Any schools with two semesters of general chem as a hard requirement?

[positivetension-]

I'm taking some extra courses during this application cycle, and am trying to keep my options open as much as possible if I don't get in this year. I will have 1 semester general chem, 2 semesters organic chem, and 1 semester biochem by the end of the year, but I'm debating whether I should take another general chem semester. Which schools absolutely require this? It seems that almost every school accepts the 1 gen/2 orgo/1 bio combination, but I'm just checking. Thanks!

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[Doudline]

Uh?

Many schools accept 2 gen/1 orgo/1 biochem, but definitely not 1 gen/2 orgo/1 biochem. If you have advanced non-organic chemistry (analytic chem for example) certain schools will give you some slack though.

 

[breezy16]

I feel like most schools have hard requirements for Gen Chem I and II.
Upper-tier tends to be more flexible.
I've heard of 1 orgo and 1 pchem being flexible for 2 semesters of orgo.. How the did you even get into orgo without chem i and ii?

 

[DrHart]

Almost every school I've looked at requires 2 semesters of gen chem.
By the sounds of it you have submitted an app this cycle?

 

[positivetension-]

Every school I'm applying to doesn't require it (that I know of). Maybe I just got lucky? (See, e.g., Boston: http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/admissions/application-process/requirements/). There isn't actually a second "general chemistry" semester at my undergrad institution. I was going to take something like analytical or inorganic chem, but only if necessary.

 

[TheZaLord]

Can you even take orgo without gen chem?

 

[positivetension-]

I've done it, so yes?

 

[TheZaLord]

Ah maybe it's just my school, then. Pre-req for orgo 1 is gen Chem 2 completed, and can't take that without gen chem 1.

 

[moisne]

Assuming you don't have AP - you need gen chem 2.

 

[positivetension-]

Assuming you don't have AP - you need gen chem 2.

Lots of people saying this, but can you actually provide some evidence? I have applied to several schools this year, and none of them have explicitly said this (and I'm not applying to only top tier places). It's definitely not a general rule. I know some schools probably do require it, but I'm wondering which ones (the purpose of this thread).

 

[TheZaLord]

Well, you've have a couple of people tell you, and a faculty advisor tell you, nearly every school has a full year as a requirement.

EVERY SCHOOL I have researched (dozens) has in their admissions guidelines: 1 year of general chemistry, and 1 year of organic chemistry (or 1 semester organic, 1 biochem).
I have literally never seen anyone list anything differently.

It sounds like the ones you are looking at that do not require it are in the minority?

Even in the link you posted, the two semesters + 2 orgo + 1 biochem was recommended. I understand not wanting to waste time/money, but do you really want to do just the bare minimum of what is required vs/what is recommended?

*EDIT: I think I see what the deal is. Looking a BUCM, Tufts, and a couple of other places, they are willing to accept AP for general chemistry- Provided you still go through two full years of chemistry in some way.
So, even if, for your institution you AP'd out of the first year or part of the first year of gen chem and fulfilled a degree requirement that way, to satisfy admission requirements for medical school, you need to physically take two full years (1 1/2 at Tufts) of chemistry in some combination that includes general and organic, possibly biochem.

http://medicine.tufts.edu/Admissions/MD-Application-Process/Course-Prerequisites

 

[El-Rami]

All schools require Gen Chem I and II from what I've seen, but not always so for Organic II. It's usually something like 2 sem gen chem, 2 sem physics, 2 sem english, 2 math (including stats or calc or both), biochem, and all the biology requirements that are typical. I would personally take both semesters of the basic chemistry sequences.

 

[TheZaLord]

Mizzou Requirements: http://medicine.missouri.edu/admissions/regular.html

WashU: https://mdadmissions.wustl.edu/how-to-apply/requirements/

SLU: http://www.slu.edu/medicine/admissions/how-to-apply

Pritzker: https://pritzker.uchicago.edu/admissions/requirements/

Stritch: http://ssom.luc.edu/admission/applying-to-stritch/

UIC: http://www.medicine.uic.edu/admissions/requirements_and_timeline

Cornell: http://weill.cornell.edu/education/admissions/app_req.html

UC Davis: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/admissions/requirements.html

So I'm from midwest so I included the ones from the midwest I've looked at, plus a couple coastal. They all require the same stuff unless otherwise SPECIFIED, in which case they provide you with acceptable substitutions.

When in doubt, call the the school you are wanting to apply to.

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

I thought that literally (using the word in its true sense) every med school required the full year of gen chem. Most UG schools require it in order to take the chem courses that follow.

I say take the class. It can only help as it seems most schools require it and 99.9999% of people applying will have it. Plus, chemistry is awesome 🙂.

