appointments for other times. They serve as a resource not only for current students but for alumni as well—no matter how long it’s been since you were a student at UW Madison!
The University of Wisconsin–Madison also provides significant opportunities ranging from the courses on offer to extracurriculars to research and shadowing experience. This guide will help you navigate your options to find the premed path that works for you.
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Part 2: UW Madison premed requirements
While it’s important to look into the academic requirements of each medical school you end up applying to (they vary slightly between schools), this list of required courses should satisfy the requirements of just about any of them. As you will see, there are certain classes that all premed students will have to take. For some requirements, though, you are free to choose from a wide variety of courses. Much of this information comes from CPHA’s recommended courses.
Here is a table detailing premed requirements at UW Madison:
| Biological Sciences: One year with one lab | Choose one of the following sequences: Biology/Zoology/Botany 151-152 (Introductory Biology) or Zoology 101-102 and an additional bioscience course with lab (e.g., Botany 130, Anat&Phy 335/435, Anat&Phy 337 and 338) or Biocore: Biocore 381-382 and 383-384 satisfies Intro to Bio requirements; Biocore 485-486 Organismal Biology lecture/lab (Satisfies I/A bio) |
Intermediate/advanced Biology coursework may be recommended or required depending on your major and schools where you apply. CPHA recommends that students majoring outside of the biological sciences take at least one additional intermediate/advanced level Biology class in order to demonstrate ability in upper level courses. | ||||
| General chemistry: One year with one lab | Choose one of the following sequences: Chemistry 103-104 or Chemistry 109 (most schools accept Chem 109 as equivalent to two semesters of inorganic chemistry; some may ask for a letter to verify this, which the Chemistry department is happy to provide) |
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| Organic chemistry: One year with one lab | Chemistry 343 (Introductory Organic Chemistry)
Chemistry 344 (Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab) Chemistry 345 (Intermediate Organic Chemistry) |
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| Biochemistry: One course | Choose one of the following: Biochemistry 501 (Introduction to Biochemistry) or Biochemistry 507-508 (General Biochemistry I & II) |
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| Math/Statistics: One year (must include calculus and statistics) | Choose one of the following courses: Math 211, Math 217, or Math 221 (Note that Math 112 is a prerequisite for Chem 103 and Physics 103, while Math 217 or Math 221 are prerequisites for Physics 201 and Physics 207) And choose one of the following: Statistics 301, Statistics 371, or an introductory statistics course in your major department |
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| Physics: One year with one lab | Choose one of the following sequences: Physics 103-104 (algebra-based) or Physics 201-202 (calculus-based; recommended for Engineering majors) or Physics 207-208 (calculus-based; recommended for Life Science majors) |
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| English/Writing: One year (must include writing — this requirement varies somewhat from school to school) | Two semesters of English, Comparative Literature, or other “writing-intensive” courses | |||||
| Psychology/Sociology: Recommended, especially for MCAT prep, but not required | Introductory Psychology: Psych 202 Introductory Sociology (options include): Soc 120, 125, 134, 138, 140, 170, Soc 210 (also Comm-B), or Soc 211 |
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When it comes to juggling these requirements alongside those of your major and UW Madison’s “General Education” requirements, it is a good idea to plan ahead. This way you won’t find yourself playing catch-up and struggling to keep up with an unmanageable course-load.
If you are planning to apply to medical school “straight through”—i.e. without taking a gap year—it is in your best interest to complete your premed requirements by the end of your junior year. This will allow you to complete all of your relevant coursework before taking the MCAT, which is a major advantage. It will also leave your senior year more open so that you can continue to bolster your application with extracurriculars, focus on interviews and complete any remaining requirements for your major.
Sample three-year plan
Here is a sample three-year plan that demonstrates how you might fit all of your premed requirements into your first three years of undergrad. Note, however, that if you are planning to take a gap year, you may want to spread these requirements over your full four-year course of study.
| Freshman Fall | CHEM 103 MATH 221 ENGL 100 |
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| Freshman Spring | CHEM 104 STAT 371 PSYCH 202 |
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| Sophomore Fall | Biology/Botany/Zoology 151
CHEM 343 BIOCHEM 501 |
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| Sophomore Spring | Biology/Botany/Zoology 152 CHEM 344 CHEM 345 |
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| Junior Fall | PHYSICS 103 SOC 140 |
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| Junior Spring | PHYSICS 104 ENGL 241 |
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While this plan means taking at least two required courses each semester of your first three years at UW Madison, it is still manageable. And it provides great relief to get through your premed requirements with a year to spare. That said, if you don’t find yourself moving at this pace don’t despair. Taking a gap year can be valuable not only as life experience but also a way to strengthen your medical school application.
