7 credit hours in O Chem..

[above3789]

Hey guys,

This is my first post in SDN. I'm a non-traditional student who graduated almost 3 years ago. I didn't know I wanted to pursue medical school until last year. So I took Physics I and II with labs last summer while working over-time as a manager for a scribing company in the ER. One year later (now), I've applied to 9 MD schools and 8 DO schools so far and the secondaries are rolling in. Well, in the rush of everything, I realized I only have 7 credit hours in Organic Chemistry because I didn't take O Chem Lab II (wasn't built into my degree plan).

I'm trying not to panic, but I guess I'm looking for confirmation. I do have to take this lab, or I won't be considered for med school at all, right? I have 2 semester of Biochemistry, 2 semesters of Anatomy & Physiology, one semester of Genetics and one semester of Microbiology.

I feel like such an idiot. I've been working so hard and it's this one lab that's going to hold me back?

Help!
- Anna

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[kraskadva]

First- Breathe

Then, go look through the requirements for the schools you've applied to. Some (not many, but some) don't require Orgo 2 or will let Biochem replace it. The rest would likely most insist that you take it before matriculation, but it wouldn't prevent them from accepting you based solely on that. So if you get accepted, you would still have a year to take the lab, which would be no big deal.

 

[above3789]

First- Breathe

Then, go look through the requirements for the schools you've applied to. Some (not many, but some) don't require Orgo 2 or will let Biochem replace it. The rest would likely most insist that you take it before matriculation, but it wouldn't prevent them from accepting you based solely on that. So if you get accepted, you would still have a year to take the lab, which would be no big deal.

Thank you. I did end up breathing after reading your reply. It would be a lot more manageable if I took the lab in the Spring semester, so I could save the money & time for it. I'll research further into the schools & e-mail each admissions office to let them know my intention. That's acceptable, right?

 

[kraskadva]

Personally, I wouldn't even worry about emailing them. Plan on taking it in the Spring regardless, then if it comes up in an interview or acceptance, you can tell them you've already got it covered.
Really, missing one lab (especially when you have an upper level beyond it) is not going to impact your application. How's the rest of your app look? That will be far more important for II/admissions decisions.