For Med school applicant who took no upper level science, please tell experience

[fastfingers]

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I've asked around and it seems as if I really don't need upper-level science courses to get into med school (my upper level classes are mainly sociology). However, I feel like I'm not 100% convinced that I don't need to take any upper level science classes (and by not taking them, I free up time for a minor and time to study for MCAT). So for this thread, could any previous applicants to med school please state their success with med school and if not having science courses affected them? It would also be really nice if you could list basic stats and some EC so I could make some comparison to see if your stats show that you could've gone to a better school (if you had taken upper-level science).

Please provide some anecdotal experience for applying with med school with no upper level science class.

Thanks.

 

[Druzie]

I have taken no upper-level science. You can look at my MDapps. Not sure I would've been more successful with more science. I suspect it was a combination of things and no upper-level courses was, I feel, the least of them.

 

[aznb0y129]

Psych major here, no upper level sciences either. 3.6, 31, 2 acceptances this cycle. It's definitely doable.

 

[236116]

You need to go find out if the schools you want require UL science.

 

[BrickHouseMD]

I don't want to poop in anybody's breakfast here, but the responses you've gotten thus far are only from newly appointed M0's. I would really take that with a grain of salt. Getting into med school with no upper level science, and being SUCCESSFUL in med school with no upper level science are two completely different issues. What you need is an opinion/answer from somebody who got in, did well, and then blasted the boards. I'm not the person to answer that as I was a bio major with graduate level courses before going to med school. I can tell you that it is absolutely unimaginable how I could ever have passed year 1 and 2 with my level of grades having not had my upper level undergrad workload. However, I'm sure it's doable, and that's why you need to hear from the people who have been there, not those still yet to embark on the journey.

 

[quirks]

I don't want to poop in anybody's breakfast here, but the responses you've gotten thus far are only from newly appointed M0's. I would really take that with a grain of salt. Getting into med school with no upper level science, and being SUCCESSFUL in med school with no upper level science are two completely different issues. What you need is an opinion/answer from somebody who got in, did well, and then blasted the boards. I'm not the person to answer that as I was a bio major with graduate level courses before going to med school. I can tell you that it is absolutely unimaginable how I could ever have passed year 1 and 2 with my level of grades having not had my upper level undergrad workload. However, I'm sure it's doable, and that's why you need to hear from the people who have been there, not those still yet to embark on the journey.

Ok, so you can get into med school without upper level science courses, as the above posts show. I did too (Psych Major).

However, I do anticipate struggling a bit, at least at first. I don't have any Biochem and my orgo is sketchy at best. My bio foundation in general is rather shaky. I'll probably have to work harder than the bio majors at first, if not always, but I think I'll be alright in the end. 🙂

If you can easily fit in some upper level science (mainly bio/biochem, I think), do it. I fit in as much as I could, but that wasn't very much.

 

[drizzt3117]

I'd make sure you went to a school with P/F if you didn't have upper level science... most of the non-trad people who hadn't taken biochem seemed to get ROCKED here in biochem, and had to study day and night just to pass.

 

[BrickHouseMD]

Ok, so you can get into med school without upper level science courses, as the above posts show. I did too (Psych Major).

However, I do anticipate struggling a bit, at least at first. I don't have any Biochem and my orgo is sketchy at best. My bio foundation in general is rather shaky. I'll probably have to work harder than the bio majors at first, if not always, but I think I'll be alright in the end. 🙂

If you can easily fit in some upper level science (mainly bio/biochem, I think), do it. I fit in as much as I could, but that wasn't very much.

This is good advice. Keep in mind that your entire undergraduate Biochem is likely to be compressed into a 2 hour lecture that kicks off your M1 Medical Biochem. The more exposure you have, the better off you'll be. Even the acid-base lecture for Renal Pathophysiology as an M2 draws from it.

 

[fastfingers]

well, i'll be taking biochem my senior year at the grad school, so i think i'll be fine for med school. However, since I don't have any upper level science grade applying for med school, I was wondering if I would still be successful in the application process. I'm aiming for top tier.

 

[BORNagainSTDENT]

I'd make sure you went to a school with P/F if you didn't have upper level science... most of the non-trad people who hadn't taken biochem seemed to get ROCKED here in biochem, and had to study day and night just to pass.

What's P/F.

 

[BrickHouseMD]

Pass/Fail, vs. a truly graded curriculum or a z-score system

 

[cpants]

I'm was a non-science major. I took a couple of upper-level bios: marine bio, plant bio, physiology lab (joke class). Average MCAT and GPA.

I just finished my pre-clinical coursework, studying for the boards now. I did well above average in all of my pre-clinical coursework--honors or high passes in all classes. Most upper-level science has little to no relevance to medical school. Biochem, genetics, and possibly physiology could help you a bit, but it definitely is not worth taking the courses for that reason alone. If you need to take more courses to boost GPA, for your major, or for personal interest, those three should be your first candidates. All of these subjects are taught at a different scope and scale in medical school. You will be busting your buns to pass whether you've taken the subjects before or not. Admissions doesn't really care about upper level science either (unless it is a requirement). They will look at your pre-req grades and your 2 GPAs. Hope that helps.

 

[fastfingers]

Thanks for all the replies.

A lot of the schools list biochem as a recommended class. Do they still care a lot if I don't show them a grade for the recommended grade, or do they only minimally care.

As of now, science classes can only lower my gpa since my BCPM gpa is holding on to a 4.0. I'm holding back on taking upper level science since it can only negatively affect my gpa and also take time away from studying for MCAT and also extracurricular and keep me from getting a minor. However, if taking upper level science plays a significant factor, I feel I must, but from what I get from this thread, I guess I don't really need.

However, I would love to see somebody's input who got into a top 10 med school without taking an upper level science course.

 

[236116]

Thanks for all the replies.

A lot of the schools list biochem as a recommended class. Do they still care a lot if I don't show them a grade for the recommended grade, or do they only minimally care.

1. If they're taking the time to mention it, you should probably take it.
2. Anything over a 3.75 is the same thing.

 

[fastfingers]

Well, do you think they'll assume I'll do fine in, lets say, biochem if my science gpa is high enough? If I do get a B on my only upper level science, would they think I won't be able to handle upper level science?

I really do want to get a business minor, so I'm hesitant to take it.

 

[236116]

Well, do you think they'll assume I'll do fine in, lets say, biochem if my science gpa is high enough? If I do get a B on my only upper level science, would they think I won't be able to handle upper level science?

I really do want to get a business minor, so I'm hesitant to take it.

Only if you tanked the lower ones, too. B's are fine.

 

[cpants]

Well, do you think they'll assume I'll do fine in, lets say, biochem if my science gpa is high enough? If I do get a B on my only upper level science, would they think I won't be able to handle upper level science?

I really do want to get a business minor, so I'm hesitant to take it.

You don't have to take it. If you've got all A's in your prereqs, and you don't have schedule room, don't worry about it. You've proven you're ready.