Classes to take to become a Pediatrician?

In High School it won't depend that much on your courses, just make sure you're taking all your sciences and doing well in them.  Every medical school may differ in the EXACT prerequisites they require but it's usually so many hours of biology + lab, chemistry + lab, organic chemistry + lab, and physics + lab.  Check the medical school's website for the specific prerequs they want.  You'll probably just want to major in Biology, Biochemistry, or Microbiology to make it easier. You'll need a very good GPA, especially in your science classes and a good score on the MCAT.  Medical school admission can be very competitive.  I'd recommend getting a part time job in a hospital starting with your sophomore year in college as well.  Be active in your community, put in some social hours, and hit the books hard and you'll do fine.

For high school no specific courses are really needed, as any undergraduate degree would work if they have the necessary courses to apply to medical school.

However if you intend to apply for a pre-med stream in university, you would definitely want biology, chemistry, and calculus done in high school. Physics is recommended as well as some programs may require it as well.

Essentially do all your core sciences, and maths, and do well in English and continue to do so at university and you can expect to get into medical school.

Remember that medical schools can be very competitive to get into, with a high GPA required, and pretty good MCAT scores as well.


As for pediatrician you need to complete medical school, and Step 1 and Step 2 of the USMLE, and then apply for residency at a hospital. If you manage to snag a pediatric residence somewhere it will take you three years after the 4 years of medical school to become a licensed pediatrician.

Overall the MCAT and your university GPA get you into medical school, and your USMLE exams will help you land a pediatric residence. So don't worry too much about high school, do well in the core sciences, and apply to a good undergrad program.

In order to become a Pediatrician you need to go to Medical School. High School has little to do with this, other than determining what college you get into, and this is based primarily on grades, SATs, and extracurricular activities.

So, in High School, focus on getting good grades. Do some SAT prep so you can score high. Volunteer or ask to shadow a doctor in your local area, maybe even your own family physician (this is what I did) to get an idea. This is all to get into a good 4 year college.

I just started my first year of medical school so I am familiar with the process.

Your medical school application will be primarily based on your 4 years of college.
Of course, make sure you do well. There is a lot of debate about what grades you need. I just started my first year of medical school, and from my experience in applying I would say no less than a 3.5 over all, and higher in your science core classes.

I think all medical schools require you to take English, Calculus, General Biology + lab, General Chemistry + lab, Organic Chemistry + lab, Biochemistry + lab, and Physics + Lab. The rest is up to you. You could be a film, art or music major in college, as long as you take these classes b/c they are the basis you need in medical school (the core classes i mentioned above). These classes are also what is tested on the MCATs.

The MCATs are like the SATs that got you into college, only these get you into med school. Right now you need a 30 or above on the MCATs to be a competitive candidate for medical school, but these numbers keep going up. I suggest taking an MCAT test prep course when it comes time to take the exam in your Jr. year of college.

A high GPA and high MCAT score will not get you into medical school though. My friend with a 4.0 and a 41 on the MCAT was rejected... What you need to do is show that you have thought this out before you apply, show you are dedicated, hard working, AND an ethical individual.

The last ingredient is extracurricular. Some say Research and some say Volunteering is most important. Most important though is to show that your were dedicated to what ever it is you were doing and showing continuity. (So volunteering at the same place for a few years straight, not just a few months and then something different) I feel that Volunteer experience looks a little better because you will be exposed to patients. Make sure you volunteer in a medical area, even if it is just visiting patients in a hospital. Also, try and get some shadowing experience. If you go to a good college they should have way to set this up for you, otherwise you will have to seek out local doctors yourself, but most are very willing to let you observe.

Recap: Medschool requires high overall GPA, higher science GPA, high MCAT, dedication/continuity expressed in your extracurriculars. High School just gets you into the college that will start you on the process...