Do I need bio lab before I apply to med sch.?

[Nessy]

I don't frequent this site too often, I guess I should've though. Dang, just found out that my bio. lab AP credit won't count for college credit and I'm applying this summer 2010 for 2011 matriculation.
I've got a great GPA, and anticipate I'll do well on my MCAT. I go to a top 20 school.
Could I still apply and be taking bio. lab this summer??? Or is this situation impossible. The pre-med counselors at my school lead me to believe I need to take a whole year off and apply in 201

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[Ilovewater]

You can apply without taking bio, but you have to take and pass the course before matriculating.

 

[boaz]

It would be ideal if you take at least one semester of the lab requirement over the summer. But even if you can't you're fine if you take it over the app year.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

To more explicitly reiterate what the two posts above are saying:

Nearly all medical schools expect that you satisfy their admission requirements before matriculation, but not necessarily before submission of your AMCAS application. Not all schools are like this though, some have minimum application requirements, so do your research of individual programs.

I would not recommend taking a year off just for this reason, especially if you are able to meet the requirements of the schools you are applying to.

-senior medical student / admissions committee interviewer

 

[Narmerguy]

To more explicitly reiterate what the two posts above are saying:

Nearly all medical schools expect that you satisfy their admission requirements before matriculation, but not necessarily before submission of your AMCAS application. Not all schools are like this though, some have minimum application requirements, so do your research of individual programs.

I would not recommend taking a year off just for this reason, especially if you are able to meet the requirements of the schools you are applying to.

-senior medical student / admissions committee interviewer

Well said

 

[J ROD]

simlple answer...yes

 

[Nessy]

Thanks everyone, that is sort of what I gathered from my own search, but wasn't sure. I guess I'm coming into shock that I may not have all my ducks in a row for application this upcoming cycle, but I really want to apply then. If I work really hard to get clinical exposure and shadowing experience before summer submission of my AMCAS, do you think I can pull it off? My pre-med counselor says I must:
-get more clinical experience-I still have March, April, and May, I could do a lot.
-take bio. lab (though she claims I need to push my application off a whole year to do so, and I don't believe it)

She is very pessimistic, but I'm not. I have like a 3.9 GPA at a top notch school and I don't mean to be too cocky about this, I just somehow think I'll do well on the MCAT's (I have a record of scoring very well on standardized tests, I'm one of those "good test takers".

Any more advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks, I feel like I just got kicked in the pants, but maybe in a good way

 

[tremulousNeedle]

Search this site for the quantity and quality of extracurricular activities that are usually necessary to get into medical school (i.e. research, leadership, patient contact, volunteer, physician shadowing, etc.).

Getting into medical school is more than MCAT scores and GPA. Many applicants will have an abundance of hours (many with 100-200+ hours) in many of the above categories over a several month time frame. Don’t underestimate the importance of extracurricular activities.

-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student

 

[Nessy]

Thanks tremulous, I have searched it before, so I don't mean to take it lightly at all. I guess my shadowing is weak, but not non-existent, and I do have some research exp. too.
My question, I guess though, is if I scramble like crazy over the next few months to get more experience, will this scramble look like an obvious fervent attempt to try to get ducks in a row for this upcoming application cycle. Where there's a will there's a way, no?
I will keep searching though. Thanks for your input.

 

[Catalystik]

We'd be happy to help you in the "What are my chances?" subforum if you'd care to post the details of your ECs, with months and hours of involvement. Read a few of the threads already there and see if you'd like that specific type of input.

 

[Morsetlis]

I'm still not sure what on earth a "bio lab" is
Would Mammalian Physiology Lab and Biochemistry Lab count?

 

[tremulousNeedle]

Thanks tremulous, I have searched it before, so I don't mean to take it lightly at all. I guess my shadowing is weak, but not non-existent, and I do have some research exp. too.
My question, I guess though, is if I scramble like crazy over the next few months to get more experience, will this scramble look like an obvious fervent attempt to try to get ducks in a row for this upcoming application cycle. Where there's a will there's a way, no?
I will keep searching though. Thanks for your input.

In short, all of your AMCAS activities will have start and end dates and if an adcom looks closely they will see this. With that said, I would NOT put off the application process. Worst case scenario: if you don't get in during this upcoming cycle you can reapply for the next cycle, and you would be right where you would be if you dedicated another year to EC’s.

 

[Nessy]

Thanks Tremulous, that's good advice.