One or multiple gap years could allow you to gain professional experience, obtain a relevant master’s degree (in a field such as Narrative Medicine or Public Health, for example), or dig deeper into your extracurriculars and find ways to connect them to medicine. A music major, for instance, might use this time to start a music therapy program for children with developmental disabilities.
How to maintain a high GPA as a UW Madison premed
While medical school admissions committees (adcoms) often foreground their “holistic” approach to admissions, GPA and MCAT scores are still the foundations of any medical school application. With so many applicants and so few spots, adcoms often use these quantifiable stats to determine whether your application moves beyond an initial, cursory review. So, maintaining a high GPA is absolutely key to getting into the medical school of your dreams.
This will be a challenge for anyone at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, which is known for its rigorous academics. (It should be noted, however, that this level of rigor, or prestige, can also be a boon to your medical school application. Admissions committees are well aware that a 3.8 GPA at UW Madison is not the same as a 3.8 GPA from your local community college.) Creating an overall plan for your undergraduate studies (while still allowing for flexibility) will be an important way to balance your academic load. Some semesters will inevitably be more difficult than others, but balancing this difficulty as evenly as possible will raise your odds for success. Here are some additional guidelines to keep your GPA where you’d like it:
Plan ahead and use your time wisely. While we’ve covered this on a broader scale (planning over the course of multiple years), we also need to think about time management on a monthly, weekly or day-to-day basis. One of the best ways to manage your time is by creating work schedules and priority lists. Blocking out periods for coursework will also help you enjoy your well-earned free time. A consistent scheduling practice will be hugely beneficial when it comes to balancing extracurriculars with your schoolwork. Get in the habit of creating “to-do lists” and detailed calendars or agendas.
Expect the premed track to be a challenge. Even if you cruised through high school, the premed track at UW Madison will be a struggle. When this challenge hits you, it might cause you to second-guess your abilities. It’s important to be aware of the mental component which can lead to feelings of imposter syndrome. Understand that this response is quite common and expect to put in more academic effort than you have before, studying hard and often. Adjusting your mindset will be essential to sustaining focus over the long haul.
Take advantage of office hours and TA sessions. It’s important to ask questions when you don’t understand course material. Everyone misses something here and there, and it won’t do any good to soldier on alone. The longer you wait to ask for help, the more likely you are to fall behind.
Join a study group or create one of your own. This is another place where you can ask questions, while also supporting one another’s commitment to the premed track. It can be rejuvenating to find people who are facing the same hurdles as you. If you can’t find a supportive, non-competitive study group consider organizing one of your own.
Finally, as touched upon above, remember to not overburden yourself with a heavy course-load to the point that it adversely affects your GPA. This means keeping tabs on the various assignments that each class requires. You don’t want to find yourself suddenly burdened with midterms or finals for four classes at once. And, remember, a well-thought out plan always leaves space for alterations. If you’re having trouble fitting all of your requirements into the fall and spring semester, for instance, consider supplementing them with summer classes.
If you decide to join the premed track later on or if you find yourself falling behind, it will also be worth considering completing certain premed requirements as a “special (non-degree seeking) student.” While the University of Wisconsin–Madison does not have a post-bacc program, as a “special student” you can complete or repeat prerequisite coursework on the UW Madison campus after graduation. This can also be an opportunity to improve your GPA. If you need to improve your GPA you can also consider applying to Special Masters Programs (SMPs).
(Suggested reading: Average GPA and MCAT Score for Every Medical School)
What’s the best premed major?
This is a common question for premeds all over. In short, the answer is that there is no universal best major for premeds. Although it may seem counterintuitive, majoring in the biological sciences does not give you a statistical advantage over someone who is majoring in history.
That said, there are certain majors that are most common for premed students, with biology topping the list. One advantage of choosing a STEM major is that there will likely be significant overlap between your premed requirements and your major requirements. Majoring in STEM can also lead to forming close relationships with faculty who have a greater understanding of what it takes to become a doctor. In these majors, however, it can often be difficult to maintain a high GPA.
