How to Succeed as a Wake Forest University Premed
/Gain a comprehensive understanding of Wake Forest University's premed program. Learn about premed prerequisites, top extracurricular activities, and the acceptance rate for WFU premed students
Everything you need to know to succeed as a wake forest premed
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Part 1: Introduction
Wake Forest University traces its roots back to before the Civil War in 1834 and is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in North Carolina. After relocating to the city of Winston-Salem in 1956, the academic offerings at the school gradually expanded and became more robust, garnering accolades and notoriety for the high quality of its education.
Its medical school in particular is highly regarded across the nation as a Top 50 school according to US News and World Report. Wake Forest University School of Medicine is well known for its research acumen and dedication to investigating highly diverse fields, from regenerative medicine and neuroscience to Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. If you’re interested in pursuing a career at the forefront of medical research in these areas, you may be attracted to Wake Forest for undergrad.
Being accepted into Wake Forest for undergrad is no small feat, but navigating the process from freshman premed to medical school acceptance is even trickier. It will require dedication, grit, proper planning, and a belief in serving the greater good above all else.
In this guide, we’ll cover the particulars of what it takes to be successful as a Wake Forest premed. We’ll take a close look at the premed requirements, which extracurriculars help you stand out on med school applications, how to obtain shadowing and volunteering hours, as well as discuss the acceptance rate for premeds graduating from Wake Forest.
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Part 2: Wake Forest University premed requirements
From your first day on campus to your medical school interview day, you’ll be ticking boxes and satisfying requirements. You’ll need to show you’ve completed certain science and education courses to even be eligible to apply to medical school, but the path you take through those classes and extracurriculars is entirely up to you. Planning early and well is vital to your success as a premed and will necessitate a lot of forethought. Fortunately, as a Wake Forest premed, you’ll have pre-health advisors at your disposal ready to assist and guide you through the process.
When it comes to the requirements you’ll need to fulfill as a Wake Forest premed, your courses align with the requirements of most medical schools. We’ve created a handy table outlining the courses at Wake Forest below.
| Biology: One year (with lab) Note: 'L' indicates lab |
BIO 150/L
BIO 160/L |
Recommended:
HES 350 (Human Physiology) and a course in cell and molecular biology |
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| Chemistry: 1. General Chemistry: Two semesters (with lab) 2. Organic Chemistry: Two semesters (with lab) 3. Biochemistry: One semester |
General Chemistry CHM 111 (General Chemistry I) CHM 280 (General Chemistry II) Organic Chemistry CHM 122 or 123 (Organic Chemistry I) CHM 223 (Organic Chemistry II) Biochemistry BMB 370 Biochemistry I: Macromolecules and Metabolism |
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| Calculus: One (semester) course |
MTH 111 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
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| Statistics: One (semester) course | STA 111 Elementary Probability and Statistics
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| Physics: Two semesters (with lab) |
Note from WFU: The physics offered at Wake Forest is calculus-based.
Some medical schools recommend calculus, and since it is a prerequisite for PHY 113/L and 114/L,
or PHY 123/L and 124/L, you should plan to take it if you do not have AP credit for it.
PHY 113/L PHY 114/L |
PHY 123/L PHY 124/L |
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| College-level English/writing: Two (semesters) courses | Choose from among the following:
WRI 109 WRI 110 ENG 150* |
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| Psychology: One semester | PSY 151 Introductory Psychology | Wake Forest notes only one Psych or Soc course is required but one of each is recommended. | ||||
| Sociology: One semester | SOC 151 Principles of Sociology | |||||
From the table above, we can see that premeds at Wake Forest have a lot on their plate. Cramming these courses into your four-year tenure as an undergrad can be a daunting prospect, especially when you need to factor in time for extracurricular activities, studying for and taking the MCAT, and sending off medical school applications.
To this end, we’ve created a three-year course plan in the table below that’s based on Wake Forest’s own recommendations. In our table, we’re assuming the student does not wish to take a gap year before medical school and will take the MCAT during their junior year. We also assume they will not study abroad.
| Freshman Fall | CHM 111/L
BIO150/L WRI 109 |
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| Freshman Spring | CHM 122/L
BIO160/L WRI 110 |
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| Freshman Summer | MTH 111
STA 111 |
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| Sophomore Fall | CHM 223/L
PHY 113/L or PHY 123/L SOC 151 Principles of Sociology |
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| Sophomore Spring | CHM 280/L
PHY 114/L or PHY 124/L |
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| Sophomore Summer | PSY 151 Introductory Psychology
PHY 113/L or PHY 123/L |
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| Junior Fall | BIO 370 or CHM 370
HES 350 or BIO 245 |
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| Junior Spring | MCAT
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If you follow this path, it’s possible to complete all the requirements and still leave yourself with enough time to put your full effort into your med school applications. Be sure to check which classes are being held during the summer session at Wake Forest.
