Biology minor (need help picking classes)

[Dannyw]

I need 6 classes to complete my minor I have decided on the following:

Bio I and II-8 credits (w/ labs)
physiology- 5 credits (w/ lab)
biochemistry-3 creditd (4 w/lab)
microbiology-4 credits (w/ lab)
genetics-4 credits (w/lab)


I have to stay an extra semester to get genetics and biochem done so I'm considering doing another class. There are so many upper-level bio classes offered and I'm not sure what to take.

Here are some examples:
biochem II
cancer biology
immunology
virology
stem cell biology
molecular biology
cell biology
cell culture

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[DOquestions]

I need 6 classes to complete my minor I have decided on the following:

Bio I and II-8 credits (w/ labs)
physiology- 5 credits (w/ lab)
biochemistry-3 creditd (4 w/lab)
microbiology-4 credits (w/ lab)
genetics-4 credits (w/lab)


I have to stay an extra semester to get genetics and biochem done so I'm considering doing another class. There are so many upper-level bio classes offered and I'm not sure what to take.

Here are some examples:
biochem II
cancer biology
immunology
virology
stem cell biology
molecular biology
cell biology
cell culture

No need for biochem 2. No need for cell culture, stem cell biology, or virology. None of those classes will help you pre medical school. You can take any of them if you find them interesting. I took immunology in college and loved it. It really just comes down to what you think you will like the best and which teacher is the best. The last thing you want in your last semester is a bad professor.

I would order the classes as following:

Immunology
molecular biology
biochem 2
cell biology
cancer biology
virology
stem cell biology
cell culture

 

[silas2642]

I need 6 classes to complete my minor I have decided on the following:

Bio I and II-8 credits (w/ labs)
physiology- 5 credits (w/ lab)
biochemistry-3 creditd (4 w/lab)
microbiology-4 credits (w/ lab)
genetics-4 credits (w/lab)


I have to stay an extra semester to get genetics and biochem done so I'm considering doing another class. There are so many upper-level bio classes offered and I'm not sure what to take.

Here are some examples:
biochem II
cancer biology
immunology
virology
stem cell biology
molecular biology
cell biology
cell culture

So first I'm going to tell you that if you want to get the minor, fine get the minor. However, if you go to an expensive school that YOU'RE paying for (or if your parents are paying for and you happen to not hate their guts), the extra semester to get the minor on your transcript probably isn't worth it because med schools simply don't care. All they care about is whether or not you're going to be a good doctor and whether or not you can be successful in med school. This is is reflected in your gpa (particularly in your pre-reqs), mcat scores, lors, personal statement, blah, blah, blah.

As for taking some of these "med school related classes" before med school-- does it help. Sure, a little. But your undergraduate knowledge runs out in about the first five minutes in med school. After that, you're pretty much even with everyone else.

So back to your original question-- you're in college, so take what you want. Take what you're interested in, because when you're in med school you have no choice as to what to take in your pre-clinical years. You're stuck. It's all science, and you don't have time to take that philosophy course or fluff course in english. So take what you love because in the end it doesn't matter.

 

[Dannyw]

So first I'm going to tell you that if you want to get the minor, fine get the minor. However, if you go to an expensive school that YOU'RE paying for (or if your parents are paying for and you happen to not hate their guts), the extra semester to get the minor on your transcript probably isn't worth it because med schools simply don't care. All they care about is whether or not you're going to be a good doctor and whether or not you can be successful in med school. This is is reflected in your gpa (particularly in your pre-reqs), mcat scores, lors, personal statement, blah, blah, blah.

As for taking some of these "med school related classes" before med school-- does it help. Sure, a little. But your undergraduate knowledge runs out in about the first five minutes in med school. After that, you're pretty much even with everyone else.

So back to your original question-- you're in college, so take what you want. Take what you're interested in, because when you're in med school you have no choice as to what to take in your pre-clinical years. You're stuck. It's all science, and you don't have time to take that philosophy course or fluff course in english. So take what you love because in the end it doesn't matter.

I'm an exercise physiology major so I already am taking the classes I'm interested in. I figured what the hell, pick up an extra class and get a minor if I'm already taking all these extras. I know biochem would help me in the long run, how about genetics? For my major we take pharmacology and pathophysiology hopefully those classes will help me as well.

 

[DOquestions]

I'm an exercise physiology major so I already am taking the classes I'm interested in. I figured what the hell, pick up an extra class and get a minor if I'm already taking all these extras. I know biochem would help me in the long run, how about genetics? For my major we take pharmacology and pathophysiology hopefully those classes will help me as well.

There is nothing wrong with picking up a minor if you want to. Nothing wrong with learning about anything you want to. The finance issue is what matters. If you have money, or aid, to pay for the minor, then feel free to pick it up. If you pay for the minor on your own, like the previous poster noted, you may want to sock that money into your checking account with how bad this economy is right now.

Feel free to take genetics if you want. Having a basic understanding of genetic principles would be worth it.

 

[Anotherface]

Take which ever topics you find the most interesting.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

Here are some examples:
biochem II
cancer biology
immunology
virology
stem cell biology
molecular biology
cell biology
cell culture

I took cancer cell, which I loved, but I also took Cell Bio And Eukaryotic Molecular Biology before, so I am not sure how hard that class would be.

Biochem II will help you, but if you aren't interested in taking classes over again in med school (since you will have biochem again), I would skip that one

Immunology and Virology sound fun, but I haven't taken either. I wonder if you need sound Cell Bio knowledge for Virology.

I would go with cell bio if you are weak in that area...or Cancer, Viro, Immuno...in that order.

Have fun...all those classes sound like they would be fun!

 

[DOquestions]

I took cancer cell, which I loved, but I also took Cell Bio And Eukaryotic Molecular Biology before, so I am not sure how hard that class would be.

Biochem II will help you, but if you aren't interested in taking classes over again in med school (since you will have biochem again), I would skip that one

Immunology and Virology sound fun, but I haven't taken either. I wonder if you need sound Cell Bio knowledge for Virology.

I would go with cell bio if you are weak in that area...or Cancer, Viro, Immuno...in that order.

Have fun...all those classes sound like they would be fun!

Cell biology is boring and mostly just an extension to the general biology first semester material. Molecular biology is more important and some of the questions on Step 1 and the board exams during 3rd year in medical school contain some molecular biology principles.

Immunology is important! Trust me on that. You would understand cancer biology better AFTER taking molecular biology. Think about it, errors in molecular biology have to occur for a cancer cell to develop.