Biology pre-req
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For most schools no... They want two classes General biology 1 with lab and general biology 2 with lab. Often they also expect at least another 12 to 20 credits of biology electives as well.
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I've never seen a school that requires 4+ upper level bio classes. Which schools are you referring to?
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This was a question I was wondering about myself, since I took a General Biology class that I think was for non-majors, but since then have taken some classes in a DVM program during graduate school, as well as have taken a few mid-level biological sciences courses. I also took a class under bioengineering in grad school that has basically the same title as an important course in upper division biology. I don't wanna get dinged from schools having not taken General Biology I and II, even if I churn out a high MCAT.
Note: aftering talking to a pre-med advisor, who was doing the job for 20 something years, she said that she knew my course was not a pre-req majors type course, but technically she said, it fufills the general bio class for med schools. I think generally everything is case by case, but if you have a lot of strikes against you on your app, I would think doing A&P is not a good plan for pre-reqs. However, you can even look at OSU, and they don't mind an online A&P, and actually encourage it as a pre-req, but these are additional pre-reqs on top of other bio courses. I think in general you may notice your RN Physiology course (I'm assuming, cause nurses typically take it), after an articulation agreement is fulfilled, the class you are exempt from, may in fact even be a majors level physiology (depends on the school, but at my school the CC course doesn't transfer in as equivalent, but the course you don't have to take is more a majors level course, and heres the thing, I'm well aware of course content, and I can tell you that the Uni course is easier, if not at the same level as most CC courses, everybody gets a B or A- at least). This is where things don't make too much sense. Other schools may not have general bio 1 and 2, but may say there articulation aggreement lets you take a non-majors style or similar course plus zoology, or just zoology, and then you don't have to take the general biology sequence, and you still are on track to the BS in biological sciences. It is BS to assume that one course has less content then the other, because really they are usually pretty similar, except one may require a calculator for some lab questions, and another may not (lots of curriculum makers stress this hidden "quantitative" element to the majors bio course that honestly is not really there). I would bet that some nursing programs, that have nurses in charge, might make basic courses tough. Making a course tough is not about content, its about volume and / or does the teacher give a nice curve? CCs don't give curves. Every school is different though, it just depends. Utah has an easy Organic course I think (40 percent taking an A in some sections), thats what I heard, but at my school, organic had a 1.8 GPA average. But in the end, you want to fuffil the reqs, its not about what something really is, its about what people think it is. I would also bet the majors bio courses are going to give you more scientific thinking training than the A&P. A&P to me, is more about memorizing basic stuff. They are good courses though, because they help develop your general knowledge about the body though. I would bet a big percentage of folks (just myself doing mdapps searches) have taken these A&P courses for fun, but also have other bio courses, and probably did not ever think of using them as pre-reqs.
I would say, in general, those courses you have taken are "good" but its maybe better to have "Genetics" or "Cell Bio" in the mix, that way you are pretty much safe, and the other courses gave you a nice pre-view for med school, cause heck, they are gonna teach it a lot different most likely then what any undergrads took, that are talking up their courses over the nursing courses.