Be sure to work with your advisor to design a plan that aligns with your situation, and don’t be afraid to alter it if your situation changes. The last thing you want is to struggle unnecessarily and end up putting a dent in your GPA.
How to maintain a high GPA as a Wake Forest premed
Your schedule as a Wake Forest premed will be overflowing with responsibilities. General education and major requirements in addition to courses needed for medical school and extracurriculars will eat into your time to study. With so much on your plate, keeping your GPA as close to 4.0 as possible can seem like an impossible task.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, one possible route to consider is completing a post-bacc program. Taking this option means you won’t be able to go directly to medical school after your four years as an undergrad, but it will give you extra time to focus on your grades and extracurriculars, likely making you a stronger candidate than you otherwise would have been.
A post-bacc program can serve two different purposes depending on your situation. You might have decided to delay many of your premed prerequisites until after graduation so that you can focus on your major, or you may have completed most or all of your premed prerequisites, but still need to improve your grades in those courses to be competitive for med school. Wake Forest doesn’t have a post-bacc program exactly, but they do offer a Biomedical Science (MS) - Prehealth Pathway program that grants you a master’s degree and is a great way to solidify your grades and expertise in science courses you will need for medical school.
In addition to considering a post-bacc, here are a few other pieces of advice for maintaining a sky-high GPA.
Don’t overburden yourself. In the same vein as delaying some courses until after graduation, this piece of advice—if followed—can help you maintain balance and keep your stress levels low, which will translate into higher scores. You’ll be presented with a variety of new and exciting opportunities in college and it will be tempting to say yes to all of them. However, you must choose wisely so that you don’t scatter your efforts. It’s better to say ‘no’ to an extracurricular and get an A in biology than to say yes and end up with a B or C.
Resources and support are available. Make sure you seek out help if you’re struggling academically. Wake Forest provides plenty of support for students that know where to look.
Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS) - Here, you can schedule an academic coaching appointment or a tutoring session with a peer tutor.
The Writing Center - This is where you can get assistance editing and revising your college essays as well as things like resumes, personal statements, and research proposals.
Tutoring - The Math and Stats Center, as well as the Chemistry and Biology departments, all offer drop-in tutoring if you need it.
Ask your advisor. Students at Wake Forest are assigned a general academic advisor for the first two years who is there to help you navigate difficult classes.
Pre-health Listserv - Don’t forget to sign up to the pre-health listserv to stay up to date on tips for success, happenings around campus, and connect with others working their way through premed. It’s always good to have a support network to lean on if you need it!
What is the best Wake Forest premed major?
The majority of premed students think that majoring in one of the sciences, such as biology or chemistry, will grant them an edge on their medical school applications in one way or another. Whether they believe it will result in a higher MCAT score, a greater likelihood of securing shadowing or research opportunities, or just more favorable treatment by admissions committees, there are no definite statistics to back up this belief.
The admissions process at medical schools is truly holistic, and no one major is valued over another. While the path to a white coat includes a substantial amount of STEM classes, that in no way diminishes the chances of humanities majors on their quest into med school. Humanities majors tend to possess excellent critical thinking and fine-tuned communication skills, both qualities highly valued in the medical profession.
In fact, according to U.S. News and World Report, the most popular majors at Wake Forest include Business, Management, Marketing, Social Sciences Journalism, and then the Biological Sciences. So if no particular Wake Forest major is preferred by adcoms, how do you know what to major in as an undergrad?
The answer is simple: follow your passion. If you choose to study something you love for the next four years, you’re much more likely to achieve higher scores with less effort. This may leave you with more time to develop interests outside of your classes, thereby making you a more attractive applicant for med schools.
When should you take the MCAT?
Of all the planning decisions you need to make as a Wake Forest premed, when to take the MCAT is one of the most important. Wrapped up in this decision are many other considerations, such as, “Will you take a gap year?” and “Do you need to leave time for a retake, if necessary?”
These decisions come down to your personal preference and what your optimal timeline is for starting med school. After settling on a course of action, you’ll want to map out a study schedule and stick to it religiously so that you achieve your highest score the first time.
We usually advise students who do not wish to take a gap year to schedule their MCAT exam for the spring semester of their junior year. This allows them to cover as much material as possible in their classes before taking the MCAT. If you follow our three-year course plan above, you’ll have completed your biology, chemistry, physics, and calculus requirements as well as social science courses before you sit for the test.
