Can someone demystify this for me lol?

[listenerpastry]

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I came back to school in January. I met with an advisor and he said I need to take trig before I even touch chemistry or physics. He also said I have to take biochem and genetics. Is this true? I'm trying to go to a DO school. I'm senior-level in college and would be delaying graduation for this, so I really want to know what I'm getting into. I'm not trying to evade coursework but I'm not getting any younger as far as opportunity cost and understand a lot of this will be covered in med school anyway.

What I have:
College Algebra
PreCalculus (w/o trig)
Discrete Mathematics
Statistics
two non-psych social science courses
English requirements

From LMU-DCOM:

• Biology: Minimum of 8 semester hours (including lecture and lab)
• Inorganic: Minimum of 8 semester hours (including lecture and lab)
• Organic: Minimum of 8 semester hours (including lecture and lab)
• Physics: Minimum of 8 semester hours (including lecture and lab)
• English: Minimum of 6 semester hours

LECOM:

• Biology: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two semester hours of laboratory work. These eight hours may consist of general biology or zoology, or a combination of biology, zoology and botany.
• Inorganic Chemistry: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two semester hours of laboratory work.
• Organic Chemistry: A minimum of eight semester hours, including two semester hours of laboratory work (Biochemistry may be substituted for Organic Chemistry II).
• Physics: A minimum of four semester hours, including one hour of laboratory work.
• English: A minimum of six semester hours of composition and literature.
• Behavioral Sciences: A minimum of six semester hours of courses in the behavioral sciences; i.e., psychology, sociology, anthropology, medical ethics, or philosophy.

NYITCOM:

• English: 6 semester hours
• Biology, including a basic course in general biology or zoology (lecture and lab): 8 semester hours
• General Chemistry (lecture and lab): 8 semester hours
• Organic Chemistry I (lecture and lab): 4 semester hours
• Organic Chemistry II (lecture and lab): 4 semester hours. *Biochemistry, with or without lab, may be substituted for Organic Chemistry II.
• Physics (lecture and lab): 8 semester hour

I'd really like some clarification on this before I make the jump. Looking at career-changer postbaccs as well.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

You probably don't *need* trig but could be helpful for graphing. Lots of graphing and finding curve fits and similar BS in chem and phys.

 

[listenerpastry]

You probably don't *need* trig but could be helpful for graphing. Lots of graphing and finding curve fits and similar BS in chem and phys.

I honestly have no idea. Not sure whether I should stop being neurotic and jump into a DIY post-bacc or keep micro-analyzing all these little things since I may not get into med school because of x or y technicality.

 

[wysdoc]

I honestly have no idea. Not sure whether I should stop being neurotic and jump into a DIY post-bacc or keep micro-analyzing all these little things since I may not get into med school because of x or y technicality.

Biochemistry will likely help you for MCAT
Physics labs and homework can be tackled with a good grasp of Algebra, but be sure you don’t sign up for a calculus-based physics course.
No med schools require Calculus any more but many of them want you to take a one semester Statistics course.

 

[listenerpastry]

I'm in a situation where getting pre-reqs at a four-year or in-person at all has a lot of red tape. I met with my premed advisor and he gave me a laundry list of classes I hadn't even considered. Now I'm feeling really discouraged and intimidated and don't know how I'm going to do this.

I thought I just needed the 4 sequences: gen chem, bio, ochem, physics with labs. That's 8 classes + labs.

Is taking general bio online or at community college the end of the world while I decide if this is what I want to do? Am I shooting myself in the foot? As a non-traditional I don't know how to navigate this. Should I just start tackling these classes or make sure everything is perfect for DO schools?

 

[listenerpastry]

Biochemistry will likely help you for MCAT
Physics labs and homework can be tackled with a good grasp of Algebra, but be sure you don’t sign up for a calculus-based physics course.
No med schools require Calculus any more but many of them want you to take a one semester Statistics course.

Yep, I've got stats. Been a while but I'm sure I could manage algebra-based physics.

 

[Dral]

Did you take Trig in high school? If so and you still have an understanding of it, I'd say don't bother with it on the college level.

 

[listenerpastry]

Did you take Trig in high school? If so and you still have an understanding of it, I'd say don't bother with it on the college level.

Nope, all the math I have beyond Algebra 1 is listed above

 

[Goro]

You're going to need biochemistry on the list for the MCAT.

As covid is over, take your classes in person

 

[Mr.Smile12]

How often did you meet with your prehealth advisor during your foir years? Your errors could have been averted had you done this. What details am I missing?

