Help! Accepted to med school but cant complete a pre-req

[priam18]

So I'm in a little predicament right now.

I've been accepted to a med school, but I still need to complete Orgo 1 and 2 Lab. I'm currently taking Orgo 1 Lab, and was about to register for Orgo 2 Lab when I find out that my school wont be offering it next semester!

The only other school that offers it is a private university and it'd be about 1k/credit. Not to mention I'd have to go through all the hoops of applying to said university also.

Any help w/this? Do you guys think there's a possibility this pre-req could be waived?

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[cubssox2000]

So I'm in a little predicament right now.

I've been accepted to a med school, but I still need to complete Orgo 1 and 2 Lab. I'm currently taking Orgo 1 Lab, and was about to register for Orgo 2 Lab when I find out that my school wont be offering it next semester!

The only other school that offers it is a private university and it'd be about 1k/credit. Not to mention I'd have to go through all the hoops of applying to said university also.

Any help w/this? Do you guys think there's a possibility this pre-req could be waived?

I highly doubt a pre-req like Orgo 2 Lab will be waived. Thats one of the classes that is generally expected by every school. If you can't take it next semester, look for it over the winter or summer. The pre-reqs have to be filled by the time the med school starts class. That means you can take it any time up to that point, not necessarily during the semester.

 

[airplanes]

So I'm in a little predicament right now.

I've been accepted to a med school, but I still need to complete Orgo 1 and 2 Lab. I'm currently taking Orgo 1 Lab, and was about to register for Orgo 2 Lab when I find out that my school wont be offering it next semester!

The only other school that offers it is a private university and it'd be about 1k/credit. Not to mention I'd have to go through all the hoops of applying to said university also.

Any help w/this? Do you guys think there's a possibility this pre-req could be waived?

the only other school that offers ochem lab? There are thousands of colleges/universities throughout the nation...You could maybe even take it during the summer at a community college. do what it takes...

 

[HeatherMD]

you have 2, potentially 3 semesters before you matriculate

FIND A WAY

 

[priam18]

the only other school that offers ochem lab? There are thousands of colleges/universities throughout the nation...You could maybe even take it during the summer at a community college. do what it takes...

Maybe I should've been clearer...I was referring to the only other school in my area. Going to another state just to take Orgo 2 Lab is kinda out of the question, since I have a full-time job here and can't just pack up and go. Taking it during the summer at a CC sounds like an option though, but the problem is the CC's i've looked at so far have this stupid policy where you have to take the lecture to take the lab.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Why are you asking us? Get on the phone with the admissions office at the school you've been accepted to and see what they have to say; it doesn't really matter if we "think" they might waive that pre-req.

If your shot-in-the-dark prayer to have the pre-req waived is turned down (as I suspect it might be), find some way to get it done- I know $1k/credit would be a pain in the butt at that private school, but do what you've gotta do. If that means retaking the lecture at the CC, then that's what you've gotta do too.

 

[mezmerized7]

I agree with Gospurs. You should call the school immediately and talk to someone there - whatever people on SDN say might not get you very far. Call the school ASAP, tell them your situation and go from there.

 

[priam18]

Well, I was just wondering if anyone's ever been in a similar position..the last thing I'd want is to call them up, ask if they could waive it, and be met with a long silence during which they're thinking 'omg, what type of idiot thinks we'd waive a pre-req!'

I guess I'll have to make the phone call anyway.

Thx guise.

 

[Bacchus]

You don't have to give your name when you call if you're that paranoid.

 

[doctor712]

get on the phone with your med school. ask them, and them only, if the O-chem 2 semester can be replaced with Biochem PER SCHOOL POLICY?? And then GET THAT POLICY in WRITING And then see if Biochem can be taken at your typical school....

Sometimes the obvious ain't so obvious. Worth a shot.

 

[GoSpursGo]

This is secondhand experience, but I have definitely heard of students having their acceptances revoked the summer before med school starts because they didn't complete a pre-req.

Those classes are expected as pre-reqs for a reason, and many schools will consider you unqualified for med school without them. It's possible that your school might give you a break, so might as well give it a shot though- why worry about an awkward long silence, you're already in!

Most importantly, don't panic. One way or another, you'll get through this. Maybe all it takes is a quick call and they might waive that requirement. Maybe it means you take Biochem lab. And maybe it means you drop a couple thousand dollars to take it at the private university, or re-taking the lecture class at the CC along with taking the lab. The important thing is that the hard part is over- YOU ARE IN! All you have to do is jump through this one last hoop.

Incidentally, if it comes down to the CC option, you could always ask THEM to waive the lecture co-req requirement by saying you've already taken it elsewhere; again, that's at least worth a shot, and the possibility of them saying "no" to you isn't really that bad. If that doesn't work, ask them if you can audit the lecture or take the lecture pass/fail and still sign up for the lab regularly. Again, the important thing is that you WILL make this work somehow.

 

[shaggybill]

I'm not sure what exactly your school is going to say besides telling you that you better take that lab before you matriculate. Take it during the summer before you start med school. You'll be quitting your job anyways. I know, its probably more complicated than that.