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Part 3: Wake Forest University premed extracurriculars
Your extracurricular experiences are a vital part of the holistic medical school application process. Med schools are looking for candidates with a broad range of interests, commitment to service, humanity, and leadership, in addition to a stellar academic record.
Ticking these boxes is a tall order for anyone, especially when you’ve got classes to attend and the MCAT to study for. That’s why, as with almost everything in a premed’s journey, proper planning is key.
Planning what you can handle and when you can do it starts with the first step—finding what’s out there. For general extracurriculars, there are a number of student organizations at Wake Forest where you can explore your interests and demonstrate your leadership skills. From cultural organizations like the Chinese Culture Club and the World Tea Association, to political ones such as the International Justice Mission or arts organizations like Musical Empowerment, there’s something to cater to everyone’s interest.
If you’re looking for science and/or health-related organizations, there are plenty to choose from. There’s a Neuroscience Club, Beta Beta Beta (BBB), a biological honors society as well as Alpha Epsilon Delta, the premedical honors society. As a premed, you would also be wise to join the Health Occupations Students of America group at Wake Forest.
Suggested Reading: (How to Choose the Right Extracurricular Activities for Medical School)
Volunteering at Wake Forest
Volunteering has become a necessary part of any med school application as many schools mention some type of community service in their mission statements. Whether this is helping underserved populations, in rural areas, or somewhere in between, medical schools love to see an applicant’s dedication and leadership on display.
To find volunteering opportunities as a Wake Forest premed the Volunteer Service Corps is a great place to start. Here, you can get connected to organizations in the greater Winston-Salem area helping the poor, with the American Red Cross in northwestern North Carolina, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, and many others.
Clinical volunteering at Wake Forest
If you’re seeking medically-oriented volunteering opportunities as opposed to those that just help support the community, there are a variety of organizations you can reach out to here as well. Some of those organizations include:
Community Homecare and Hospice - Hospices are often in need of volunteers, and this is a great way to show your compassion as well as gain more experience with patient interactions—something that could be beneficial when writing those all-important secondary essays.
Community Care Center - This community clinic serves the Winston-Salem area and is a great way to showcase your commitment to those in need in med school applications.
There are also other free and reduced cost clinics in Forsyth County that you can reach out to regarding opportunities here.
Research at Wake Forest
As mentioned at the beginning of this guide, the Wake Forest School of Medicine is in the top 50 medical schools for research in the nation. For ambitious premeds looking to gain research experience or hoping to contribute to medical breakthroughs in a future career as a physician-scientist there are few better institutions to spend your undergraduate years than Wake Forest.
The Wake Forest School of Medicine offers undergraduate research opportunities every year. Additionally, if you’re not planning to follow an MD-PhD route and just wish to practice medicine, there are a variety of ways to participate in research at Wake Forest University in a non-medical field. A few of these opportunities include:
Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Center (URECA) - If you have an idea for a creative or research project, you can find support here.
Wake Forest Research Fellowship - This fellowship will have you mentored by a faculty member in addition to giving you a stipend to complete your project. Projects funded range from STEM to the humanities, so whatever you’d like to dive into it could be funded.
Richter Scholarship - If you are considering studying abroad and have an idea for an independent research project, the Richter Scholarship may be your ticket. It awards up to $6,000 to cover travel and living expenses for awardees.
Starr Travel Grant - If you’ve already completed your research and require funding to present your findings at a conference, the Starr Travel Grant could assist you.
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) - This program allows undergraduates the opportunity to engage in ongoing research projects or in projects designed for the REU program. You’ll work under the direction of faculty and other researchers.
Wake Forest Humanities and Arts Fellowship - If you have an idea for an artistic project or humanities research specifically, this fellowship could help fund your vision. Support for five-week projects during the summer session is offered.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Summer Undergraduate Research Programs - These research programs offer undergrads the chance to delve into the fascinating projects being explored at WFSOM. The programs cover areas such as:
Biomedical Informatics
Injury Biomechanics
Cardiovascular Sciences
Research in Aging
Regenerative Medicine
Cancer Equity Research
Most of the programs are 10 weeks in length and offer stipends. You’ll typically be mentored by faculty and participate in hands-on research.
Shadowing at Wake Forest
Gaining shadowing experience as a premed is extremely important to your application. You need to be able to show that you’ve witnessed daily life as a doctor and that you’re even more committed to the profession afterward than you were before.