In addition to these practical concerns, it is, above all, essential to choose a major that excites you. This will make school more enjoyable, and your passion will provide motivation to engage with coursework more deeply. You are also more likely to create something that stands out when you follow your own interests instead of prioritizing what you imagine adcoms want to see. Medical school adcoms are looking for intellectual curiosity and they want to know what makes you unique. So, here are three questions to ask yourself when picking a major:
Does the major excite you?
Will you be able to maintain a high GPA?
How will it fit with your premed requirements?
When Should You Take the MCAT?
Determining when you should take the MCAT depends on a number of factors such as the premed classes you’ve completed and when you are planning to apply to medical school. If you are planning to apply to medical school “straight through” we generally recommend taking the MCAT for the first time in the fall of your junior year. This will allow you to study in the summer after your sophomore year. It will also provide adequate time in case you need to retake the test.
It is important, however, to have completed most of your premed requirements before taking the MCAT. If you have not completed most of these requirements before the fall of your junior year, it would be smart to hold off on taking the test until later in the school year. You should also hold off if you are scoring poorly on AAMC practice tests and need more time to study. We recommend studying for at least 300 hours, which averages out to about three hours a day for three months.
Your biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry required courses are particularly important to take before the MCAT. Even though the biochemistry premed requirements are less than those of the other sciences, it is, in fact, one of the most important subjects to master for the MCAT. If you are planning to take one or more gap years before medical school we generally recommend waiting until your senior year or later to take the MCAT. This will allow you to complete all of your premed requirements and then prepare for the test to your greatest ability.
(Suggested reading: What MCAT Score Do You Need to Get Into Medical School?)
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Part 3: UW Madison premed extracurriculars
When it comes to picking your extracurriculars, medical school adcoms value meaningful, sustained engagement as opposed to merely checking off all of the boxes. So, while it’s important that your extracurriculars demonstrate personal qualities and experiences that make you well-suited to being a doctor, they do not need to be exclusively medicine-related. You might demonstrate empathy, for instance, by organizing a holiday gift drive for seniors at the local nursing home, or you might demonstrate analytical skills by leading your debate team to the national championship. In addition to broader extracurriculars, research, shadowing and volunteering/clinical experience are three areas to make sure you focus on.
Suggested reading: How to Choose the Right Extracurricular Activities for Medical School)
Research at UW Madison
As one of the twelve founding members of the Association of American Universities—a selective group of major research universities—the University of Wisconsin–Madison is home to a very active community of researchers in the health sciences and beyond. It is classified as an R1 University, which connotes the highest level of research activity, and in 2021 UW Madison ranked 8th among American universities for research and development expenditures.
The Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE) at UW Madison offers programs designed to provide STEM students with meaningful experiences outside of the classroom. They facilitate research opportunities and professional development while also offering courses that serve as an introduction to the world of scientific research. WISCIENCE also organizes BioCommons, “a gathering space on the lower level of Steenbock Library that helps make it easier to navigate and find your place in the STEM landscape.” This is a space where you can meet with advisors or peers who have been where you are. It is also a place to connect and to find solidarity on your premed journey.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison also hosts an Undergraduate Research Scholars Program that allows first- and second-year students to receive academic credit by participating in research with UW Madison faculty and staff. In this program “scholars” are matched with “mentors'' for a year-long research or creative practice project. This provides a great opportunity to form a connection that can potentially lead to an excellent letter of recommendation for medical school.
Additionally, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at UW Madison places a strong emphasis on research and hands-on learning. In recent years, over 50% of CALS students have earned credit for research experience in labs or internships. These opportunities cover a wide range of concentrations, with many students taking advantage of international internships as well.
Shadowing at UW Madison
Finding shadowing opportunities as a premed can be a daunting task that often involves cold-calling and putting yourself out there. Shadowing is an extremely valuable experience, though, in that it will teach you what being a doctor entails. With such a wide variety of medical occupations out there, it is a good idea to seek a range of shadowing experiences.
Fortunately, the University of Wisconsin–Madison provides a few paths to make this easier for you. The Center for Pre-Health Advising administers the Health Professions Shadowing Program (HPSP) along with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH). This is an entirely free, intensive, two-week program that combines shadowing with professional development experience. The program is designed to increase access, equity and diversity in healthcare. Students typically shadow a variety of health care professionals in areas ranging from pediatrics to cardiology to genetic counseling.