Your best shot is a CC. I doubt that a CC will make you take the lecture part of the course if you've already had it.

 

[NTF]

1)See if your school offers it in the summer before you would matriculate.
2) Call the med school. Explain situation. See if you can replace it with another class.
3) If that fails scour the area for a CC that offers it.
4) If that fails beg, borrow money to take class at expensive university.
5) GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF NOW.

Good Luck.

 

[deleted74029]

First thing I would do is call and ask if the lab is even included in the pre-reqs. Some schools don't even require labs.

 

[Retsage]

Online classes? Usually, they cram all the lab components into one few-day period that you'd have to fly or drive out for, but, besides that, you should be good to go right from home.

 

[Mobius1985]

I agree with ejay. Lots of schools require a year of Orgo with lab, not with labs. None of the schools I applied to required a full year of Orgo lab. Maybe for you, this will also be a non-issue.

 

[shaggybill]

I agree with ejay. Lots of schools require a year of Orgo with lab, not with labs. None of the schools I applied to required a full year of Orgo lab. Maybe for you, this will also be a non-issue.

Interesting. Do you know which schools do this? My top choice school has this on their website:

the applicant must have completed one year of each of the following courses (preferably prior to taking the MCAT, and definitely prior to admission):

* General Biology or Zoology with laboratory (Botany alone is not sufficient to meet this requirement),
* General Chemistry with laboratory (which must include both qualitative and quantitative analysis),
* Organic Chemistry with laboratory,
* Physics with laboratory, and
* English

Would this mean that only one lab is required for each subject?

 

[Mobius1985]

Interesting. Do you know which schools do this? My top choice school has this on their website:

the applicant must have completed one year of each of the following courses (preferably prior to taking the MCAT, and definitely prior to admission):

* General Biology or Zoology with laboratory (Botany alone is not sufficient to meet this requirement),
* General Chemistry with laboratory (which must include both qualitative and quantitative analysis),
* Organic Chemistry with laboratory,
* Physics with laboratory, and
* English

Would this mean that only one lab is required for each subject?

I think the answer to this is very school specific. In my state of Illinois, our pre-med advisor told us that for Illinois schools we did not need the second Orgo lab, but did need the two Gen Chem labs. Discuss the issue with your advisor, or call your favored schools' admissions offices and ask.

 

[pianola]

Worst comes to worst, ask to defer a year?

I wouldn't want to do it (especially as I'm already two years late to the game) but if it comes down to defer a year or lose the acceptance, well...

yeah. Don't give up until you've exhausted all your other options first.

Good luck.

 

[Jolie South]

I believe that you need a 2 hour lab. I think this can be split into 2 semesters of combined lecture/lab or just taken as a semester long class (as was the case at my school).

The summer I applied I needed to retake o chem 2. I just went to the local CC and even though I had fulfilled the lab requirement already, I was required to take their combined lab as well. It was part of the lecture grade.

I would talk to the CC and see if it's a combined grade. If they won't let you just take the lab, I would probably just suck it up and take both. That's what I had to do. Summer courses are over quick.

I don't have any authority here, but I doubt that the pre-req will get waived.

 

[BTC]

Worst comes to worst, ask to defer a year?

I wouldn't want to do it (especially as I'm already two years late to the game) but if it comes down to defer a year or lose the acceptance, well...

yeah. Don't give up until you've exhausted all your other options first.

Good luck.

This might help you in other ways too. A lot of schools really don't like offering deferals. It can really mess with the admissions process. Asking for a deferal may help you get the pre-req waived.

And what school doesn't offer O Chem 2 lab in the spring semester? I'm almost tempted to call BS.

 

[deleted74029]

And what school doesn't offer O Chem 2 lab in the spring semester?

I was thinking the same thing, usually any class with a "2" behind it is offered in the spring.

 

[priam18]

This might help you in other ways too. A lot of schools really don't like offering deferals. It can really mess with the admissions process. Asking for a deferal may help you get the pre-req waived.

And what school doesn't offer O Chem 2 lab in the spring semester? I'm almost tempted to call BS.

The lab is being renovated.

 

[Twiigg]

You don't have to give your name when you call if you're that paranoid.

Haha! Don't forget to use a pay phone.

Oh, and buy a voice-disguiser on Ebay too.

 

[EastCoastie87]

The lab is being renovated.

That's unfortunate. When you call the school be sure to explain the situation at length; these seem like the kind of extenuating circumstances that would warrant them trying to help you in some way.

 

[ar2388]

have you called the school yet? lol

 

[rkaz]

I agree with the above post about seeing if the course is available at community college, etc. You may also want to contact the other school and tell them that you just want to take 1 course there, and ask them if you still need to apply to their program as a non-degree seeking student. Maybe the hurdles will be less.

However, do what you have to do to ensure the prerequisite is met. If that requires moving to another city for the summer to finish the course (and getting a temporary apartment there), then make sure you do that. Whatever it takes. It would be crazy to lose an acceptance at a school, especially if it is your top choice or if it's the only school you are accepted to, just because you haven't done the prereq.