Note: aftering talking to a pre-med advisor, who was doing the job for 20 something years, she said that she knew my course was not a pre-req majors type course, but technically she said, it fufills the general bio class for med schools. I think generally everything is case by case, but if you have a lot of strikes against you on your app, I would think doing A&P is not a good plan for pre-reqs. However, you can even look at OSU, and they don't mind an online A&P, and actually encourage it as a pre-req, but these are additional pre-reqs on top of other bio courses. I think in general you may notice your RN Physiology course (I'm assuming, cause nurses typically take it), after an articulation agreement is fulfilled, the class you are exempt from, may in fact even be a majors level physiology (depends on the school, but at my school the CC course doesn't transfer in as equivalent, but the course you don't have to take is more a majors level course, and heres the thing, I'm well aware of course content, and I can tell you that the Uni course is easier, if not at the same level as most CC courses, everybody gets a B or A- at least). This is where things don't make too much sense. Other schools may not have general bio 1 and 2, but may say there articulation aggreement lets you take a non-majors style or similar course plus zoology, or just zoology, and then you don't have to take the general biology sequence, and you still are on track to the BS in biological sciences. It is BS to assume that one course has less content then the other, because really they are usually pretty similar, except one may require a calculator for some lab questions, and another may not (lots of curriculum makers stress this hidden "quantitative" element to the majors bio course that honestly is not really there). I would bet that some nursing programs, that have nurses in charge, might make basic courses tough. Making a course tough is not about content, its about volume and / or does the teacher give a nice curve? CCs don't give curves. Every school is different though, it just depends. Utah has an easy Organic course I think (40 percent taking an A in some sections), thats what I heard, but at my school, organic had a 1.8 GPA average. But in the end, you want to fuffil the reqs, its not about what something really is, its about what people think it is. I would also bet the majors bio courses are going to give you more scientific thinking training than the A&P. A&P to me, is more about memorizing basic stuff. They are good courses though, because they help develop your general knowledge about the body though. I would bet a big percentage of folks (just myself doing mdapps searches) have taken these A&P courses for fun, but also have other bio courses, and probably did not ever think of using them as pre-reqs.
I would say, in general, those courses you have taken are "good" but its maybe better to have "Genetics" or "Cell Bio" in the mix, that way you are pretty much safe, and the other courses gave you a nice pre-view for med school, cause heck, they are gonna teach it a lot different most likely then what any undergrads took, that are talking up their courses over the nursing courses.
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I recommend you ask around a lot, take everything with a grain of salt. But you should evaluate what kind of person you are, because some people honestly slide into a DO program (although not usually) and that doesn't mean they have what it takes necessarily. Good people have been dismissed from DO programs (some have gotten back in), but its not gonna be easy. You need to build up as much science as possible (given you can make the grades) to not only get in, but have enough prep to feel more comfortable in a strenuous curriculum. Not all schools are the same though. For instance, my school's MD program everybody works together, and grading is pass fail. Some school's, like Rush, are counting how long somebody takes a restroom break I heard, almost presenting to the class that academic dishonesty occurs, whereas another top program, might have all the students take their big exams online in their dorm, unproctored (you still need your boards). In general those A&P courses probably had tons of course volume, but again, look into a course or 2 more, knock out some As, score 30+ hopefully (26+ may be good for DO), and you are good to go.
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Agreed. I think Texas is the only one that requires 14 units of bio total.
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I had this same question and it turns out some schools accept anatomy just fine while others don't.
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in an attempt to not start a completely new topic about this:
if I have general bio 1 w/ lab, microbio w/ lab, cell bio (no lab), biochemistry w/ lab, and some other molecular/cellulary biology courses that will be taken in the future, is that going to be okay for most schools? I really don't want to have to take general bio 2. the only section available ever meets at 8 AM MWF. no f***ing way i'm going to survive that.
if I have general bio 1 w/ lab, microbio w/ lab, cell bio (no lab), biochemistry w/ lab, and some other molecular/cellulary biology courses that will be taken in the future, is that going to be okay for most schools? I really don't want to have to take general bio 2. the only section available ever meets at 8 AM MWF. no f***ing way i'm going to survive that.
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you have to do what you have to do. Life sucks.
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It is my understanding that higher level courses will satisfy the biology pre-requisites as well. I took general bio 1 almost ten years ago and rather than take general bio 2 I am taking physiology, anatomy and genetics since they should be more beneficial for future studies and anything general bio 2 related on the MCAT I can pick up prior to testing through study materials.
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If there's no other way around it, bite down and do it. If you're lucky, the lectures are recorded or posted online and there's no attendance policy, so it'll take some of the burden off. My Med Microbio/Immunology class met at 8 on T/Th and most of the lectures were posted.
