Class Schedule--too much?

[Paramedicine101]

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Hello all, I am new to posting on this forum so I hope I am maintaining proper poster etiquette.

I am a paramedic on 24 hour rotating shifts (48 hours off). I am also a paramedic instructor, ACLS instructor, and continuing education lecturer. At 28 years of age, I have recently decided that I want to go to medical school. I am finishing my bachelors in Public Safety Administration, and beginning to take the pre-med classes. I am seriously considering the FHP/USUHS programs and I have a rejuvenated motivation to become a physician.

I would like to complete the prerequisites relatively quickly, while obviously maintaining a solid GPA. Was able to take 5 or 6 classes while working on my BAS and I have received an A in every core class. I do have some bad grades mixed in there from general requirements but most have been retaken and others can be explained away for the most part because I was so young.

My Question:

There are obviously quite a few chemistry classes to take so I am going to start with Chem 1 in the summer along with my capstone. I would also like to take Calculus 1 since I have to take the calc classes to take physics. The following schedule is the one I have come up with, please provide me with your input. I generally understand math relatively quickly, but I am uncertain how hard chemistry will be for me to learn.

Summer 2012
-Capstone
-Chem 1
-Calc 1

Fall 2012
-Calc 2
-Chem 2

Spring 2013
-Physics 1
- Orgo 1

Summer 2013
- Physics 2
- Orgo 2

How will this workload pan out in your opinion? Also, when would be the realistically earliest time to take the MCAT? Would any of those semesters lend itself to the possibility of taking another class that will somewhat pad my transcript?

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[tvelocity514]

Hey Paramedicine,
How you have it set up is perfect. I would also take a cell biology course or one upper level Biology to refresh your memory in the Biology section (MCAT) and also prove to adcom members you can handle courses like that. According to your schedule, you should take the MCAT around August of 2013. You can still apply during the summer of 2013 without your MCAT score back. This way, you can still apply pretty early and note on your application that you are waiting for your MCAT score. General chemistry does require the use of math and is definitely more math-oriented than organic chemistry. Really as long as you put in the hours to study you will be fine in chemistry. Good luck!!

 

[theseeker4]

Hello all, I am new to posting on this forum so I hope I am maintaining proper poster etiquette.

I am a paramedic on 24 hour rotating shifts (48 hours off). I am also a paramedic instructor, ACLS instructor, and continuing education lecturer. At 28 years of age, I have recently decided that I want to go to medical school. I am finishing my bachelors in Public Safety Administration, and beginning to take the pre-med classes. I am seriously considering the FHP/USUHS programs and I have a rejuvenated motivation to become a physician.

I would like to complete the prerequisites relatively quickly, while obviously maintaining a solid GPA. Was able to take 5 or 6 classes while working on my BAS and I have received an A in every core class. I do have some bad grades mixed in there from general requirements but most have been retaken and others can be explained away for the most part because I was so young.

Before we can give you any specific advice, what is your GPA INCLUDING any classes you re-took for a higher grade? (meaning, include both the low grade and the high grade) This is how AMCAS, for MD schools, will calculate your GPA, and is the important number, since what your school says your GPA is doesn't mean anything. All classes you ever took at the college level will be included for this GPA. (If you apply DO, only the latest grade will be used to calculate your GPA, i.e retakes wipe out an old bad grade. If your GPA is pulled down by a handful of failing grades, as opposed to a ton of C's for example, this may be the best way for you to become a doctor.) If your GPA is good, meaning well above 3.0 already including all the bad grades, you probably don't need extensive coursework after the pre-reqs. If your GPA is well below 3.0, that would be another situation all together.

My Question:

There are obviously quite a few chemistry classes to take so I am going to start with Chem 1 in the summer along with my capstone. I would also like to take Calculus 1 since I have to take the calc classes to take physics. The following schedule is the one I have come up with, please provide me with your input. I generally understand math relatively quickly, but I am uncertain how hard chemistry will be for me to learn.

Summer 2012
-Capstone
-Chem 1
-Calc 1

Fall 2012
-Calc 2
-Chem 2

Spring 2013
-Physics 1
- Orgo 1

Summer 2013
- Physics 2
- Orgo 2

How will this workload pan out in your opinion? Also, when would be the realistically earliest time to take the MCAT? Would any of those semesters lend itself to the possibility of taking another class that will somewhat pad my transcript?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Is the summer semester 1/2 a normal semester, or is it near full-length? If the former, you probably don't want to take all three of those classes at the same time, as that can be a TON of work for someone just starting to take chemistry classes. If the latter, your schedule is probably good if you have the time to study a lot, until you are sure you can scale back your studying. The most important thing for you to do is try to have an A in every single pre-req, especially if your GPA is very low. Better to delay entering a medical school by a year than to kill your chances at going to med school at all by tanking your pre-reqs.

