Classes To Take Before Med School

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Someone recommended to me that I take Histology and embriology. I alrdy took Physiology. Haven't taken anatomy. Anyone have a ranking system of importance or other classes that I should take?

 

[chooxu]

I would definitely take anatomy if you haven't. Anatomy is one of the biggest and most important units in medical school. It is also one of the toughest. Of course I would take histology and embryology if I had the time, but if I had to choose one, it would be anatomy.

 

[Law2Doc]

Someone recommended to me that I take Histology and embriology. I alrdy took Physiology. Haven't taken anatomy. Anyone have a ranking system of importance or other classes that I should take?

I was told by many, many people in and/or finished with med school that med school teaches you everything you need to know, and there's no point taking classes like anatomy, biochemistry (unless it's a prereq. for a school) or histology before you get there. Instead, you should just take the premed prerequisites and thereafter just take classes that you like (or will get good grades in - if your GPA needs a boost). If I had to do it all over, I would take more fine arts classes...

 

[callie]

This is just what I have been told....
I have been told by students in med school that having experience in the dissection part of anatomy would be helpful. and a physician I was shadowing was surpised that micro wasn't required (but students didn't seem that concerned). Anyway, I was told to take more upper levels (I only had two my first app cycle), so if you are trying to improve and application take upper level classes you will do well in. I don't think they care specifically and it sounds like you are thinking about the right kinds of classes. If you have already been accepted listen to the last guy and take things you are interested in just for fun (this my be your last chance for a while), at least that is what I have been told. Good Luck!

 

[lemurlover]

I've heard from med school admissions folks that biochem is by far the most helpful nonrequired but strongly recommended course. one student from TUCOM recently told me that med school crammed a year of undergrad biochem into two weeks! ouch*

 

[Lindyhopper]

I don't have the experience to answer want courses will be helpful in Med school. But there seems to be two distinct schools of thought on whether one should take courses that will later be taught in more depth in Med school. Some people recommend taking whatever you can that "will make your life eaiser in Med school." Others react as if there is something almost unholy about this approach.
Now I've never fully understood the idea or possibilty of learning "all you need to know"; as if there is some finite amount of desirable medical knowledge. But I still believe that different choices are right for different individuals at different times.
As a Non-traditional I plan on completing an MA in Bio with plenty of Biochem, Anatomy, Physiology, Neuro, Developmental, & Cell.

 

[futuredo32]

I would definitely recommend taking biochem and anatomy at the very least. Taking physiology and genetics might be helpful as well. When you have had those classes before, it definitely makes life easier in med school.

 

[cammy1313]

Biochem may be helpful but, truthfully, it's rote memorization for med school. I would save that for when you're there. Anatomy and histo would also help but if you've taken physiology you have a solid base for those courses as well. Biochem, anatomy, and histo are mostly memorization which is best learned in the moment. One course that would SERIOUSLY help you though is Neurobiology. It's very different from other courses and tends to be the class in which most people struggle. Just my two cents.

 

[dynx]

I've heard from med school admissions folks that biochem is by far the most helpful nonrequired but strongly recommended course. one student from TUCOM recently told me that med school crammed a year of undergrad biochem into two weeks! ouch*

I agree, learning biochem as an undergrad removes the rush and the pressure of learning it in med school and frees you up to spend time on other things like anatomy.
Speaking of anatomy, I wouldn't take it as an undergrad unless you get to DO the dissection. Learning it by doing it is the best and easiest way, and you do that first year.

 

[Firebird]

I was told by many, many people in and/or finished with med school that med school teaches you everything you need to know, and there's no point taking classes like anatomy, biochemistry (unless it's a prereq. for a school) or histology before you get there. Instead, you should just take the premed prerequisites and thereafter just take classes that you like (or will get good grades in - if your GPA needs a boost). If I had to do it all over, I would take more fine arts classes...

It's true they teach you everything you need to know. But learning as much as possible in undergrad takes that much more off your shoulders. Trust me, it's a lot of material in med school and the less you have to learn for the first time, the better.

I can't suggest a prioritized list, because everyone is different. For me, I should have taken anatomy before med school. I did ok in biochem, though, with MINIMAL effort because that's how my mind works. I think most med students are opposite me, though...anatomy came easier to them than me, and biochem came easier to me than them.

