Having issues with premed advisor

[Futureofyourtv]

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😕 I'm really beginning to question my school's premed advisor. I saw her today to go over some things in my portfolio. According to her, the non-calc based physics is not acceptable for med school. Algebra-based is considered "too basic" for a premed student. She also doesn't seem to know much about the courses AACOMAS will accept as part of your science gpa. Our school has Anatomy and Physiology under the Kinesiology Department. I know AMCAS will not include this in your science gpa, but AACOMAS will. She said "if its not within the Physics, Biology, or Chem Department its not included in your sgpa". I'm a neuro major and some of my major courses fall under their own department, neuroscience department. These courses are not psych-based at all. There are very much hard science and were difficult. According to her, none of them will count.
The thing is I need to get a committee because apparently(once again according to her) without it I can't apply to any med schools, M.D. or D.O. schools.
😕 help

 

[DrWily]

1. Stop listening to your ******* premed advisor.
2. You already know the answer to all your questions.
3. 2 Science Letters and 1 Physician letter is more than enough. You don't *need* a committee letter.

 

[doeswork]

Algebra based physics will count. The MCAT is all algebra based physics. As for the other courses not counting as science, I am not sure. But it seems right. I know that AMCAS counts math as science, but AACOMAS doesnt.

The on reason you'd take calculus based physics is if you taken AP physics A in high school. I had to take Calc based physics because of this reason.

Some schools do require a committee letter, like the PCOM schools.

 

[user3]

I took classes in the AGR, AGG, WIS, ANT, ANS and APK departments. I marked them as sciences, and they were counted in the science GPA on aacomas. No issues.

 

[DrMediterranean]

At my school it is recommended that Biology majors take non-calc based physics, and business calculus (as opposed to the more intense calculus sequence that engineers take). Medical schools do not keep track of which classes are "calc-based" or not, it would be really hard for them to look at each undergrad institution and figure that out. Therefore, your pre-med advisor doesn't know what he/she is talking about. The med school that I am going to requires a "Genetics" class, and my "Population Genetics" class fulfills that requirement although there is a regular "Genetics" class I could have taken. These are just many examples.

Also, just because the science classes you are taking are not listed under "Chem" or "Bio" departments doesn't mean they can't be listed in the BCPM or sGPA for AMCAS/AACOMAS. I remember reading specifically for the AMCAS application that they allow you to make the call for which classes are considered science - they say that at least "50%" of the course load must be science based. I took a class called "Physiological Psychology". Although, this class is technically a Psych class, it was basically a biology class. It was easily more than 50% biology, thus, I listed it as a science class and it was part of my BCPM.

 

[Futureofyourtv]

I took classes in the AGR, AGG, WIS, ANT, ANS and APK departments. I marked them as sciences, and they were counted in the science GPA on aacomas. No issues.

Sorry, but I don't know what these initials stand for?

 

[Futureofyourtv]

Ok now I'm really scared to go to this advisor for any more "advice".

 

[DrWily]

Some schools do require a committee letter, like the PCOM schools.

You can get around this by submitting a Dean's letter, along with your two science and one physician letter. I can't speak for MD schools though.

 

[Sophocles]

Some of this sounds like really bad advice. A committee letter is something that I have struggled myself with and I have spoken with many different adcoms about this. All of them have said that they all extremely prefer a committee letter if you have a committee. Tufts was the only school that has said they will consider an applicant w/o a committee letter if they are extremely strong and only after they have called their premed advisor to inquire about the circumstances. Long story short, it is better to have one than not, but of course you can get away without it. The thing is that this process is incredibly competitive and I would suggest that you put your best foot forward rather than tip toeing on the edge to see how close you can get without falling. my two cents. As for the advice that the advisor gives you, you can find out all of the answers online; its not hard at all.

 

[physcigirl27]

Your counselor sounds like mine.

