Clarity on Biology Course Sequence for Pre-Requisites

[2ndlifedoc]

I've seen a few related posts, but nothing that gets to the core of my question. Med schools require two semesters of Bio, but it seems unlike the Chems and Physics not all schools have a set Bio 1 and Bio 2 for premeds (or the general population).

Does it matter which Bios you take to fulfill your prerequisites, both for Mcat prep and for the med school admissions themselves? Would it be wise to look at how a given bio course might transfer to a given med school's undergraduate program? Is there content needed to do well in Biochem as well that might not be covered in some courses? Just trying to cover all the bases!

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[Aksea23]

I would definitely take your school’s version of general biology (sometimes a 2-3 course sequence), as well as microbiology. Anatomy and Physiology can also be incredibly helpful. Getting a good foundation will help you on the MCAT but also help with general understanding in medical school and any upper division courses you may take if you are looking for a GPA boost later on.

 

[2ndlifedoc]

I would definitely take your school’s version of general biology (sometimes a 2-3 course sequence), as well as microbiology. Anatomy and Physiology can also be incredibly helpful. Getting a good foundation will help you on the MCAT but also help with general understanding in medical school and any upper division courses you may take if you are looking for a GPA boost later on.

I am doing a DIY post-bacc (for now) and thus am taking, or can take, courses at a variety of institutions. Some of them have a set Bio 1 and Bio 2 sequence, but others have Intro To Bio (I take this to be Bio 1) and then it branches off.

 

[Aksea23]

Oh, ok, now I understand! I would say look for a bio sequence or any courses where the title is some variation of "general" biology. It's really hard to know which courses to recommend without knowing the schools you're considering. I would say to stay away from pre-requisites in general that include "intro to..." because often times these aren't counted toward the number of science classes you need, such as Intro to Chemistry or Intro to Physics. They usually aren't as rigorous as what medical schools are looking forward. Feel free to list a few schools. you're considering and I can look at their course catalogs and make recs!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Make sure your courses are appropriate for biology majors, not nursing majors or non-majors. That should simplify things. Ask your academic advisor if you are unable to get this information from the course description or the syllabus.