HELP! UMich Premed CHEM 125/126/130?

[johnstebe]

For you premeds at U-M who tested out of CHEM 125/126/130:

Did you need to take PChem and ANOTHER Inorganic Chem course to meet med school requirements of "two semesters of Inorganic Chem?"

Also, what's the purpose of getting the exemption letter for CHEM 125/126/130?

Thx!

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[vc7777]

Looks like your fellow wolverines are leaving you high and dry?

Boy, I have been on the fence about responding but here goes:

Take this with a grain of salt: I tested out of just like you did - 14 years ago - from 125 and 126 (plus I got 3 dept. credits for "CHEM 101X" whatever that is? 😕). I ended up just taking CHEM 210,211,215, and 216 before I graduated [Are those course numbers even the same anymore ]. I decided to go back to medical school about 3 years ago and took a year of post-bacc (NOT at Michigan), and did not take any further Chemistry courses.

Long and short: I personally had no problems anywhere I was accepted with this coursework. However, caveat emptor! Check with the admission counselors at the schools you are interested in before deciding NOT to take anything further.

EDIT: In layman's terms, I just took ORGO 1 & 2 (2 labs & 2 lectures) at umich, since I had 8 credits of inorganic lab and lecture on my AMCAS transcripts.

 

[loua0731]

If you test out of Chem 125/126/130, all you have to take after Orgo I and II (unless you're a chem major) is PChem.

The exemption letter is written by one of the pre-med advisors, stating that you tested out of the Gen Chem requirements. I think it also explains that U of M's gen chem is one semester as opposed to two. So that takes care of the "Two semesters of inorganic chemistry" requirement.

 

[johnstebe]

To clarify, for med schools that don't accept AP credit for Chem, would the exemption letter do anything? (In other words, could it still be used to fulfill the required Chem courses?)

Thx for the responses! 🙂

 

[loua0731]

To clarify, for med schools that don't accept AP credit for Chem, would the exemption letter do anything? (In other words, could it still be used to fulfill the required Chem courses?)

Thx for the responses! 🙂

Yes, I'm pretty sure it would cover you no matter what school you apply to. Testing out of gen chem doesn't count as AP credit (you don't receive credit for it). The letter is basically telling the schools that you demonstrated competency in the class, so at Michigan, you were able to "pass out" and move straight into orgo.

Just take Orgo I and II (with labs), followed by PChem, and you will be set for chemistry courses!

 

[cyanide]

To clarify, for med schools that don't accept AP credit for Chem, would the exemption letter do anything? (In other words, could it still be used to fulfill the required Chem courses?)

Thx for the responses! 🙂

I believe the exemption is considered the same as AP credit by med schools, essentially. So if they don't accept AP credit, I doubt they'll accept the exemption. You could try asking the LSA pre-health advisors to clarify.

Are you sure the school you're applying to doesn't accept AP credit at all? Most schools accept it for chem, as long as you've taken an upper level course to supplement it (230/260 in this case).

If you need another semester of inorganic, 302 isn't bad.

 

[sedaniel]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it would cover you no matter what school you apply to. Testing out of gen chem doesn't count as AP credit (you don't receive credit for it). The letter is basically telling the schools that you demonstrated competency in the class, so at Michigan, you were able to "pass out" and move straight into orgo.

Just take Orgo I and II (with labs), followed by PChem, and you will be set for chemistry courses!

Btw, my advice would be to take PChem in the spring... my friends who took it during the regular school year struggled their way through it and Spring term was a breeze for me, they have a different prof 😀

 

[loua0731]

Btw, my advice would be to take PChem in the spring... my friends who took it during the regular school year struggled their way through it and Spring term was a breeze for me, they have a different prof 😀

I took it with Gottfried last fall, it was her first semester teaching it, and she's still the prof for it I think. I didn't think it was too bad.

It's def a good class to take before the MCAT though. G-Chem studying was a breeze.