When I was a freshman, I was having a dilemma regarding what I should do with Stats...my counselor told me that W's would look HORRIFIC and I should take the F and then just retake it to show improvement and because I had a good excuse (my aunt died the night before my 1st midterm and my dad was in the ER for a heart attack the night before my 2nd midterm...life sucks, but oh well) it would be fine. Yeah, except for the fact that the F wreaked havoc on my gpa and i had to retake the class...but on my ug transcript they averaged the F and the B that I got the second time around...I should've taken the W but I was dumb, scared, and clueless bout SDN (lol).

DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR ADVISOR.

 

[Fay8]

I've been accepted to med school.. and I did not take calc-based physics. Nor did I have a committee letter/dean's letter. Instead, I had LORs from science professors. In my case, a committee letter would have been difficult to obtain since I graduated a few years ago. This process of applying to med school really teaches you to do your own research and be reliant on yourself. Of course, it's nice to have access to a counselor, but it sounds like you need to take her advice with a grain of salt.

 

[pancakesyrup]

😕 I'm really beginning to question my school's premed advisor. I saw her today to go over some things in my portfolio. According to her, the non-calc based physics is not acceptable for med school. Algebra-based is considered "too basic" for a premed student. She also doesn't seem to know much about the courses AACOMAS will accept as part of your science gpa. Our school has Anatomy and Physiology under the Kinesiology Department. I know AMCAS will not include this in your science gpa, but AACOMAS will. She said "if its not within the Physics, Biology, or Chem Department its not included in your sgpa". I'm a neuro major and some of my major courses fall under their own department, neuroscience department. These courses are not psych-based at all. There are very much hard science and were difficult. According to her, none of them will count.
The thing is I need to get a committee because apparently(once again according to her) without it I can't apply to any med schools, M.D. or D.O. schools.
😕 help

Next time you talk to your premed advisor, show her the document linked here, particularly page 17.

 

[Iliketoytles]

Ok now I'm really scared to go to this advisor for any more "advice".

As much as I love my premed advisor, some of the things she has told students is completely wrong, or just not good advice. Don't be afraid to not listen to her... SDN is a great place to get advice from EXPERIENCED people in the application cycle. If you have questions, you should ask them here (as strange as that sounds, lol).

For committee letter, I hear that if your school has a premed committee, you should get a committee letter. Otherwise, it may look suspicious. But then... how would medschools necessarily know which undergrad schools have a premed committee and which don't?

Ultimately, just do whatever is easiest and most efficient to get yourself strong, positive LORs. A committee letter is easiest since it's just a single letter that your premed advisor ends up compiling for you. But if you feel more comfortable getting LORs from individual teachers, then do it.

Having gone through it, I find that the whole application process is a lot more easy than it seems. You just gotta be timely, organized, and know where to seek proper advice!

 

[DocGodfather]

1. Stop listening to your ******* premed advisor.
2. You already know the answer to all your questions.
3. 2 Science Letters and 1 Physician letter is more than enough. You don't *need* a committee letter.

This.

 

[pancakesyrup]

Your counselor sounds like mine.

When I was a freshman, I was having a dilemma regarding what I should do with Stats...my counselor told me that W's would look HORRIFIC and I should take the F and then just retake it to show improvement and because I had a good excuse (my aunt died the night before my 1st midterm and my dad was in the ER for a heart attack the night before my 2nd midterm...life sucks, but oh well) it would be fine. Yeah, except for the fact that the F wreaked havoc on my gpa and i had to retake the class...but on my ug transcript they averaged the F and the B that I got the second time around...I should've taken the W but I was dumb, scared, and clueless bout SDN (lol).

DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR ADVISOR.

It doesn't matter what your undergrad transcript does, since AACOMAS only counts the B in your GPA.

 

[ParacrineAgent]

My premed adviser got her bachelor's degree in English then a master's degree and PhD in Sociology. She was able to tell me the same information that was on AMCAS's website and nothing more.

