Importance of Prerequisites
 

I am currently taking Bio II, A&P I, General Chemistry I and Trigonometry. I work really hard to make sure that I learn all the material and memorize it. The problem is with chemistry, more specifically my teacher. He is a nice guy and all but he doesn't teach it well. Sure he does problems on the board and works them out but he doesn't 'teach'. I honestly haven't learned anything and we're over half-way done with this semester. I have an A in the class but that is due to lab reports and extra-credit. I am mainly concerned with the fact that I have gained nothing from this class other than a letter grade on my transcript. How much will this hinder me in Med school? ( I know it will be a hindrance in more advanced undergrad chemistry courses)

Read the textbook and learn the concepts / how to do the calculations from there? :confused:. I doubt it's going to hurt you much in med school though.

LOL. To be honest, that's all undergrad really amounts to when applying to medical school. Pick a major you like so you can enjoy earning some of those credits on a transcript. And for the classes you may not like that much or not get much out of, just make sure your grades are good since you are applying to med school after all. :)

TLDR; A on transcript. Problem?

I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean?

If he doesn't teach, don't attend class.

What you don't learn now, you'll have to learn at some point, especially when you take the MCAT. Get the grade...worry about actually knowing anything later. The stuff that you really need to know will be taught and learned again.

^This. Not knowing general chem will not hurt you in medical school, but it will make the MCAT physical science section more difficult. Perhaps consider self-studying with your book or a free resource like Khan Academy ( http://www.khanacademy.org/#chemistry ).

Gen chem? That's the one with the moles, right?

You'll be fine.

Haha yeah, thats the one.

I really appreciate all the reassurement :)

Maybe you should add an English class to that transcript...it's reassurance. ;) Lol, just giving you a hard time. :D

Haha, guess that's why I'm a science major and not an English major ;)

you're fine - at least you're not really lost because apparently you're making an A, there's many people who just don't understand the material regardless if the prof is really good or not.

You get extra credit in chem?.... Screw you.

:thumbup:

Well, it seems that at my community college (albeit it is ranked well nationally) most individuals are content with merely obtaining a technical degree or their Associate's and it seems that this teacher ( not professor, only has Master's) cateres to that. All tests are taken online, at either the testing center or the college computer labs and you are allowed to use your notes and books. One is almost never monitored unless the teacher drops in once or twice to check on you. It's psychological, knowing that I don't need to study hinders me from doing it :(

Does anyone know if cell bio and genetics could for bio 1 & 2?

No - they want you to take general biology 1/2. Cell bio and genetics would be great upper electives to take because they do recommend you to take these type of courses

If you honestly think "specific heat", "specific gravity", "electron orbitals", "electrolysis", "mass deficit" are used on the floors of a hospital, I have some really, really bad news for you.

Thanks! Seems like you know a bit about this kind of stuff... Perhaps you could help me a little more? I have a few questions about the remainder of my prereqs...

First, I have taken Biological Psychology (A) and Human Biology (B+) already but neither had a lab. Do these count towards anything or will they be considered in the "recommended" course area? Second, besides the obvious prereqs (bio,chem,ochem,physics all with labs) what other courses would you recommend that would cover my bases for applying to 15-20 schools? I have a list that I've compiled that includes biochem (often substituted in place of a second ochem course-but not always?), cell bio, and genetics as well as calc and maybe a computer science course. I want to make sure I am not wasting time taking pointless courses that adcoms don't really care about - but I also want to make an effort above and beyond the basic requirements. My undergrad is a bachelors of science in psych and I have an associate of arts in social science as well (not that it's very impressive but I have come to realize that a lot of adcoms want to see humanities/social science courses). Thanks again for your help!

You may be right, but just the idea of paying $18,000+ a year just to memorize, get some grade and forget everything doesnt sit well with me. If you're going to say I graduated with a BSc in bio you should at least know something(s). It's like a music major not knowing what the circle of 5ths is. O sure once he's playing in a concert the listener won't come and ask him what's the circle of 5ths, but he should still know it. There's science in medicine and dont they spend the first 2 years of med school taking basic sciences? I've read from many advisors from different schools that. Life can be easier in med school of you learn the sciences (conceptually) well in college. I tell yuh, college would be easier if I had gotten a hold of some BCPO texts and learned the material. You'd be surprised that a percentage of people fail Chem because of weak math skills which should have been learned and mastered back in high school / jr high. OP sounds like he/she got a genuine thirst for knowledge

My $0.02

If you honestly can remember how to do a derivative using the chain rule within 5 years of never doing any calculus then call me. He's not saying that you shouldn't worry about knowing the basis of physical chemistry, but no one is going to care if you cannot remember the quantum configurations of a particular chemical or how to calculate the tension or torque of something. Sure you'll probably remember the things in a very basic sense, but beyond that I doubt it.

yeah. you're right :thumbup:

Not knowing chemistry will not hurt you in medical school, unless you really don't understand the difference between a mole and a milliliter.

That said, it's pretty important for the MCAT.

In high school I felt the same way. Now I wish I could go back and take things serious. It would have made college easier. I remember I spent the summer reading ahead for Bio 102. First few lectures for exam I was like a review to me. highest grade I've ever gotten on a test in a science class since I've been in college. My point is that, if we are going to be taking chem,bio,physics, anatomy and what not in med school our first two years, why don't we take it serious here and try to get it down? this whole, "memorize, pass, and let it go" doesn't satisfy me. I also can't focus in lecture unless I have an idea of what the prof is talking about. so I like to read the text to really understand it core. I'm sorry if I'm coming of as a jerk.

maybe it's the way I learn, or it could be poor studying skills. not really sure, but I don't know. I just never like the memorize, pass, and forget approach though. I hate it when indirectly the professor tells you that's what they want. for electives I don't really care but for the science courses, I do.