How many biology labs do I need?

[Stevey]

I was reading the pre-medical advising website at my school (UC San Diego) and it states that the typical science requirements for medical school are:

One year of general biology (1 quarter of lab)
One year of both inorganic and organic chemistry (1 quarter of lab)
One year of physics with one year of labs

Since I am not a science major, will this be sufficient enough to be admitted to medical schools? I was planning on taking more general biology at UCSD, but their general biology courses are lectures only, without labs. I plan to take microbiology in the Summer of 2011 because it will also have a lab.

So do these science requirements seem normal to anyone?

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[Fabio001]

I was always under the impression that you needed labs for all of the required semesters of gen-chem, o-chem, biology, and physics. That's what I was told by my pre-med advising department, and that's what I've always understood med school websites to require.

 

[mdbound1987]

That's weird, because schools require one year of lab for each pre-req. One quarter doesn't sound right, but you may want to call a few schools and see what they say.

 

[Stevey]

I thought the same thing. I was a little skeptical of its so I looked at some med schools and some of them specifically say a year of labs, but others either don't say anything about a lab requirement or actually say the specific amount of labs required (One semester, one year, etc.)

I am a little worried because I'm not trying to get out of taking any labs. I just want to make sure I have everything I need to get into med school. Since my school doesn't offer general biology labs, I feel a little screwed.

 

[mdbound1987]

Maybe you should make an appointment with you health professions advisor (if that's offered) and speak with him/her about it. I mean, UCSD has a med school so they should definitely know. Or stop by the med school if it's near your undergraduate campus and speak with someone.

 

[Stevey]

Yeah, sounds good to me. I definitely need to get to the bottom of it. I'll post their response here once I meet with them tomorrow. Take care.

 

[TTigers70]

At my institution, the year of lab requirement is lumped into one semester (or I guess equivocally one "quarter"). For example, there is only one lab that must be taken and apparently is jam packed with enough to count for the requirement. My bio and physics classes had built in labs (one per semester) but chem and o-chem are just once a year (unless you are a major). You're school may have the same approach. Definitely confirm with a health-professions office.

 

[Stevey]

At my institution, the year of lab requirement is lumped into one semester (or I guess equivocally one "quarter"). For example, there is only one lab that must be taken and apparently is jam packed with enough to count for the requirement. My bio and physics classes had built in labs (one per semester) but chem and o-chem are just once a year (unless you are a major). You're school may have the same approach. Definitely confirm with a health-professions office.

That's interesting. I never knew that some schools do that. Thanks for the information. I will ask about this at my school.

 

[TriagePreMed]

If you're in the quarter system, you need to take 3 quarters of lab. If the requirement is 1 semester, you must take 2 quarters of lab. This is because of the conversion from quarter units to semester.

 

[Stevey]

I spoke to the pre-medical advising counselors and their response is somewhat shocking.

The person I spoke to made it pretty clear that my one semester of biology lab would be sufficient enough for admissions to medical schools.

 

[Dannyw]

You absolutely need a lab for each pre-req. The breakdown should be something like:

Bio1/2 - 8 credits including labs
chem and orgo- 16 credits including labs
physics- 8 credits including labs

 

[TTigers70]

Credits aren't really relevant because different schools have different break-downs. I have seen some people who are enrolled in 5 credit bio class (never heard of it). I needed 19 credits for my g and o chem with labs. If the person you spoke to said one lab is good enough, you may want to confirm that fact again in a few months. If it is like my school, the health profession office includes a note in their packet that explains the one lab fulfills the year requirement. Students get in just fine with it.

 

[Big Dog]

it really depends on your college curriculum. Some colleges are starting to revamp Bio 1-2, and change the lab portion accordingly. At our college, the full year bio lab is now only offered as one semester, two unit course, where heretofore it was two one unit courses over two semesters.

 

[hotrodsduo]

Can I just bump this ancient post to see if anyone still at UCSD can confirm the above info? I see a lab available only after finishing the first quarter of ochem and then that is it. One, one quarter o-chem lab available unless you are a chem/biochem major. Thanks in advance!