How do my classes look next semester (18 credits)?

[Majumatata]

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Title pretty much sums it up. This will arguably be my hardest semester in terms of course rigor; currently a BIOS major and trying to get my minor in Applied Math. Here are the classes:

-Human Anatomy + Lab (*not gross)
-Radiation Biology (grad-level)
-Ordinary Diff Eq
-Mathematical Modeling
-Organic II Lab
-Biomedical Ethics
-Research (Will be presenting Talk or Poster, not decided)

Would also like to know what areas in medicine utilize a good chunk of math. Maybe I'll reserve that for later post.

 

[deleted407021]

If you think you can handle it, rock on. Obviously, be sure to have time for not studying and for doing volunteering and the like.

I hear Radiation Oncology requires some knowledge of physics to pass boards. Also, many residents and med students gunning for rad onc do physics research.

 

[PlaqueBuster]

Why are you doing this to yourself? I would say no....because you may assume you can do this but you will be overwhelmed. I am not familiar with many of the classes but research, anatomy and Ochem lab are time consuming. You need to think about time management here more than difficulty because lack of time will stress you and cause the courses to be even more difficult than they are. My honest suggest is to take Radiation Biology and a math course in a different semester and substitute another pre-req in its place for 15 credits total

 

[FedSquarewall]

Why are you doing this to yourself? I would say no....because you may assume you can do this but you will be overwhelmed. I am not familiar with many of the classes but research, anatomy and Ochem lab are time consuming. You need to think about time management here more than difficulty because lack of time will stress you and cause the courses to be even more difficult than they are. My honest suggest is to take Radiation Biology and a math course in a different semester and substitute another pre-req in its place for 15 credits total

18 credits isn't hard or extremely time consuming necessarily. 18 credits of upper level science and math though will be. You're going to make your life hard for no reason, pick up something interesting but less time consuming if you want 18 credits...

 

[Doug Underhill]

I took a paltry 12 credits for my hardest semester (biochem/phys. chem/advanced inorganic chem) and got a 4.0. I do not regret my decision at all.

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

This looks brutal... If you think you can emerge from the rubble unscathed then its all you

 

[Holmwood]

Title pretty much sums it up. This will arguably be my hardest semester in terms of course rigor; currently a BIOS major and trying to get my minor in Applied Math. Here are the classes:

-Human Anatomy + Lab (*not gross)
-Radiation Biology (grad-level)
-Ordinary Diff Eq
-Mathematical Modeling
-Organic II Lab
-Biomedical Ethics
-Research (Will be presenting Talk or Poster, not decided)

Would also like to know what areas in medicine utilize a good chunk of math. Maybe I'll reserve that for later post.

Do you really need a minor in Applied Math? I would think all the math you'll need, you can learn on the fly in the research lab.

But I'm biased because I'm all for graduating early and cutting excess fatty coursework. In my opinion, modeling and diff eq can be replaced with 2-3 GE or major prerequisites.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I always put my max at 15. There really isn't any reward from overloading yourself like that, atleast from the perspective of getting into med school

 

[Glandzburg]

The minuscule upside (if any) of nailing an 18 credit vs 15 credit semester is far outweighed by the risk of getting overwhelmed and damaging your GPA. Don't do that to yourself unless you have a good reason. Trying to impress adcoms is a poor reason in that it won't.

 

[allantois]

What is the point of this humblebrag?

You, and you alone can adequately weight in on what courseload you can take on, what classes you need to take to graduate on time/take MCAT on time, etc

 

[Majumatata]

Love the feedback; will be dropping biomed ethics and math modeling. I'm currently taking 18 credit hours, however two of the classes are essentially blow-offs. Thanks!!!!

 

[chocolatethunder]

Yeah, I would say do it only if you have to. I've been taking 18-20 credits myself every semester for the last 3 years, but my university has a very long core and i'm pursuing a minor, so that's how I ended up in that position.

The research is also going to eat up a lot of your time! So if you're in a position where you can drop a class I would definitely look at 15 credits or so. It may seem like nothing, but it's going to be a huge weight off your shoulders, come midterm and final time.

 

[chocolatethunder]

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