Is it possible to perform with this Pre-Med non-trad Course Load

[spencer]

I have planned to take the pre-med required courses starting this fall (4 months). However, some recent changes have made it possible for me to start this summer (1 month). This small difference would qualify me for standard app 2010 otherwise I'm looking at early app 2011 - losing a year.

Problem is, in order to do this I will have to take 2 summer semesters ('09 & '10) and these semesters are done in 5 weeks. The courses would be Gen Chem/Bio (09) and Org Chem 2/Physics 2 ('10). This is the only way I could get all the pre-req's and take the courses in time.

Also, I would like to work part-time while taking these courses to support partial amounts of my expenses but am not opposed to borrowing more if it means I could save an entire year of income down the road.

Is it worth it?

The course plan is listed below, thoughts?

(Summer ‘09)

CHEM
BIOL

(Fall ‘09)

CHEM 2
BIOL 2

(Spring ‘10)

PHSX
Org CHEM
CHEM Lab

(Summer ’10)

PHSX 2
Org CHEM 2
CHEM Lab

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[EricH]

If you study like a med student during the summers you should be ok.

 

[spencer]

Forgot to mention:

There are 2 bost-bacc programs in the area that might ensure completion in time but cost quite a bit more than my Junior College/University plan and I would have to go full time.

One better than the other?

 

[combatwombat]

I don't know the particulars of your situation or the school you're planning on attending, but 2 prereq science classes + 1 lab (+ 20 hr/week work) during a single summer session will probably be the hardest point. I'd wager it can be done but get ready to work like an animal

 

[sarahg]

At my local CC, summer 5-week lab sciences are 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week. You could do both courses if you go to class 8 hours a day and then study all evening, but I don't think a part-time job would be doable. They also have 8-week semesters but I think those are more like 4 hours a day, 4 days a week -- still hard to hold down a job while taking two classes and studying, but taking the courses without working would be possible.

 

[sandals725]

technically of course it can be done, and it IS done all the time....however, i think the bigger question to ask yourself is do you think you will be able to learn all the material this way? keep in mind u still have to be able to tap into this knowledge base later for the MCAT....i once had a very wise professor who said she would never recommend taking a heavy duty science (physics, orgo chem) as a condensed course if one really wants to learn.......basically, if u merely needed the class credit, i'd say go for it, but since you need to really learn the material i'd definitely suggest some serious contemplation before making a decision...as for the extra time it might take, consider what if you didn't learn the material well enough and have to take extra time to prepare for the MCAT later?.......just some food for thought, hope that helps...good luck either way!

 

[spencer]

Great Advice - Thank you

I've managed to build a schedule that doesn't have the extreme condensed classes and will still allow me to be finishing my last Org Chem class in summer of 2010.

My understanding is that I will have to apply standard app not early because I will be in my last class at the time those apps are going in and won't be taking the MCAT until after the summer course, is this correct?

Thanks for the help

 

[clinicallabguy]

Great Advice - Thank you

I've managed to build a schedule that doesn't have the extreme condensed classes and will still allow me to be finishing my last Org Chem class in summer of 2010.

My understanding is that I will have to apply standard app not early because I will be in my last class at the time those apps are going in and won't be taking the MCAT until after the summer course, is this correct?

Thanks for the help

That's good that you've put together a more reasonable schedule. I hope it works for you.

It would be a challenge to study for the MCAT over the summer while you're taking a condensed O Chem class over the summer. Unless I misunderstood, and you've decided to take class that isn't condensed.

When do you think that you would be able to take the MCAT? If you could get your scores and apply by the end of July, I think that it is reasonable. If it goes into August, that might put you at a disadvantage. But, if that's a risk that you're willing to take then go for it, I guess.

I took O Chem II over the summer, and worked 30 hours a week. It was a six week course that started in the middle of June and ended in August. The only way that I was able to do well was by studying the course in its entirety and doing all of the in-chapter problems between May 1 and the middle of June when the class started. I feel like I learned it well, though. I wouldn't have been able to take another class with it and stay sane, personally.

My $0.02.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Timing, largely, blew me away for applying in 08 when I'd crammed lots of prerequ's into the summer, studied for mcat for a month, waited a month for results, and THEN applied well before the deadlines, but well after many other applicants had applied. For one school, the stated deadline for secondaries was Jan -- by then all interviews had been scheduled (a month earlier) and, I later learned, there is no possibility for a December applicant to be interviewed. Truth in advertising issue here?

Even as a reapp in 09, I found that schools that had specifically reviewed my stats and my application seemed to give short shrift after I completed secondaries around late September. So in my opinion, timing in this potential schedule will cause major damage; pretty much need to complete secondaries by July/August it seems.