Anyway, no, they don't compress all of undergrad classes into two weeks. That's a ridiculous idea (at least it is if you had a decent undergrad professor). But realize they cover so much more detail than your undergrad classes do. So it may SEEM like they can cover it all in 2 weeks.

 

[MD Dreams]

If you take the following (and actually learn the subject matter), med school will be MUCH easier for you:

Anatomy (with dissection if possible), biochemistry (not all the research BS that they like to teach, but stuff like the Krebs' cycle, nitrogen metabolism, lipid metabolism, etc -- refer to Lippincott), physiology, immunology, neuroscience (again not the research BS or the small stuff like action potentials, etc. but stuff like the different pathways of the nervous system, upper motor neuron lesion, lower motor neuron lesions, etc). Any of these classes will help. There is no big secret to med school, in fact it is not much different than undergrad except that they teach all the above in a very short period of time. If you already know it, all you have to do is review. Then all that's left is the more clinical stuff which are a lot more interesting. If you can't take the classes then I would recommend getting a hold of the board review series books that most students use and read over them. They'll give you a pretty good basis of what you will cover in med school. All the best.

 

[ntmed]

If you take the following (and actually learn the subject matter), med school will be MUCH easier for you:

I agree with MD Dreams. Taking certain undergraduate classes made some of my medical school classes easier. In order of importance (IMHO), my undergraduate biochem, anatomy, genetics, cell bio, micro, pharm, and statistics all came in handy.

However, the other posts are also correct. It is not necessary to take these courses before medical school. Medical school is taught with the assumption that you've only taken the core prerequisites.

 

[futuredoc10]

I agree, learning biochem as an undergrad removes the rush and the pressure of learning it in med school and frees you up to spend time on other things like anatomy.
Speaking of anatomy, I wouldn't take it as an undergrad unless you get to DO the dissection. Learning it by doing it is the best and easiest way, and you do that first year.

I totally agree. Taking Biochem as an undergraduate seems like it would help alot. I also took graduate level biochem, histology, physiology in a Master's program and feel like I am prepared to take it in a Med program.

 

[Firebird]

I totally agree. Taking Biochem as an undergraduate seems like it would help alot. I also took graduate level biochem, histology, physiology in a Master's program and feel like I am prepared to take it in a Med program.

Enjoy the bliss of ignorance while it lasts. 🙂 Only a joke, no offense intended.

Actually, you very well COULD be prepared for the classes if they were serious grad classes. Our MS/PhD students take the exact same biochem, phys, and Pharm classes as our medical students. Neuro is easier for them, though, as they don't take the anatomy sections. If your school was the same way, you might find you're not learning much new material, except for probably the clinical info.

But be aware--don't get in a false sense of security. You will still need to study your buns off.

 

[civic4982]

Don't take a damn thing you don't have to take is my opinon. Most people will probably disagree and say you should be smart and learn things ahead of time. Some may be even convinced that schools really look favorably on those that have taken tougher courses. I think if you take the EASIEST courses possible to meet requirements to give yourself the most competitive GPA possible, you're in the best position.

a 4.0 student who take bare minimums VS. a 3.6 student who took anatomy,physiology,biochem, etc.

which would you choose?

P.S.: I'm lazy...

 

[ntmed]

... a 4.0 student who take bare minimums VS. a 3.6 student who took anatomy,physiology,biochem, etc. ... which would you choose?

There's definitely some truth to this. Especially since, for many schools, it's your GPA and MCAT that gets your foot in the door. As a premed, I wouldn't take any optional class without being confident that I could get an A in it.

 

[DPPM]

Does taking biochem and/or anatomy help with prep for the MCAT?

 

[Firebird]

I would think biochem, cell and physiology would be the most helpful.

Biochem will help with the chemistry part, a little.

 

[fateema368]

Someone recommended to me that I take Histology and embriology. I alrdy took Physiology. Haven't taken anatomy. Anyone have a ranking system of importance or other classes that I should take?

I'm wondering, if you do poorly in one of these classes, so poorly that you fail on of them, could this affect your admission to medical school? 😕