Early med school classes?

[Physics of Math]

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Anyone also hear if it was possible to take certain classes, before being accepted, and have them count in med school? Specifically, there is a rumor at my school (which has an attached medical school) that it may be possible to take the medical biochemistry class instead of regular biochem, but I haven't found any information to back in up yet.

Thanks 🙂

 

[Jolie South]

I doubt that.

If you go to a school that has an integrated curriculum, it'll be extra hard because all the classes are combined, possibly into one test. There's no way to "sit out" the biochem part.

Also, med school doesn't work like undergrad. You don't register for courses and what not. Everyone takes all the same classes.

 

[shiftingmirage]

At my med school, people were actually able to take an exam and if they did well enough, test out of the class. Supossedly this applies to every class, but biochem was the only one that told us about it, probably becasue so many take biochem before school.

 

[Physics of Math]

🙂

 

[teenmachinery1]

I took first year path.

I'll end up having to take it again.

👍

 

[greatnt249]

Anyone also hear if it was possible to take certain classes, before being excepted, and have them count in med school? Specifically, there is a rumor at my school (which has an attached medical school) that it may be possible to take the medical biochemistry class instead of regular biochem, but I haven't found any information to back in up yet.

Thanks 🙂

Even if it was an option, it's not worth your while to try and test out of a class.

1) You're going to wind up forgetting the information by the time that block rolls around anyway, which isn't a good thing.
2) It's not like you're going to be cruising your way through medical school any faster by doing so.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Agree with above poster. We had summer gross anatomy at my school, and the small group of students who took it before regular classes started didn't wind up doing any better than the rest of us once things got into full swing. There's no real advantage to "lightening your load" in the first part of med school (most med schools won't let you anyway). I took medical neuroscience as a grad student before med school - I sat right next to med students - and I was required to repeat it as part of the medical curriculum once I was in med school. If you find yourself in this position, just take the opportunity to really master the material the second time around and make it a strength. I'm going into neurology now... 🙂

 

[riceman04]

Nope...have to take everything here at UCSD

I will have to take histo next year even though I TA'd a histo class for the past 2.5 years

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

I've heard of PhDs (obtained prior to med school) being able to get advanced standing in a course so they could skip it, but they had to take electives to make up for it.

Honestly, why would you WANT to skip taking a course that you're extremely knowledgeable in? That would be an easy Honors and up your chances of getting AOA. 😕

 

[riceman04]

I've heard of PhDs (obtained prior to med school) being able to get advanced standing in a course so they could skip it, but they had to take electives to make up for it.

Honestly, why would you WANT to skip taking a course that you're extremely knowledgeable in? That would be an easy Honors and up your chances of getting AOA. 😕

hmmmm...not every school has AOA

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

hmmmm...not every school has AOA

most do

for the dean's letter then

 

[njbmd]

I've heard of PhDs (obtained prior to med school) being able to get advanced standing in a course so they could skip it, but they had to take electives to make up for it.

Honestly, why would you WANT to skip taking a course that you're extremely knowledgeable in? That would be an easy Honors and up your chances of getting AOA. 😕

My medical school did allow "testing" out of coursework. The result for those of us who came in with Ph.Ds in one of the preclinical sciences (two in my class) was an easy honors and for me, earning money as a peer tutor and entry into AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha). Taking the exams wasn't a big deal for me. Since we didn't have mandatory class attendance, I just showed up took the exam and received an easy honors. I used the extra time to work on my other courses too again making getting high grades a bit easier.