Los Angeles City College campus

Pre-Med Planning Guide

Pre-Med at Los Angeles City College

Los Angeles, CA

As a public two-year college in the heart of Los Angeles, LACC provides accessible pre-med students with essential science and health-related courses alongside opportunities to engage with diverse patient populations. The college’s Health Sciences and Nursing programs form a solid base for pre-medical studies, emphasizing practical skills and academic preparation for transfer to four-year universities.

Los Angeles City College offers foundational coursework and local healthcare connections that support many students in preparing for medical school transfer pathways.

Pre-Med Strength

7.2/10

  • Research
  • Clinical Opportunities
  • Advising
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • STEM Resources

Why Students Choose Los Angeles City For Pre-Med

University-specific pre-med advantages and pipeline signals.

  • Life sciences programs including Health Sciences
  • Access to 4+ hospital systems near Los Angeles
  • Active pre-health community with 3+ student organizations
  • Undergraduate research through while lacc primarily focuses on teaching, students can seek research internships at nearby universities such as ucla or participate in community health projects coordinated through the health sciences department
  • In-state tuition advantage for CA residents pursuing MD programs
  • Personalized planning tools in Pre-Med OS tailored to Los Angeles City students

4-Year Plan

Pre-Med Roadmap

Year-by-year milestones from freshman year through application cycle.

  • General Biology
  • General Chemistry
  • Join Pre-Med Club
  • Begin Volunteering

Your Pre-Med Journey

Track each phase in Pre-Med OS.

Successful Pre-Med Student Profile

Competitive targets for students at Los Angeles City College.

Target GPA

3.5+

Target MCAT

505+

Clinical Hours

250+

Volunteer Hours

150+

Research Experience

1–2 years

Research Opportunities

Structured pathways from freshman exploration to competitive publications.

Faculty Labs

While LACC primarily focuses on teaching, students can seek research internships at nearby universities such as UCLA or participate in community health projects coordinated through the Health Sciences department.

LimitedModerateStart: Sophomore Year

Summer Research Programs

Apply to REU, hospital affiliate, or campus summer research fellowships.

MediumCompetitiveStart: Sophomore–Junior Year

NIH / Federal Opportunities

Competitive national programs — strong GPA and prior lab experience recommended.

LimitedCompetitiveStart: Junior Year

Clinical Research

Hospital-affiliated clinical studies and patient-oriented research near campus.

LimitedModerateStart: Junior Year

Clinical Opportunities Near Campus

Hospitals and health systems accessible from Los Angeles, CA.

Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center

On campus / < 5 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

5–15 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center

15–30 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

15–30 mi

Volunteer

High

Shadowing

High

Research

High

Pre-Health Student Organizations

Build leadership, service, and networking depth for AMCAS.

Pre-Med Society

Membership: MCAT study groups, guest physician panels, application workshops

Leadership: Officer roles in programming and outreach

Networking: Peer mentors and alumni physician connections

Health Sciences Club

Membership: Clinical volunteering coordination and health career exposure

Leadership: Event leads and volunteer site captains

Networking: Connections to hospital volunteer coordinators

Nursing Association

Membership: National pre-health honor society recognition

Leadership: Chapter officers and service project leads

Networking: Inter-chapter and national pre-med network

AI Assessment

Pre-Med Fit at Los Angeles City College

Strengths

  • Clinical Opportunities: Hospital and clinic access near campus
  • Advising: Pre-health advising and peer mentor networks
  • Volunteer Opportunities: Community and clinical service pathways
  • Access to multiple hospital systems near Los Angeles

Challenges

  • Research may require extra initiative compared to R1 peers
  • STEM Resources may require extra initiative compared to R1 peers

Recommended Strategy

  1. Join research or a structured lab by sophomore year
  2. Begin sustained clinical volunteering freshman or sophomore year
  3. Complete MCAT prep with a diagnostic by spring junior year
  4. Build strong physician and science faculty recommendations over 2+ semesters
  5. Leverage LACC’s proximity to top medical centers by pursuing volunteer roles early to strengthen your medical school application.

How Ready Are You For Medical School?

Estimate your readiness profile while planning at Los Angeles City College.

Enter at least one metric above to see your estimated readiness score.

Track Progress In Pre-Med OS

Start Your Pre-Med Journey

Build your personalized plan for Los Angeles City College with GPA tracking, MCAT prep, and medical school match tools.

  • GPA Tracking
  • MCAT Planner
  • Clinical Hours Tracker
  • Volunteer Tracker
  • Research Portfolio
  • Medical School Match
  • Application Timeline
  • AI Advisor
View full Los Angeles City College college profile

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