 

[physcigirl27]

It doesn't matter what your undergrad transcript does, since AACOMAS only counts the B in your GPA.

yeah it ended up working out for me since I applied to DO but that F-B average did not help my AAMCAS gpa at all.

 

[dbizzy]

I am still amazed at how many clueless pre-med advisors there are these days, even at reputable campuses. Your one job is to give accurate advice to clueless pre-med students and somehow, you can't even get that right. Seems like some of the regulars on SDN would make better "advisors." I said some.

</end rant>

 

[deleted357625]

1. Stop listening to your ******* premed advisor.
2. You already know the answer to all your questions.
3. 2 Science Letters and 1 Physician letter is more than enough. You don't *need* a committee letter.

this baby!

i most likely wont have a committee letter as well because the time i take my mcat will be when the committee basically closes and they wont write anything unless they have everything...whatever.

 

[deleted357625]

I am still amazed at how many clueless pre-med advisors there are these days, even at reputable campuses. Your one job is to give accurate advice to clueless pre-med students and somehow, you can't even get that right. Seems like some of the regulars on SDN would make better "advisors." I said some.

</end rant>

it's sad.

 

[CopToEM]

I'm going to be blunt. When it comes to medical school admissions my pre-med advisor doesn't know her ass from a hole in her head. Sounds to me like yours is afflicted with the same disease.

Do yourself a favor and investigate these issues yourself. When you're done take your answers back to your advisor and tell her what AACOMAS and AAMC have said.

Obviously, calc based physics is quite overkill for a Neuro major. Algebra based is nearly pointless as is... why make it worse?

 

[Loudster]

It's honestly refreshing to hear that so many have such terrible advisers. I had assumed that it was only our premed adviser that was a waste of time spouting half-truths and misinformation more often than not. Sounds like it's more common than I had imagined.

 

[ManBroDude]

I stopped listening to my advisor when she told me I wouldn't make it into medical school 3 years ago.

I got the acceptance call 3 weeks ago.

 

[pancakesyrup]

I'm sure glad that my premed advisors are level-headed. I mean, I did have an advisor who told me that astronomy didn't count as a science class, but when I told her it does, she at least took my word for it.

And as bad as my GPA is, they never told me to give up medicine.......they are suggesting a postbac.

 

[impervious0ne]

You can get around this by submitting a Dean's letter, along with your two science and one physician letter. I can't speak for MD schools though.

Actually, nowadays most colleges with significant pre-med students or program started to give composite letter with the 5 recommendations.

I am still amazed at how many clueless pre-med advisors there are these days, even at reputable campuses. Your one job is to give accurate advice to clueless pre-med students and somehow, you can't even get that right. Seems like some of the regulars on SDN would make better "advisors." I said some.

I am still amazed at that too. It's not just pre-med advisors, but advisor for all majors. I have 3 advisors at Emory and most of them aren't really specialists in giving out useful information.



OP, just follow SDN advice (little biased and self-serving?) and maybe hire a reputable, private pre-med advising advisor. They really do come through. I feel like private service comes in handy during interviews and application process just because they help you organize and give solid tips (e.g. practicing interviews with a professional).

 

[OneTripAcross]

I decided to become a physician after my first two yearsof school and another year off from school. Upon the start of my first year back, my "pre-med advisor" was kind to me as my stats were not good. But after midterms I came in to talk to him and he flat told me to give up, I was wasting my time, the Biology Department is too tough for me to rebuild my GPA. Try to get my degree and have a 4.0 in a Post Bac program and maybe I might get in he says.

I left his office, walked down the hall to another Professor in the Department and asked if she could be my Pre-med advisor. She said yes and was a tremendous help throughout the next two years.

That was three years ago, and since have just completed my first semester of Medical school. I knew and I guess my second advisor could see that nothing was going to get in my way of what I wanted to do.

Moral of the story...there are dumb f*cks out there. If you suspect you've walked into one of these peoples offices get up, walk to the next room and go from there (you may have to repeat this process a few times).