Did you already complete Bio I and II? I ask since I don't see them in your schedule.

As far as when to take the MCAT, you want to study for a few months, at least, AFTER all the pre-reqs are completed. If you are completing your pre-reqs in the summer of 2013, you will probably be applying the summer of 2014 since a high MCAT is vital if you have a shaky academic history. Taking the MCAT before physics II and orgo II is not a good idea, and taking it after the summer semester means you will be very late in applying for the 2014 matriculating class. Best to plan to matriculate in 2015, allowing plenty of time to take the MCAT and take some upper-division science classes to further demonstrate you are able to handle a rigorous course load.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Hey Paramedicine,
How you have it set up is perfect. I would also take a cell biology course or one upper level Biology to refresh your memory in the Biology section (MCAT) and also prove to adcom members you can handle courses like that. According to your schedule, you should take the MCAT around August of 2013. You can still apply during the summer of 2013 without your MCAT score back. This way, you can still apply pretty early and note on your application that you are waiting for your MCAT score. General chemistry does require the use of math and is definitely more math-oriented than organic chemistry. Really as long as you put in the hours to study you will be fine in chemistry. Good luck!!

This. Work hard and I am sure you will do well! Good luck!😀

 

[Paramedicine101]

Before we can give you any specific advice, what is your GPA INCLUDING any classes you re-took for a higher grade? (meaning, include both the low grade and the high grade) This is how AMCAS, for MD schools, will calculate your GPA, and is the important number, since what your school says your GPA is doesn't mean anything. All classes you ever took at the college level will be included for this GPA. (If you apply DO, only the latest grade will be used to calculate your GPA, i.e retakes wipe out an old bad grade. If your GPA is pulled down by a handful of failing grades, as opposed to a ton of C's for example, this may be the best way for you to become a doctor.) If your GPA is good, meaning well above 3.0 already including all the bad grades, you probably don't need extensive coursework after the pre-reqs. If your GPA is well below 3.0, that would be another situation all together.

My total GPA is about 3.20, science is about 3.75, hoping to keep getting A's to make this a little more competitive.

Is the summer semester 1/2 a normal semester, or is it near full-length? If the former, you probably don't want to take all three of those classes at the same time, as that can be a TON of work for someone just starting to take chemistry classes. If the latter, your schedule is probably good if you have the time to study a lot, until you are sure you can scale back your studying. The most important thing for you to do is try to have an A in every single pre-req, especially if your GPA is very low. Better to delay entering a medical school by a year than to kill your chances at going to med school at all by tanking your pre-reqs.

It is a normal semester. This is probably the one I was concerned with the most. I have been studying some chemistry and calculus and watching the kahn academy videos trying to prepare before I begin the semester, but who knows how the teachers will be and what they will expect...

Did you already complete Bio I and II? I ask since I don't see them in your schedule.

USUHS and a few other schools will substitute my A&P I & II classes for bio, but I would like to work those into the schedule. I teach a biology component to my students and have always grasped bio, and A&P stuff rather easily so I believe I could work those in during one of the easier semesters; do you recommend doing this before orgo?

As far as when to take the MCAT, you want to study for a few months, at least, AFTER all the pre-reqs are completed. If you are completing your pre-reqs in the summer of 2013, you will probably be applying the summer of 2014 since a high MCAT is vital if you have a shaky academic history. Taking the MCAT before physics II and orgo II is not a good idea, and taking it after the summer semester means you will be very late in applying for the 2014 matriculating class. Best to plan to matriculate in 2015, allowing plenty of time to take the MCAT and take some upper-division science classes to further demonstrate you are able to handle a rigorous course load.

Thank you very much for all of this information. I am doing my best to be as informed as possible to become a competitive applicant. Part of my time crunch is the fact that to do FHP/USUHS programs I would have to be under 32 years old. That is if I end up going that route.

 

[Paramedicine101]

Hey Paramedicine,
How you have it set up is perfect. I would also take a cell biology course or one upper level Biology to refresh your memory in the Biology section (MCAT) and also prove to adcom members you can handle courses like that. According to your schedule, you should take the MCAT around August of 2013. You can still apply during the summer of 2013 without your MCAT score back. This way, you can still apply pretty early and note on your application that you are waiting for your MCAT score. General chemistry does require the use of math and is definitely more math-oriented than organic chemistry. Really as long as you put in the hours to study you will be fine in chemistry. Good luck!!

Thank you very much. I appreciate the response.