 

[listenerpastry]

I'm trying to approach premed without completely changing things up since I can't change my major at this point. I don't want to use the term "bare minimum" but I just want to understand what I'm working with.

I have to take biology, chemistry, orgo and physics. I have my math, social science and english. I have a great GPA and am very involved at a great university(t30 american university) with many committee positions, leadership, service, faith-based, qualitative research in health (through an interdisciplinary policy dept).
I simply have done these things because I enjoy them and as a non-trad, relish the opportunity to be at school. I did not expect this privilege to come into my life.

Let's say I complete these courses, get As and Bs, and achieve an average score on the MCAT. I am a URM, disadvantaged background, former hs dropout, and have a lot of exposure to the healthcare world due to my single parent having AML and being the major caregiver in the process from a tender age. This has dramatically impacted the course of my life, and I have believed healthcare to be my calling since childhood. I also have quite an interesting life story for someone in my shoes.

I am not getting a biochemistry degree, publishing in scientific journals, etc. I'm taking the 8 classes I need to apply and studying for the test. I probably won't even take biochem or genetics tbh. Will this give me a shot at med school or is it delusional?

My advisor really discouraged me and I just need to know

 

[listenerpastry]

I've seen people talk about taking classes through UCSD extension school and similar methods.
I was looking for alternative ways to take trig and an intro to chemistry course and came across this:

ASU Universal Pathways | Earn College Credit Online

They have a chemistry for engineers class that articulates as gen chem at public universities and a physics class as well. Not to mention lots of probably really great health profession classes and ways to boost science GPA. Med schools in my state pretty much unanimously check green on the spreadsheet. I have limited options and resources when it comes to premed and was wondering if this is a good idea to explore beyond precalc, psych, and intro to chem.

 

[Dee2daK]

With the sole exception of covid (many changes had to be made during this time), my understanding is that the preference be in-person courses for any of the “hard” sciences. Some schools may also have a percentage of courses that are required to be resident (i.e. no more than 25% taken through distance learning methods). While writing, psychology, sociology, etc. are perfectly acceptable to take through other methods, a firm in-depth understanding of [organic and general] chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and (to some degree) physics is critical both to scoring well on the MCAT and to understanding medicine.

Also understand that you’re going to need chemistry and physics labs, which courses like this won’t generally count as. You’d be better off taking a set of in-person combined lecture/lab courses rather than taking courses like this and having to spend more later on lab courses. It’s the type of thing I’d personally not make the gamble on keeping me from applying to a broad range of schools.

 

[noah__ollie]

I'm trying to approach premed without completely changing things up since I can't change my major at this point. I don't want to use the term "bare minimum" but I just want to understand what I'm working with.

I have to take biology, chemistry, orgo and physics. I have my math, social science and english. I have a great GPA and am very involved at a great university(t30 american university) with many committee positions, leadership, service, faith-based, qualitative research in health (through an interdisciplinary policy dept).
I simply have done these things because I enjoy them and as a non-trad, relish the opportunity to be at school. I did not expect this privilege to come into my life.

Let's say I complete these courses, get As and Bs, and achieve an average score on the MCAT. I am a URM, disadvantaged background, former hs dropout, and have a lot of exposure to the healthcare world due to my single parent having AML and being the major caregiver in the process from a tender age. This has dramatically impacted the course of my life, and I have believed healthcare to be my calling since childhood. I also have quite an interesting life story for someone in my shoes.

I am not getting a biochemistry degree, publishing in scientific journals, etc. I'm taking the 8 classes I need to apply and studying for the test. I probably won't even take biochem or genetics tbh. Will this give me a shot at med school or is it delusional?

My advisor really discouraged me and I just need to know

I'm going to give you my personal experience and you can draw your own conclusions from that.

I'm from a very middle class family and have gone through high school and college with above average grades, but nothing astounding. I am a pre-med major, and have taken a full year of gen bio, gen chem, A&P and orgo. I have already taken the MCAT and did not do as well as I wanted, but did well enough that I'm still applying this cycle (I'm also retaking in a couple weeks). I decided to take biochem over genetics purely out of interest, but I will be taking genetics this coming year. I do not have any publications simply because that was not something that interested me. I have a ton of shadowing and clinical experience hours, but little to no research. I also have lots of volunteering, both in and outside of healthcare.

There unfortunately is a stereotype for what medical schools will and won't accept. Everyone says that you HAVE to have this laundry list of things to make you a competitive applicant, but imo that is simply not true.