When it comes to organizing your own shadowing experiences, different hospitals and clinics each have their own shadowing policies. UW Health University Hospital, located on the western edge of UW Madison’s campus, is a good place to begin your search. In order to shadow at UW Health you should identify a provider to shadow and have them fill out this form (which you need login credentials to access) specifying the dates that you will be shadowing.
You may also want to look into other hospitals and clinics in the area in order to gain a fuller understanding of the options available to you as a physician. Some additional medical facilities to look into are:
William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans’ Hospital – also located on the western edge of UW Madison’s Campus
UW Health American Family’s Children’s Hospital – a branch of UW Health
SSM Health Saint Mary’s Hospital – located in central Madison, WI
Our Lady of Hope Clinic – a free clinic located nearby in Middleton, WI
If you’re having trouble finding shadowing opportunities you can also reach out to alumni. Remember that UW Madison alumni who are now working in the medical field have been through the same things you’re currently going through. They will likely be sympathetic to your plight.
(Suggested reading: How to Ask to Shadow a Doctor)
Volunteering and clinical experience at UW Madison
There is a plethora of options for volunteering and clinical experience at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and in the surrounding area. The Morgridge Center for Public Service offers a number of ways to make a positive impact in the community. They administer Badger Volunteers, which is a semester-long program that pairs teams of students with community organizations to volunteer 1 to 4 hours each week at the same organization. The Morgridge Center also facilitates Community-Based Learning, which combines course content with real-world experience as part of for-credit classes.
Here are a few organizations in the Madison area that you might want to look into:
Agrace Hospice Care – Agrace welcomes volunteers in a wide variety of capacities. Some volunteers work directly with patients in their homes or long-term care facilities, while others work in Agrace’s offices and thrift stores. You can choose from a number of roles to suit your schedule, with most roles requiring a 50-hour per-year minimum commitment. This can be a great opportunity to connect with patients and learn about hospice and palliative care.
Community Living Connections – Community Living Connections supports individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, and frail elders who are living as independently as possible in their own homes. This is another opportunity to work directly with patients and learn the ins and outs of individualized care.
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin – Prevent Blindness Wisconsin is a not-for-profit volunteer organization founded in 1958 that provides free, direct sight-saving services throughout the state of Wisconsin. One way in which students volunteer with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin is by becoming a certified vision screener for either children or adults. This means conducting vision screenings at childcare centers, schools, and in community settings.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison also boasts a number of student organizations related to medicine and the health professions. A few of these organizations are:
Cardiac on Campus – a group that aims to prevent sudden cardiac arrest at UW Madison and in the greater Madison community through free CPR classes, free electrocardiogram (ECG) readings and donations of AEDs to local buildings.
Community Health Volunteers of Madison – an organization that aims to bring awareness to and counteract health disparities that affect the greater Madison area.
Pre-Student Osteopathic Medical Association (Pre-SOMA) – UW Madison’s branch of the national organization for students pursuing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree.
While these are a few medically-related student organizations, it will be worthwhile to explore the entire range of offerings at UW Madison to find the groups that you are passionate about.
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Part 4: Getting into medical school from UW Madison
As mentioned earlier, in 2023 477 students applied to medical school from UW Madison. While we don’t have data specific to these applicants, overall in the 2023-2024 cycle about 43.7% of medical school applicants ended up matriculating into an MD-granting medical school. This represents an improvement from especially difficult cycles in 2021-2022 (when only 38% matriculated) and 2022-2023 (when only 42.7% matriculated).
If you would like to stay in Madison, The School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) at UW Madison is worth considering. SMPH ranks as the 26th best medical school in the country for primary care and as the 35th best medical school for research. Being a resident of Wisconsin will help you to some degree—at least 70% of students in each matriculating class are Wisconsin residents. Their overall acceptance rate, however, is 5.1%. It’s natural for this percentage, as well as those of many of the other top medical schools, to give you pause. Know, however, that the prestige and rigor of a UW Madison undergraduate education will give you just about as good a chance as anyone.
(Suggested reading: How Hard Is It to Get Into Medical School?)
Final Thoughts
While getting through premed at UW Madison will not be a walk in the park, the experience will provide countless opportunities for personal, academic and professional growth. At a large school, with such a wide range of offerings, it will be important to find the premed path that works for you. This guide should serve as an overview of available opportunities, as well as things to keep in mind during your four years of undergraduate studies. We encourage you to dig deeper into the resources collected here as you progress on your journey to become a doctor.
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.