 

[TheZaLord]

Slushy- I've been meaning to ask. Is that the bear from the plane crash episode of Breaking Bad?

 

[moisne]

Lots of people saying this, but can you actually provide some evidence? I have applied to several schools this year, and none of them have explicitly said this (and I'm not applying to only top tier places). It's definitely not a general rule. I know some schools probably do require it, but I'm wondering which ones (the purpose of this thread).

I don't have MSAR anymore - so I don't do your busy work. I looked up 30 schools or so - all of them required a full year of general chemistry - though many were ok with AP subs.

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

Slushy- I've been meaning to ask. Is that the bear from the plane crash episode of Breaking Bad?

Why yes it is!

 

[positivetension-]

EVERY SCHOOL

This is objectively not true. Hell, UVa has no prerequisites at all now: https://med.virginia.edu/admissions/application-process/general-requirements/.

Mizzou Requirements: http://medicine.missouri.edu/admissions/regular.html

WashU: https://mdadmissions.wustl.edu/how-to-apply/requirements/

SLU: http://www.slu.edu/medicine/admissions/how-to-apply

Pritzker: https://pritzker.uchicago.edu/admissions/requirements/

Stritch: http://ssom.luc.edu/admission/applying-to-stritch/

UIC: http://www.medicine.uic.edu/admissions/requirements_and_timeline

Cornell: http://weill.cornell.edu/education/admissions/app_req.html

UC Davis: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/admissions/requirements.html

So I'm from midwest so I included the ones from the midwest I've looked at, plus a couple coastal. They all require the same stuff unless otherwise SPECIFIED, in which case they provide you with acceptable substitutions.

When in doubt, call the the school you are wanting to apply to.

Fair enough, most of those seem pretty strict about it. But even Cornell and Pritzker say "or equivalent". I'm sure if you were otherwise a good candidate, they weren't going to disqualify you for having an extra orgo instead of a gen chem. Most of you on this thread seem to think it's a requirement for all schools, but that's really not the case (I applied to 7 this year which didn't have that requirement, and because there were so many I thought it was the rule rather than the exception).

 

[TheZaLord]

This is objectively not true. Hell, UVa has no prerequisites at all now: https://med.virginia.edu/admissions/application-process/general-requirements/.



Fair enough, most of those seem pretty strict about it. But even Cornell and Pritzker say "or equivalent". I'm sure if you were otherwise a good candidate, they weren't going to disqualify you for having an extra orgo instead of a gen chem. Most of you on this thread seem to think it's a requirement for all schools, but that's really not the case (I applied to 7 this year which didn't have that requirement, and because there were so many I thought it was the rule rather than the exception).

Because it is most schools. They're saying if you have AP or something equivalent that's fine, as long as you take xyz course to get your two years of chemistry requirement met.
This is to demonstrate you can handle the rigor of courses other applicants who have had two years of chemistry demonstrated they could do.

So if you have one semester of gen Chem, but two of orgo, it looks like for most places it would be a good idea to take biochem so you have four semesters of chemistry under your belt.

I had emailed about a chemistry for health professions (nursing) I had taken some years ago and they said it wasn't sufficiently rigorous, etc. so I would check directly with the school you're interested in to find out if it's acceptable.

 

[clippers50fan]

It depends what undergrad you went to. For instance, at Berkeley, Chem 1A which is one semester and taking Intro to Biochem satisfies both the one year of genera chem and Biochem requirement at med schools.

Here's a direct quote from UCB: "Most schools require 2 semesters of general chemistry with lab and 2 semesters of organic chemistry with lab. Some schools also require a semester of biochemistry. However, Berkeley has an unique chemistry sequence where you fulfill these requirements through the following 4 course sequences" which lists 1 gen Chem, 1 biochem, and 2 orgo classes.

Berkeley doesn't even have a Chem 1B or whatever in the premed sense. So while I assume at most universities you would need a year of gen chem AND Biochem, OP needs to check their specific school.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Just take the chem class..

 

[MSTPtastic]

My undergraduate institution had an "accelerated gen chem" course which allowed you to cover both semesters of gen chem in one semester. It was difficult, and you had to test into it, but I felt as prepared for Ochem as those who had taken both semesters of standard gen chem.

I'm applying to schools today, and while many schools require a full academic year of general chemistry, some will allow you to substitute a semester of biochem. When we approach the spring semester, I will ask my programs about their hard 2 semester gen chem requirement. In the mean time, I'm curious what people here think about my situation. Do you think schools will accept a one semester accelerated gen chem course in lieu of a full year of gen chem? Or will they insist I go back and take another semester of chemistry?