However, getting a chance to shadow a doctor can be tricky. How do you approach a doctor to ask them? Should you just ask anyone? How would you format an email and how would you find someone to ask anyway?
Wake Forest provides some help for their premeds in this department with their Wake Forest University Clinical Internship/Shadowing Program which is offered twice a year. Accepted students shadow a doctor within the Wake Forest Baptist Health System for half a semester, gaining valuable experience along the way.
If you apply to that program but are not successful, here are a few other things to try:
Sign up for Handshake - If you haven’t already done so, you should make a profile on Handshake, a site that matches students with internship opportunities matched to their interests. You’ll regularly get updates about new opportunities in your area tailored to how you built your profile.
Work with the Office of Personal and Career Development (OPCD) - The job of the OPCD at Wake Forest is to help students navigate the path to their careers and is full of practical advice matched with advisors that can help you find shadowing opportunities. You can find lists of current opportunities under their headings for various roles under the “Explore Careers” heading. However, these opportunities are only viewable to current Wake Forest students.You’ll also want to make an appointment with a career coach at OPCD.
Cool or warm email doctors - You may have heard of cold-calling—contacting someone for a sale or a job when you have no prior contact with said person—and be reluctant to try this with a doctor. However, you can ‘cool’ or even ‘warm’ email them instead. If you have a family friend or someone you know in your community (think, a neighbor or someone at your church, mosque or temple) who is a physician, that could be a warm lead. Likewise, searching professional social networking sites like LinkedIn can help you find doctors in the area that also went to Wake Forest for their undergrad. The shared alma mater can be a great icebreaker when emailing to ask for a shadowing position.
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Part 4: Getting into medical school as a Wake Forest University premed
When it has come time for you to put together your applications for medical school, you’ll do so together with the Health Professions Committee (HPC) at Wake Forest. You’ll do this by first filling out the HPC application, stating your intent to apply, and noting your current GPA as well as extracurricular activities.
Part of working with the HPC includes having an interview with the Director of Health Professions in the fall and again in the spring before you apply. They will use this interview combined with the information in your HPC application to write your committee letter which they’ll submit along with three letters of recommendation that you procure from professors or doctors you’ve worked with who know you well. The HPC notes that usually at least two of these letters should be from faculty members.
Furthermore, your premed advisor can also assist you in this process. It’s recommended that you reach out to them with any questions.
Suggested Reading: (Medical School Letters of Recommendation: The Definitive Guide)
Wake Forest premed acceptance rate and admissions statistics
In the 2022 application cycle, Wake Forest University produced 143 undergraduate applicants to medical school, according to AAMC data. The Wake Forest School of Medicine, on the other hand, received 12,066 applications for the incoming class of 2027 all vying for only 145 spots. Suffice to say, that gaining admission to medical school is tough and you’ll need to truly stand out from the crowd whether you dream of attending Wake Forest SOM or elsewhere.
Unfortunately, there isn’t solid data about the acceptance rate of Wake Forest premeds into medical school programs. A little less than half of all applicants get accepted anywhere nationally and if we look at the latest numbers from Wake Forest SOM, their acceptance rate is just 2.17%—an extremely competitive school.
Many students also want to know if their chances of getting into the Wake Forest School of Medicine are enhanced by attending Wake Forest on a premed track. Anecdotally, there may be some truth to this if you have built up relationships with respected faculty members and possibly even physicians at Wake Forest SOM during your undergraduate years.
However, it should be noted that in the latest admissions cycle, a full 61% of acceptances went to out-of-state students. Perhaps a glowing letter of recommendation from a Wake Forest professor could help you somewhat, but it’s far from a golden ticket to entry.
That said, one advantage high-achieving Wake Forest premeds have is the ability to apply to the Early Assurance Program at Wake Forest SOM. If you’re determined to get into medical school and have completed your sophomore year, you may apply for acceptance at Wake Forest SOM with a recommendation from the pre-health committee. Keep in mind, that if accepted to the EAP, this is not an ironclad decision of acceptance to Wake Forest SOM. You’ll still need to maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA, check off any remaining prerequisite courses, and score above the minimum MCAT required by Wake Forest SOM for that admissions cycle.
Final thoughts
With its robust research culture, variety of student groups, excellent academic programs, and reputation for excellence, Wake Forest University is a fantastic place for aspiring doctors to spend their undergraduate years. However, the journey through college and into medical school is a long and challenging one. Even with the support Wake Forest provides, you’ll need to remain disciplined and focused to keep your GPA and MCAT scores high while balancing the prerequisites and extracurriculars necessary to succeed.
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.
