Chemistry Prerequisite Help?

[bumpbumped]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So I'm a nontraditional student, and while in college I majored in Biology (eventually) and wasn't thinking about an MD so my prereqs are a lil weird. I have everything covered except chemistry?

I have a full year of organic chemistry with lab.
I have one semester of biochemistry with lab.
I have one semester of physical chemistry with lab.

There was a gen chem requirement for my major but the dean let me replace it with physical chemistry.

Looking at admissions requirements for individual schools, chemistry is broken up in different ways. Sometimes they say a year of inorganic, sometimes they say a year of general chem, sometimes they just say two years of chem and recommend what kind of chem...........is this the kind of thing in which I should call up individual med schools and ask? It seems silly to take post-bac genchem when I've already taken organic and a semester of physical chem.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

 

[cerno]

I think this will be something that is highly variable school to school. Have you taken the MCAT? Taking gen chem may be useful regardless in preparing for it (as opposed to self-teaching).

 

[bumpbumped]

Thanks - already took the MCAT, chem wasn't one of my problem areas....maybe I should just take 2nd semester pchem because my GPA is low and it would look better to do well in an upper level class than to do well in an intro class I'm kind of backtracking to take. 🙂

 

[Drogo]

P. Chem is over kill for what you will see on the MCAT. Just take the year of general chemistry, it will help you solidify the basics which will be tested heavily.

Gen chem is essentialy 'baby p. chem' so I do not really understand how you advanced to p. chem with out at least one semester of gen chem. Did you ace p. chem?

edit: nevermind you already took the MCAT, hey taking the year of gen chem will only boost your sGPA!

 

[bumpbumped]

Essentially, I placed out of general chemistry freshman year but did not take organic until my sophomore year, and because I did not take it freshman year did not receive acceleration credit. My prereqs are messy that way.

Anyway, like I said, I'm hesitant to backtrack in postbac and take an intro class when I've already taken upper level classes. I'll probably take the second semester of physical chemistry and use that.

 

[487806]

Essentially, I placed out of general chemistry freshman year but did not take organic until my sophomore year, and because I did not take it freshman year did not receive acceleration credit. My prereqs are messy that way.

Anyway, like I said, I'm hesitant to backtrack in postbac and take an intro class when I've already taken upper level classes. I'll probably take the second semester of physical chemistry and use that.

Good. You're all set in that case. Ignore the other posters insisting you take the gen chem classes. It seems you can handle the rigor of harder courses, so it's a waste of time to take the intro courses loaded with ignorant freshmen.

I think this will be something that is highly variable school to school. Have you taken the MCAT? Taking gen chem may be useful regardless in preparing for it (as opposed to self-teaching).

No. Not really. Gen chem is best learned by self-teaching, and through lectures (most of which are pointless anyways).