Don't underestimate the idea of simply doing what you enjoy. For example, I worked in a sports rehabilitation center for 2 years because I love working with athletes and helping them recover from injury. Is this the best experience for medical school? Absolutely not. But it was something that I truly enjoyed. Don't go become a CNA because it's going to be "a great experience for my AMCAS". Do what you love and be genuine about yourself in your application.

 

[listenerpastry]

With the sole exception of covid (many changes had to be made during this time), my understanding is that the preference be in-person courses for any of the “hard” sciences. Some schools may also have a percentage of courses that are required to be resident (i.e. no more than 25% taken through distance learning methods). While writing, psychology, sociology, etc. are perfectly acceptable to take through other methods, a firm in-depth understanding of [organic and general] chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and (to some degree) physics is critical both to scoring well on the MCAT and to understanding medicine.

Also understand that you’re going to need chemistry and physics labs, which courses like this won’t generally count as. You’d be better off taking a set of in-person combined lecture/lab courses rather than taking courses like this and having to spend more later on lab courses. It’s the type of thing I’d personally not make the gamble on keeping me from applying to a broad range of schools.

lots of the schools I would be applying to have the check marks for these classes though. I wouldn't be using it as a sole method, but it's a low-risk way to knock out a couple things and make me more viable as a candidate for more schools. they dont even have organic chemistry, general bio, or a proper physics sequence.

 

[listenerpastry]

DIY Post-Bacc/Side-Bacc of my senior year as a nontrad

Realistically how fast could I get through these classes in a self-paced format?

PreCalc (already taken, just need credit)

Intro Chem (Paced course)

Calc (already taken, just need credit)

Bio 1 + lab

Chem 1 + lab

Bio 2 + lab

Chem 2 + lab

Organic Chem + lab

Biochemistry + lab

From legit regionally-accredited schools of course. I go to a school like this anyway

 

[Goro]

I'm trying to approach premed without completely changing things up since I can't change my major at this point. I don't want to use the term "bare minimum" but I just want to understand what I'm working with.

I have to take biology, chemistry, orgo and physics. I have my math, social science and english. I have a great GPA and am very involved at a great university(t30 american university) with many committee positions, leadership, service, faith-based, qualitative research in health (through an interdisciplinary policy dept).
I simply have done these things because I enjoy them and as a non-trad, relish the opportunity to be at school. I did not expect this privilege to come into my life.

Let's say I complete these courses, get As and Bs, and achieve an average score on the MCAT. I am a URM, disadvantaged background, former hs dropout, and have a lot of exposure to the healthcare world due to my single parent having AML and being the major caregiver in the process from a tender age. This has dramatically impacted the course of my life, and I have believed healthcare to be my calling since childhood. I also have quite an interesting life story for someone in my shoes.

I am not getting a biochemistry degree, publishing in scientific journals, etc. I'm taking the 8 classes I need to apply and studying for the test. I probably won't even take biochem or genetics tbh. Will this give me a shot at med school or is it delusional?

My advisor really discouraged me and I just need to know

You're going to need Biochem for the MCAT.

What's your hurry? Med schools aren't going anywhere.
What ethnic community do you represent?

 

[KaiBuzz]

How would you self-pace a lab? Those courses need to be taken in-person and the labs are scheduled over the course of a semester?

 

[listenerpastry]

How would you self-pace a lab? Those courses need to be taken in-person and the labs are scheduled over the course of a semester?

You dont have to take them in person. If it ends up being that big of a problem I can just retake the labs

 

[chilly_md]

OP, I have merged several similar threads that you started about your coursework. Please keep this topic in one place to allow others to best help you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm trying to approach premed without completely changing things up since I can't change my major at this point. I don't want to use the term "bare minimum" but I just want to understand what I'm working with.

I have to take biology, chemistry, orgo and physics. I have my math, social science and english. I have a great GPA and am very involved at a great university(t30 american university) with many committee positions, leadership, service, faith-based, qualitative research in health (through an interdisciplinary policy dept).
I simply have done these things because I enjoy them and as a non-trad, relish the opportunity to be at school. I did not expect this privilege to come into my life.

Let's say I complete these courses, get As and Bs, and achieve an average score on the MCAT. I am a URM, disadvantaged background, former hs dropout, and have a lot of exposure to the healthcare world due to my single parent having AML and being the major caregiver in the process from a tender age. This has dramatically impacted the course of my life, and I have believed healthcare to be my calling since childhood. I also have quite an interesting life story for someone in my shoes.

I am not getting a biochemistry degree, publishing in scientific journals, etc. I'm taking the 8 classes I need to apply and studying for the test. I probably won't even take biochem or genetics tbh. Will this give me a shot at med school or is it delusional?

My advisor really discouraged me and I just need to know

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