How important is it to have a pre-medical background?

[Jasminegab]

If one is accepted into medical school without a pre-medical background, yet has a medical background, is one qualified for medical school?

Let's just say someone works 3yrs as a medical assistant. They've studied anatomy/physiology, biology, pharmogoloy and have taken math and advance medical course in college like Chronic and Communicable diseaes, what is your thoughts on this person ability to make it through medical school?

Many physicians have announced that their undergraduate work did not prepare them for medical school. If this is the case, then why must anyone spend 4yrs learning sciences that have very little to do with what we will deal with, exception being biology, microbiology and most importantly biochemistry?

Other than MCAT preperation, what is your view of having a strong science background? Do you feel that if a medical school allowed someone to enter without having the traditional pre-medical background, is the school fake?

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[dankev]

Let me see if I understand what you are asking. Will I be OK in medical school without physics, gen chem, and ochem? Is that it?

That background of science (which is only one year worth, not 4) helps you make sense of the "important" sciences like biochem and micro.

Aside from that, it is pretty much a non-issue, because without those classes you will not be admitted to an American medical school.

 

[quideam]

Every med school in the US requires a year of bio, chem, physics, organic chem, and their associated labs. If that's all you take - no other science courses - then you will still probably be okay, it may just be more difficult to catch on at first. I would recommend taking a few other courses, like biochem and microbiology or histology to get you a little more comfortable with "upper level" sciences. But beyond that, I don't think you really need anything.... good luck!