2nd year student @ hampshire college looking for premed academic advice.

[gunit00]

Hey,

I'm coming at you guys from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. I am in dire need for academic advice. I would like to become a premed student, but I don't know where to start. I have the opportunity to take classes at Amherst College, Umass Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Smith College. I would like to take advantage of this once in a life time opportunity.

In my first year at hampshire I completed all of the curriculum "requirements".
This is what my first academic was comprised of:
1. NS-0121 1 Human Biology
2. NS-0153 1 Nat. Hist. of Infect. Disease
3. NS-0233 1 Nutritional Anthropology
4. NS-0101 1 Gene Cloning
5. NS-0101 1 How Things Work
6. CS-117T 1 Philosophy of Education
7. IA-0101 2 Spanish
8. SS-0210 1 Intro Economics
9. HACU-0108 1 Intro to Media Production

I have yet to get academic advice on my premed aspirations, I figured I could get some advice from those you have been through premed or are currently in premed. I just don't know where to start planning out my next three years at hampshire.
I would appreciate any help I could get.

Thanks

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[smq123]

I'm coming at you guys from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. I am in dire need for academic advice. I would like to become a premed student, but I don't know where to start. I have the opportunity to take classes at Amherst College, Umass Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Smith College. I would like to take advantage of this once in a life time opportunity.

In my first year at hampshire I completed all of the curriculum "requirements".
This is what my first academic was comprised of:
1. NS-0121 1 Human Biology
2. NS-0153 1 Nat. Hist. of Infect. Disease
3. NS-0233 1 Nutritional Anthropology
4. NS-0101 1 Gene Cloning
5. NS-0101 1 How Things Work
6. CS-117T 1 Philosophy of Education
7. IA-0101 2 Spanish
8. SS-0210 1 Intro Economics
9. HACU-0108 1 Intro to Media Production

I have yet to get academic advice on my premed aspirations, I figured I could get some advice from those you have been through premed or are currently in premed. I just don't know where to start planning out my next three years at hampshire.

* Academically, you'll need to look into medical school requirements. Many med schools post their admission requirements on their websites. Finding a few should give you a general idea of what most look for. It looks like you'll have to take another semester of general biology, General Chem 1 and 2, Organic Chem 1 and 2, a semester of calculus (physics based or not - up to you), and at least a semester of physics. Obviously, these get spread out over the course of a few years.

After you take those classes, you'll have to take the MCAT. The MCAT is a long test (completely computerized) with 4 sections - verbal reasoning, physical sciences (= physics and chemistry), biological sciences (= bio and organic chem...I think. It's been a while since I took this test - back then, we used paper!). The fourth section is a writing section.

* Aside from the academics, it's recommended that you shadow a doctor and do some community service/volunteering in a hospital. You don't need to go overboard with it, but really taking the time to gain exposure to the healthcare system and figuring out if you REALLY want to be a doctor is helpful.

Some people are also big on research - if, for no other reason, to find out that you don't want to do research as a career.

Good luck!

 

[mvenus929]

Generally, medical schools require:

1 year college biology (with lab)
1 year general chemistry (with lab)
1 year organic chemistry (with lab)
1 year physics (with lab)

Most (if not all) also require a year of English.

There are a lot of schools that have varying requirements, though, so you could need:

1 year math (calculus or statistics, or some combination thereof)
24 hours of humanities classes (English, History, Anthropology, psychology, etc)
1 sem. biochem

As the previous poster said, you'll need to take the MCAT after you finish the four required courses. Plan to study a full semester before taking it.

Other than that, just get involved. Get some exposure. Lurk around SDN to see what you're getting yourself into...

 

[gunit00]

Generally, medical schools require:

1 year college biology (with lab)
1 year general chemistry (with lab)
1 year organic chemistry (with lab)
1 year physics (with lab)

Most (if not all) also require a year of English.

There are a lot of schools that have varying requirements, though, so you could need:

1 year math (calculus or statistics, or some combination thereof)
24 hours of humanities classes (English, History, Anthropology, psychology, etc)
1 sem. biochem

As the previous poster said, you'll need to take the MCAT after you finish the four required courses. Plan to study a full semester before taking it.

Other than that, just get involved. Get some exposure. Lurk around SDN to see what you're getting yourself into...

* Academically, you'll need to look into medical school requirements. Many med schools post their admission requirements on their websites. Finding a few should give you a general idea of what most look for. It looks like you'll have to take another semester of general biology, General Chem 1 and 2, Organic Chem 1 and 2, a semester of calculus (physics based or not - up to you), and at least a semester of physics. Obviously, these get spread out over the course of a few years.

After you take those classes, you'll have to take the MCAT. The MCAT is a long test (completely computerized) with 4 sections - verbal reasoning, physical sciences (= physics and chemistry), biological sciences (= bio and organic chem...I think. It's been a while since I took this test - back then, we used paper!). The fourth section is a writing section.

* Aside from the academics, it's recommended that you shadow a doctor and do some community service/volunteering in a hospital. You don't need to go overboard with it, but really taking the time to gain exposure to the healthcare system and figuring out if you REALLY want to be a doctor is helpful.

Some people are also big on research - if, for no other reason, to find out that you don't want to do research as a career.

Good luck!

Thanks for the prompt responses. I was wondering if there is a favorable order to complete the required courses?

 

[mvenus929]

Thanks for the prompt responses. I was wondering if there is a favorable order to complete the required courses?

Gen bio and gen chem before O-chem. Gen physics can generally be taken whenever... some take it alongside o chem, others take it the following year. Biochem usually comes after o chem.