Another thought is that the chem lab is, in my opinion, the least important class to have complete prior to the MCAT; I'd suggest defering that one until the glide year so that you can focus more on the more important classes that WILL be covered on the MCAT, such as ochem, physics 2, etc.

 

[Krisss17]

Okay, so let me get this straight...your goal is to apply for Fall 2010, is that right? Wouldn't that mean that you would already need to apply this year?

How are you going to take the MCAT (which would would actually need to take NOW) when you haven't taken your prereqs?

Even if you apply for the 2011/2012 year, you aren't really going to be prepared for the MCAT. You'd want to take the MCAT in Spring 2010 in order to get the results by the start of the 2010 application period in June (for 2011), and according to this plan, you would have only taken Chem 1 and 2 and Bio 1 and 2.

Better to get these classes done and done well, get the MCAT done when you have ALL of your prereqs done (at least have Ochem 1 done), before you apply. I'm sure that once you are at the interview stage, most adcoms are going to want to see that you have finished all of your prereqs.

I'm sure that you are probably just excited, but you might need to do a little more realistic planning.

GL

I have planned to take the pre-med required courses starting this fall (4 months). However, some recent changes have made it possible for me to start this summer (1 month). This small difference would qualify me for standard app 2010 otherwise I'm looking at early app 2011 - losing a year.

Problem is, in order to do this I will have to take 2 summer semesters ('09 & '10) and these semesters are done in 5 weeks. The courses would be Gen Chem/Bio (09) and Org Chem 2/Physics 2 ('10). This is the only way I could get all the pre-req's and take the courses in time.

Also, I would like to work part-time while taking these courses to support partial amounts of my expenses but am not opposed to borrowing more if it means I could save an entire year of income down the road.

Is it worth it?

The course plan is listed below, thoughts?

(Summer ‘09)

CHEM
BIOL

(Fall ‘09)

CHEM 2
BIOL 2

(Spring ‘10)

PHSX
Org CHEM
CHEM Lab

(Summer '10)

PHSX 2
Org CHEM 2
CHEM Lab

 

[zebalong]

short answer is yes it can be done. This is how i did it, with taking o-chem over the summer.

long answer is doing that course load and getting great grades, plus doing well on the MCAT and cont. doing EC's for med school : work,volunteer... is very very involved and you will be devoting everything you have toward this process. Many people say they know, but don't really know until they are doing it and are burning out, think if this is right for you. I did this process ok, but i have a great job and used the few weeks i had off to take great vacations and relax. Other post-bacs i'm with seem a bit shell shocked and really burned out at this point and a good portion (75%) didn't do as well on the MCAT as they would have wished and probably would have if they just extended for one year. If you can be intense for long periods of time without stressing out, then this might be the plan for you (i knew because i was in an accelerated program (22 units each semester and 15 over the summer)for 2 years before and i thrived in that enviroment), but if you've never done something like this before... i suggest don't. This isn't something you want to screw up or you'll be paying for it with mcat retakes and gpa repair for a lot longer then one year.

 

[spencer]

Actually it is for the 2011/2012. I spoke with a couple advisors (the school I'm interested in getting into for med) and we reworked the plan a bit so it would set me up for better success.

The advise has been great.

I've enrolled for one course, Chem 1/Lab, starting in a month. I have great support from my wife (a student in Occupational Therapy) who has gone through the intense road of completing pre-reqs. We have extensively gone over financial and personal responsibilities for the next 4 semesters.

Luckily, I will be in a program that will finish my org 2 semester at the end of July. Based on the advisors advice, I will be far enough along to take MCAT in the Mid-July sitting. I will begin prep for the MCAT at the first of the year, 2010, and continue while taking the last 4 pre-reqs.

This schedule will allow me to work full-time this summer and part-time the next three semesters. Then, the first fall of glide year I will work full time and start some more courses in the spring. This will make up for any money lost during the 3 heavier semesters. Luckily, if all goes well I will be starting m1 the fall after my wife graduates and we will be able to live off her salary and pay off her school debt.

We have planned for the worse case scenerio but hoping for the best (listed above). I am comforted by the great advice from the forum and the advisors I've been working with.

Thanks for the help, I'll ccontinue to post on the progress.

Okay, so let me get this straight...your goal is to apply for Fall 2010, is that right? Wouldn't that mean that you would already need to apply this year?

How are you going to take the MCAT (which would would actually need to take NOW) when you haven't taken your prereqs?

Even if you apply for the 2011/2012 year, you aren't really going to be prepared for the MCAT...