Hopkins Admissions Requirements - 2011 Onward

[gettheleadout]

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Effective September 2011, course requirements for admission to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will change. The list of new prerequisite courses can be found here.

That's all fine and dandy, as schools frequently change requirements and it's not at all unusual. However, the new requirements for Hopkins look strange to me. Instead of requiring the full, two-semester, Organic Chemistry I and II sequence, they are only requiring one semester of Organic with lab, and adding (presumably in its place) a requirement for a semester of Biochemistry with lab.

Biochemistry with lab? 😕 My school doesn't even offer a biochemistry lab (see EDIT), either at the undergraduate or graduate level, and I attend a major university. In lieu of calling their admissions office and asking directly/sounding like an idiot, I'm wondering if anybody on here knows if the requirement here for biochem + lab is somehow interchangeable with the Organic II + lab requirement (maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but it seems strange that they wouldn't require both semesters of Organic, when Organic II material is still on the MCAT, there's no AP credit possible and I bet not too many people CLEP out of it) or if the lab requirement is optional or something.

Also, does your school offer a biochem lab course? I think it's weird that my school doesn't offer one (see EDIT) when we're as big as we are and Hopkins seems to be assuming its not that hard to find.

Anybody have an explanation?

Source: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/process/requirements.html

EDIT: Found a biochemistry lab course in our catalog of studies after a second perusal; it's listed as Methods in Biochemical Experimentation so I didn't catch it the first time. Still, Hopkins is really pushing for science majors with this aren't they?

EDIT 2: Hopkins has removed the lab requirement.

 

[deleted357625]

Effective September 2011, course requirements for admission to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will change. The list of new prerequisite courses can be found here.

That's all fine and dandy, as schools frequently change requirements and it's not at all unusual. However, the new requirements for Hopkins look strange to me. Instead of requiring the full, two-semester, Organic Chemistry I and II sequence, they are only requiring one semester of Organic with lab, and adding (presumably in its place) a requirement for a semester of Biochemistry with lab.

Biochemistry with lab? 😕 My school doesn't even offer a biochemistry lab, either at the undergraduate or graduate level, and I attend a major university. In lieu of calling their admissions office and asking directly/sounding like an idiot, I'm wondering if anybody on here knows if the requirement here for biochem + lab is somehow interchangeable with the Organic II + lab requirement (maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but it seems strange that they wouldn't require both semesters of Organic, when Organic II material is still on the MCAT, there's no AP credit possible and I bet not too many people CLEP out of it) or if the lab requirement is optional or something.

Also, does your school offer a biochem lab course? I think it's weird that my school doesn't offer one when we're as big as we are and Hopkins seems to be assuming its not that hard to find.

Anybody have an explanation?

Source: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/process/requirements.html

Yea i saw that ?

 

[eli20]

Yeah it's a little odd that a major state school doesn't offer a biochem lab. I go to a small liberal arts school and we had 4 people in biochem lab when I took it.

Also most will still have to take ochem 1&2 with lab because the vast majority of schools require both and at least at my university both were prereqs for biochem. And I'd say a trend is developing for biochem 1 w/ lab being recommended/required.

 

[tomh98]

Effective September 2011, course requirements for admission to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will change. The list of new prerequisite courses can be found here.

That's all fine and dandy, as schools frequently change requirements and it's not at all unusual. However, the new requirements for Hopkins look strange to me. Instead of requiring the full, two-semester, Organic Chemistry I and II sequence, they are only requiring one semester of Organic with lab, and adding (presumably in its place) a requirement for a semester of Biochemistry with lab.

Biochemistry with lab? 😕 My school doesn't even offer a biochemistry lab, either at the undergraduate or graduate level, and I attend a major university. In lieu of calling their admissions office and asking directly/sounding like an idiot, I'm wondering if anybody on here knows if the requirement here for biochem + lab is somehow interchangeable with the Organic II + lab requirement (maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but it seems strange that they wouldn't require both semesters of Organic, when Organic II material is still on the MCAT, there's no AP credit possible and I bet not too many people CLEP out of it) or if the lab requirement is optional or something.

Also, does your school offer a biochem lab course? I think it's weird that my school doesn't offer one when we're as big as we are and Hopkins seems to be assuming its not that hard to find.

Anybody have an explanation?

Source: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/process/requirements.html

Very strange that they are not requiring the full orgo sequence.

Biochem, however, does make sense, and my school and a lot of other schools do offer this class with a lab. My biochem class had 200+ people in it.

Unfortunately I think this will prevent a lot of otherwise well-qualified candidates from gaining admission. There seems to be a push for both extensive science knowledge and yet a variety of majors and academic backgrounds.

 

[eli20]

I'd say biochem will be a lot more useful for average med student than calculus 2 which it Looks like they dropped from the requirements.

 

[deleted357625]

I'd say biochem will be a lot more useful for average med student than calculus 2 which it Looks like they dropped from the requirements.

good, i find it unnecessary to take a year of calc

 

[Electronegative]

At my school we have biochem class without lab that's offered by biology department and biochem class with lab that's offered by chemistry department, both classes cover same content and have same pre-req requirements, but to take the biochem lab you need to take pchem first.

 

[235009]

these new requirements definitely make a lot more sense than the standard/old requirements ...adding biochem and strongly recommending statistics or epidemiology while dropping a semester of orgo is definitely a change in the right direction

 

[Electronegative]

these new requirements definitely make a lot more sense than the standard/old requirements ...adding biochem and strongly recommending statistics or epidemiology while dropping a semester of orgo is definitely a change in the right direction

Ochem II is a pre-req for Biochem, at most schools that I know of.

 

[gettheleadout]

Yeah it's a little odd that a major state school doesn't offer a biochem lab. I go to a small liberal arts school and we had 4 people in biochem lab when I took it.

Also most will still have to take ochem 1&2 with lab because the vast majority of schools require both and at least at my university both were prereqs for biochem. And I'd say a trend is developing for biochem 1 w/ lab being recommended/required.

Very strange that they are not requiring the full orgo sequence.

Biochem, however, does make sense, and my school and a lot of other schools do offer this class with a lab. My biochem class had 200+ people in it.

Unfortunately I think this will prevent a lot of otherwise well-qualified candidates from gaining admission. There seems to be a push for both extensive science knowledge and yet a variety of majors and academic backgrounds.

Sigh, I feel dumb...I found the biochem lab course my school offers in the catalog of studies when I looked again (I swear I looked everywhere for it the first time.) It's 6 hours of lab per week on top of the lecture course. (though I could take them consecutive semesters)

What sucks is I don't know how I'll fit this into my schedule, I'm already going to have a ton of courses for the rest of my semesters, and I don't want to do summer classes. Maybe I won't be able to apply to Hopkins... I might be able to fit it though, it's just annoying.

 

[gettheleadout]

At my school we have biochem class without lab that's offered by biology department and biochem class with lab that's offered by chemistry department, both classes cover same content and have same pre-req requirements, but to take the biochem lab you need to take pchem first.

See that's basically limiting it to chem majors or people with a lot of free course space/time to be able to get up to biochem...

Ochem II is a pre-req for Biochem, at most schools that I know of.

It is at mine as well.

 

[phonyreal98]

Hopkins is the first school I've seriously considered that has started to require biochem lab (although others are starting to require biochem lecture). Guess I won't be applying to Hopkins anymore!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

these new requirements definitely make a lot more sense than the standard/old requirements ...adding biochem and strongly recommending statistics or epidemiology while dropping a semester of orgo is definitely a change in the right direction

The only real change I see is the addition of a requirement for a biochem lab as at least at my school you need to take orgo 2 as a pre-req for biochem.

Eh but what do I care? I wouldn't apply to Jhu anyways as it is literally an island floating in a sewer city.

 

[orthomyxo]

Who cares? I'm not planning on applying to Hopkins, and if I were, I certainly wouldn't go out of may way to make accomodations for their seemingly unreasonable list of prerequisites. If you are that serious towards wanting to attend Hopkins, then you will make accomodations. It's that simple. If you miraculously get in, hopefully you won't get shot at during your rotations.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

good, i find it unnecessary to take a year of calc

+1. Especially since I suck at Calculus. I find the second semester of orgo and most of physics useless as well. I think it'd be better to require biochem, cell bio, and genetics instead.

My orgo teacher came back from a conference and said that the they are now trying to design the MCAT to include a biochem section. Also, most med schools will then not require the full year of orgo, but as someone said you usually need a full year before you take biochem anyway.

 

[Narmerguy]

Guess I'm not applying to JHU anymore. That's a pretty poor decision in my opinion. This seriously limits the ability of many people to apply, especially if you consider people that already graduated and took all their prereqs already.

 

[Godric]

Sorry to be a little off topic but I attend a major State University, and the campus I am on isnt the largest but not the smallest yet we don't have a biochem major. We have a Bio major/minor and a chem major/minor (the chem minor got revised last spring even), and we have a biochem course but no biochem major.

 

[wanderer]

Guess I'm not applying to JHU anymore. That's a pretty poor decision in my opinion. This seriously limits the ability of many people to apply, especially if you consider people that already graduated and took all their prereqs already.

👍. These schools should announce things something like 2 years in advance at least. I really wanted to apply to OSU, but I couldn't because they randomly decided to make anatomy and biochem required. (They ended up canceling anatomy as a requirement, but only a month or more after they started interview invitations).

 

[brandnew1]

Effective September 2011, course requirements for admission to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will change. The list of new prerequisite courses can be found here.

That's all fine and dandy, as schools frequently change requirements and it's not at all unusual. However, the new requirements for Hopkins look strange to me. Instead of requiring the full, two-semester, Organic Chemistry I and II sequence, they are only requiring one semester of Organic with lab, and adding (presumably in its place) a requirement for a semester of Biochemistry with lab.

Biochemistry with lab? 😕 My school doesn't even offer a biochemistry lab (see EDIT), either at the undergraduate or graduate level, and I attend a major university. In lieu of calling their admissions office and asking directly/sounding like an idiot, I'm wondering if anybody on here knows if the requirement here for biochem + lab is somehow interchangeable with the Organic II + lab requirement (maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but it seems strange that they wouldn't require both semesters of Organic, when Organic II material is still on the MCAT, there's no AP credit possible and I bet not too many people CLEP out of it) or if the lab requirement is optional or something.

Also, does your school offer a biochem lab course? I think it's weird that my school doesn't offer one (see EDIT) when we're as big as we are and Hopkins seems to be assuming its not that hard to find.

Anybody have an explanation?

Source: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/process/requirements.html

EDIT: Found a biochemistry lab course in our catalog of studies after a second perusal; it's listed as Biochemical Techniques so I didn't catch it the first time. Still, Hopkins is really pushing for science majors with this aren't they?

Is it correct that you're currently a FRESHMAN who won't be applying for another TWO cycles?

No offense man, but you have way bigger worries than JHU's course requirements. Like getting laid, enjoying life, keeping things in perspective...

Seriously, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get off these boards until your MCAT study days begin, at the earliest.

 

[gettheleadout]

Is it correct that you're currently a FRESHMAN who won't be applying for another TWO cycles?

No offense man, but you have way bigger worries than JHU's course requirements. Like getting laid, enjoying life, keeping things in perspective...

Seriously, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get off these boards until your MCAT study days begin, at the earliest.

Way to contribute to the thread man. Thanks for the unsolicited advice by the way, I don't know what I would've done without it. Seriously, did I ask you to comment on my personal life? I'm in a long-term relationship, have close friends, hang out with people on a regular basis, etc... But how would you know? You'd think that would affect your decision to comment like this, but whatever. Maybe I'm just curious what other people think about the change in requirements and wanted to bring it to the attention of people closer to applying than I am? Maybe that's what I said in the first post?

 

[ILikeDrugs]

John Hopkins does not apply to me because I will not apply to John Hopkins. They're a little too uppity if you ask me, especially after hearing about the whiny letter that the dean sent to ColeontheRoll.

 

[Slack3r]

This thread begs another question:

Who the **** wants to go to Johns Hopkins anyway?

 

[Catalystik]

I'm just curious what other people think about the change in requirements and wanted to bring it to the attention of people closer to applying than I am?

It may be possible to successfully petition for an exemption to the new requirement for the next 2 years as has been allowed elsewhere when application course requirements were changed.

 

[LizzyM]

keep in mind that pre-reqs must be taken before you matriculate... so if you have an offer of admission, you could take the course in the summer.

I suspect that every other school will follow suit within the next 5 years. I then expect undergraduate and post-bac programs to reconfiguare their curricular offerings -- organic chem II sections will be re-tooled to biochem and calculus instruction will be swapped for probability and statistics.

 

[StudyShy]

The only real change I see is the addition of a requirement for a biochem lab as at least at my school you need to take orgo 2 as a pre-req for biochem.

Eh but what do I care? I wouldn't apply to Jhu anyways as it is literally an island floating in a sewer city.

Here you need to take ochem II before biochemistry. I think that Michigan State (DO) requires biochemistry but not the MD program. I'll have to look more into this.

I don't mind taking it. In fact I would LOVE to take it. It's just hard to fit in with the schedule.

Med schools want to see lots of sciences but also have well-round students. It will either become a 5-year pre-med track for some unless people start graduating early from HS.

I vote for stats! 🙂

 

[Cryptos]

I find it disturbing that they mandated the inclusion of a lab with the Biochemistry requirement, considering that my undergrad (Duke) doesn't even offer Biochemistry lab at all to undergraduates, and I know of at least several other colleges where undergraduates will find it difficult to include biochemistry in their schedules. It also seems like most of the techniques they described can easily be included in a gen chem lab...

 

[NStarz]

I find it disturbing that they mandated the inclusion of a lab with the Biochemistry requirement, considering that my undergrad (Duke) doesn't even offer Biochemistry lab at all to undergraduates, and I know of at least several other colleges where undergraduates will find it difficult to include biochemistry in their schedules. It also seems like most of the techniques they described can easily be included in a gen chem lab...

Really? You guys have time to fit in PCR, ELISA, SDS-PAGE and Western blot (among other techniques) into your gen chem class?

 

[rxnfiend]

Really? You guys have time to fit in PCR, ELISA, SDS-PAGE and Western blot (among other techniques) into your gen chem class?

If you have ever done research, that should be allowed to take the place of biochem lab. I have done all of these techniques so it is completely unnecessary to have to take a class on them... Gah.

Plus, PCR and Western were done in my Bio II Lab which I am sure is the same at most other schools. Its not like they are complicated and require 4 months of class to learn anyways.

 

[Maxwell7301]

Interesting. I never took a lab with biochem, so I guess I can't apply to Hopkins. Oh well, no big deal.

 

[SoftwareKevin]

I have to wonder if they're going to drop the lab requirement for biochemistry or make a lot of exceptions after they start getting a million phone calls about it. At University of Washington there are two biochem sequences you can take. The one for non-majors and taken by most premeds who aren't biochemistry majors (2 quarters long) and then the one for biochem majors which is three quarters long. If you take the two quarter sequence like most premeds here do, you're not even eligible to take the biochemistry lab. Even if you're a non-major and took the right pre-reqs to get into the lab, you get low priority registration for the class since you're not a biochem major.

If they're strict about it, they're going to find a big drop in applications. There's no way I'm going to try and kill myself to become eligible to take one lab class just so I can apply to one school.

 

[FlowRate]

I feel like my university has to have something in common with at least some other universities.

I know this only applies to where I'm coming from, but biochem requirements, and biochem lab requirements, screen out almost all engineers from my university. Other majors have built in available elective credits and such, but we have none whatsoever. Or they must be technical (read: engineering) electives. Furthermore, biochem is not offered in the summer (anywhere in my state), and the lab course in biochem is a totally separate, 3-credit course, which requires having taken biochem first.

It's my opinion that medical schools are slightly out of touch (or don't care about) with undergrad course requirements and offerings or the difficulties that extra prereq's cause. If you state that you want diversity and applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds, why reinforce the pre-med biochem-major requirement/stereotype?

 

[LizzyM]

Let's face it; only about 10% of the applicant pool is a good fit with Hopkins so this isn't going to be an issue for most applicants. However, mark my words, there will be major changes coming down the pike and undergrad schools will adjust to the new requirements.

I also predict, in the short term, a booming business in summer classes for accepted applicants who need the courses before matriculation.

 

[Avoidthetiger]

I feel like my university has to have something in common with at least some other universities.

I know this only applies to where I'm coming from, but biochem requirements, and biochem lab requirements, screen out almost all engineers from my university. Other majors have built in available elective credits and such, but we have none whatsoever. Or they must be technical (read: engineering) electives. Furthermore, biochem is not offered in the summer (anywhere in my state), and the lab course in biochem is a totally separate, 3-credit course, which requires having taken biochem first.

It's my opinion that medical schools are slightly out of touch (or don't care about) with undergrad course requirements and offerings or the difficulties that extra prereq's cause. If you state that you want diversity and applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds, why reinforce the pre-med biochem-major requirement/stereotype?

+1

JHU may reconsider this pre-req. OSU tried to change pre-req requirements this past summer for the 2011 incoming class. They wanted all students to take a Human Anatomy course + lab, only to have alot of undergraduate students and pre-med advisors state that they either don't have a human anatomy course or a human anatomy lab. Now they require students to take an anatomy course of any type (including other vertebrates) and no lab -- starting the next application year.

Every pre-med student at my school only takes a biochem course (no lab). I never took it because it is at 8:30 in the morning (5 days a week). JHU isn't worth that. haha

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Ochem II is a pre-req for Biochem, at most schools that I know of.

Don't know why. Even orgo I wasn't very useful for biochem (beyond getting a basic understanding of electron pushing...and that was maybe 1 lecture from orgo).

 

[ILikeDrugs]

I wonder if the schools, that will require biochem + lab, will also be offering a $2000 biochem + lab class during the summer prior to matriculation so that those who are accepted can complete their final pre-med req. 🙄

 

[nabeel76]

Don't know why. Even orgo I wasn't very useful for biochem (beyond getting a basic understanding of electron pushing...and that was maybe 1 lecture from orgo).

Yeah Orgo II is definitely not needed for biochem. I took a year of Biochem in undergrad and I am now doing a masters in biochem and there is nothing needed beyond a basic working knowledge of Orgo I to succeed. At the graduate level pchem seems to be somewhat relavent but definitely not Orgo II.

 

[nabeel76]

It seems to me that all they are doing is adding a semester of biochem + lab since they are well aware that applicants are going to need Orgo II + lab for not only the MCAT, but also practically every other medical school and will thus have to take it anyways. Guess this new requirement will really start to push applicants towards science majors.

 

[sexycani]

if you have not yet taken a required course for a school, how do you indicate that you intend on taking that course before you graduate?

 

[nabeel76]

if you have not yet taken a required course for a school, how do you indicate that you intend on taking that course before you graduate?

AMCAS has a section that allows you to list all coursework that is in progress if your taking it that semester.

They also inform you of their matriculation requirements on their secondary application and state that you will not be allowed to matriculate without it. Beyond that they will assume that you are aware of this and will expect that all accepted applicants will have them completed prior to matriculation. It's obviously not going to be factored in their admissions decision if you haven't yet taken them. But if accepted they will expect you to complete them.

 

[Ellipsis1104]

keep in mind that pre-reqs must be taken before you matriculate... so if you have an offer of admission, you could take the course in the summer.

I suspect that every other school will follow suit within the next 5 years. I then expect undergraduate and post-bac programs to reconfiguare their curricular offerings -- organic chem II sections will be re-tooled to biochem and calculus instruction will be swapped for probability and statistics.

The bar is continually set higher each year it seems.

 

[Barcu]

Sucks.

At my school, only OChem 1 is a prereq.

However, the biochem lab meets twice a week for four hours each day and is actually more credits than the lecture (5 credits to 3).

I took the lecture but avoided that lab like the plague. Sucks to be you guys applying in the next few years.😛

Though, the biggest hindrance to Biochem lab for me was the time commitment, so I wonder how this will affect the premed path in the future. I probably wouldn't have been able to graduate in four years with my double major (which ironically, med schools loved).

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

Let's face it; only about 10% of the applicant pool is a good fit with Hopkins so this isn't going to be an issue for most applicants. However, mark my words, there will be major changes coming down the pike and undergrad schools will adjust to the new requirements.

I also predict, in the short term, a booming business in summer classes for accepted applicants who need the courses before matriculation.

This, most of you won't get into jhu (statistically) so what's all the fuss for? If you happen to get in take the lab post acceptance if you want to attend.

 

[schrizto]

Hopkins is not the only one with the new biochem requirement. Harvard appears to have adopted this as well, albeit wordily.

http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=requirements#section 2

New Course Requirements for the Class Entering 2016
New course requirement option for students applying to enter in 2011 or beyond; the following requirements will become the only option for students applying to enter in 2016 and beyond.

The requirements for medical school have remained basically unchanged for many decades, despite the obvious change in medical knowledge (e.g., about disease mechanisms and our understanding of drug actions), the pace of new discovery, and the permeation of biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics into most areas of medicine. Therefore, adequacy of preparation in the preclinical sciences requires acquisition of more information than in the past. At present, pathophysiology and pharmacology require detailed knowledge of molecular targets and biochemical mechanisms, and modern cell biology has become the language of medical disciplines such as pathology, oncology, cardiology, and neurology.


2. Chemistry
Students should be exposed to general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry in a 2-year sequence that provides the foundation for the study of biologically relevant chemistry. Organic chemistry preparation should be woven seamlessly with basic principles of biochemistry (especially protein structure and function).

Without an increase in the two-year requirement in chemistry, the premedical chemistry curriculum should focus on more biologically relevant areas of general and organic chemistry. General chemistry preparation should include foundational topics in physical and inorganic chemistry such as bonding, molecular structure, chemical reactivity, equilibrium, energetics, and thermodynamics. Organic chemistry preparation should be woven seamlessly with basic principles of biochemistry (especially protein structure and function). Instead of two semesters of organic chemistry, the second of which is devoted primarily to organic synthesis, both biologically relevant organic chemistry and biochemistry should be covered during these two semesters. Whereas, previously, biochemistry had not been a formal requirement, completion and mastery of biochemistry will be expected of matriculants going forward. Many possible course sequences can be used to satisfy this requirement, but an integrated sequence that includes biologically relevant general, organic, and biochemistry is preferred. Although a formal two-year course sequence that covers these concepts will meet the chemistry requirement, other innovative approaches (including interdisciplinary courses taught together with human biology) that allow students to master these "competencies," independent of discrete courses and semester time commitments, are encouraged and will be considered.

Advanced placement credits that enable a student to take an upper-level course may be used to meet one semester equivalent of this requirement; however, regardless of the number of chemistry courses and the time devoted to them, mastery of biologically relevant general and organic chemistry as well as biochemistry is required.

Interestingly, this is what they say about the lab component of courses:

4. Laboratory Experience
Required laboratory components of biology and chemistry are no longer defined as discretely as they were in the past. Lengthy laboratory components of the required science requirement courses are not necessarily time well and efficiently spent. Proper focus on hypothesis-driven exercises, problem solving, and hands-on demonstrations of important principles should take precedence over lengthy laboratory time commitments that steal time away from other, more productive educational opportunities. Active, sustained participation in faculty-mentored laboratory research experiences is encouraged and can be used to meet requirements for the acquisition of laboratory skills.

Does this mean that they may consider having done real, solid research as a substitute for fulfilling the requirement of taking the lab components of science courses??

There are also two articles at the end that Harvard links to as their rationale for the revised requirements. JHU likely adopted the changes to their requirements in response to these articles as well.

 

[jadealer]

I am not really that surprised that more schools are requiring it. When I was in UG as a pre-vet major NOT pre-med, I was shocked by the very basics required to apply for medical school. Almost all vet schools require Stats and Biochem+lab (This was back in 05/06 when I looked at vet schools)... some even require 2 semesters of Biochem. I was required to take 7 credit BC lecture + 1 or 2.5 credit Biochem Lab for my Animal Science degree while my friends who were Bio - pre-med had to only take 3 credit lecture. I bet in the future more medical schools will push for biochem requirements.

 

[mvenus929]

keep in mind that pre-reqs must be taken before you matriculate... so if you have an offer of admission, you could take the course in the summer.

I suspect that every other school will follow suit within the next 5 years. I then expect undergraduate and post-bac programs to reconfiguare their curricular offerings -- organic chem II sections will be re-tooled to biochem and calculus instruction will be swapped for probability and statistics.

This is interesting, because I heard rumors (only rumors) that my school was going to drop the pre-reqs all together.

 

[gettheleadout]

Hopkins is not the only one with the new biochem requirement. Harvard appears to have adopted this as well, albeit wordily.

http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=requirements#section 2



Interestingly, this is what they say about the lab component of courses:



Does this mean that they may consider having done real, solid research as a substitute for fulfilling the requirement of taking the lab components of science courses??

There are also two articles at the end that Harvard links to as their rationale for the revised requirements. JHU likely adopted the changes to their requirements in response to these articles as well.

So I'm getting from this that Harvard isn't specifically requiring a lab with biochem? Mayo and UMich also require a lecture course in biochem without requiring a lab as well.

 

[n3xa]

Let's face it; only about 10% of the applicant pool is a good fit with Hopkins so this isn't going to be an issue for most applicants. However, mark my words, there will be major changes coming down the pike and undergrad schools will adjust to the new requirements.

I also predict, in the short term, a booming business in summer classes for accepted applicants who need the courses before matriculation.

I would take a summer course if I had a conditional acceptance from JHU.

 

[LizzyM]

I would take a summer course if I had a conditional acceptance from JHU.

I would walk across a bed of hot coals if I had a conditional acceptance from JHU. 😉

 

[Mazdave]

Definitely disappointed since previously JHU was one of my top choices. I guess I can see the rationale but it would have been nice to know sooner than junior year.

Our school offers Biochem lecture in the fall and lab in the spring. However, the lab course is practically impossible to get into as a non Biochem-major and is likely to be scheduled at the same time as the one course I will need to finish my major (has been the past few years).

I e-mailed the Dean and she said that, yeah, just taking lecture isn't going to do it for them. So while it was a sad day crossing them off the list, there are still plenty of awesome schools that either require lecture only or no biochem at all.

 

[HK35]

I'd say biochem will be a lot more useful for average med student than calculus 2 which it Looks like they dropped from the requirements.

According the MSAR calc 2 wasn't a requirement you just needed 3-4 hours of calc