histology, micro, genetics etc.

[vm26]

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I will hopefully be starting school next fall and was wondering if my lack of extensive science coursework will put me at a significant disadvantage? I really just have the basic requirements.

 

[oldman]

don't worry, many people have varied backgrounds for med school. as long as you come in willing to work your butt off, you'll be fine. it doesn't take genius to finish med school, just hard work.

 

[yaoming]

I was just talkin to a few of my classmates that if you are not a science major, you are screwed. They went through meiosis (with all the phases of prophase as well) in literally 30 seconds. Biochemistry lecturers fly by the material so fast assuming you've seen some of this stuff before. Also, most ppl in my class has a masters in some science field. Hell, are you going to tell me there will be no big disadvantage when you're trying to write down all the words that is flying out of your lecturer's mouth about the nonessential amino acids biosynthesis when the person in the left and right and front and back of you either took a class on it, majored in it, or got a masters/did research on it? Yeah right. In our class, if not everyone majored in science, almost all did.

 

[oldman]

30 seconds for all of meiosis eh? Well hopefully you can look up the pathway in your textbook. Luckily the professors at my university teach at a more reasonable pace. Plus our lectures are recorded so they can be replayed. Perhaps you should post the name of your medical school as a warning for others.

Originally posted by yaoming
I was just talkin to a few of my classmates that if you are not a science major, you are screwed. They went through meiosis (with all the phases of prophase as well) in literally 30 seconds. Biochemistry lecturers fly by the material so fast assuming you've seen some of this stuff before. Also, most ppl in my class has a masters in some science field. Hell, are you going to tell me there will be no big disadvantage when you're trying to write down all the words that is flying out of your lecturer's mouth about the nonessential amino acids biosynthesis when the person in the left and right and front and back of you either took a class on it, majored in it, or got a masters/did research on it? Yeah right. In our class, if not everyone majored in science, almost all did.

 

[LeslieKay]

We have a lot of people from very differnt backgrounds in my class, and most of the non-science majors I know are doing fine...science majors do have an advantage, at least in first year, but that doesn't mean non-science majors can't be successful.

 

[mongoose]

you can survive med school with any major...but you will be at a disadvantage to those that have had courses on the material at hand. with that in mind, I highly reccommend you take a histology course. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get a human anatomy course under your belt as well. Being familiar with biochemistry should be a big help...same for genetics and physio too, i guess. Don't stress too much over it, but if you have time definitely take some of the couses that are in first year. I sure wish I would have.

 

[vm26]

Originally posted by mongoose
you can survive med school with any major...but you will be at a disadvantage to those that have had courses on the material at hand. with that in mind, I highly reccommend you take a histology course. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get a human anatomy course under your belt as well. Being familiar with biochemistry should be a big help...same for genetics and physio too, i guess. Don't stress too much over it, but if you have time definitely take some of the couses that are in first year. I sure wish I would have.

its unlikely I'll be able to take some courses, i'm an older nontrad and I'm pretty broke right now from the application process. Could anyone recommend any books on hist, biochem, micro, genetics? I luckily already have human anatomy. thanks

 

[Hard Corologist]

You better believe doing most of these classes in undergrad helps! One of my good friends taught Histology and Anatomy and had a very easy time with the speed of the classes. You can obviously work your butt off and still do well. I had an extensive microbiology background and the class was a joke to me, but very hard to others.

 

[scully]

Don't worry about your lack of science -- you will just have to work a bit harder than others for the first year. I was a political science major and only had the five required science classes (my school required biochem). I have been fortunate enough to remain at the top of my class without too much more studying than the rest of the students' the vast majority of whom were science majors. Most people were biochem or mol.bio majors, and they breezed through those classes. But the courses are designed to be do-able for everyone of every background. We, too, went through meiosis in one lecture (actually half of a lecture), but you just have to go home and read it for yourself. (Actually you probably already learned this for the MCAT!)

Bottom line- don't worry. Reading ahead if you have time will definitely help. I would recommend Ganong (Lange) for Physio, Alberts "The Cell" for mol.bio., and Lippincott Biochem.

Good luck!

 

[ItNeverEnds]

I remember reading somewhere that non-science majors score higher on the MCAT than science majors. I'm not sure what this means in the long run, however.

 

[oldman]

Exactly. Even if you have never learned the material, you are in med school for that purpose. To learn it!

I never did anatomy before, but I still figured out a way to learn it and getting a decent score despite having classmates who had taken anatomy before. Sometimes going into the material fresh has a benefit because you work harder. When I see material I have learned in the past, I tend to think that it is easy and thus work less. It all balances out in the end!

Originally posted by scully
Don't worry about your lack of science -- you will just have to work a bit harder than others for the first year. I was a political science major and only had the five required science classes (my school required biochem). I have been fortunate enough to remain at the top of my class without too much more studying than the rest of the students' the vast majority of whom were science majors. Most people were biochem or mol.bio majors, and they breezed through those classes. But the courses are designed to be do-able for everyone of every background. We, too, went through meiosis in one lecture (actually half of a lecture), but you just have to go home and read it for yourself. (Actually you probably already learned this for the MCAT!)

Bottom line- don't worry. Reading ahead if you have time will definitely help. I would recommend Ganong (Lange) for Physio, Alberts "The Cell" for mol.bio., and Lippincott Biochem.

Good luck!

 

[vm26]

Originally posted by scully
Don't worry about your lack of science -- you will just have to work a bit harder than others for the first year. I was a political science major and only had the five required science classes (my school required biochem). I have been fortunate enough to remain at the top of my class without too much more studying than the rest of the students' the vast majority of whom were science majors. Most people were biochem or mol.bio majors, and they breezed through those classes. But the courses are designed to be do-able for everyone of every background. We, too, went through meiosis in one lecture (actually half of a lecture), but you just have to go home and read it for yourself. (Actually you probably already learned this for the MCAT!)

Bottom line- don't worry. Reading ahead if you have time will definitely help. I would recommend Ganong (Lange) for Physio, Alberts "The Cell" for mol.bio., and Lippincott Biochem.

Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback