How important is Physics?

[VP_Pharm2004]

Basically, I have the professor from hell, and hardly anyone can stand him. Last term I got a C+ in his class and the class started out with 48 students and now there are only 18 left! The exam averages are around the 50s-60s range. He makes us feel stupid and blames us for not studying or getting the material, when in reality, he can't teach! Not to mention, the labs are completely pointless. Also, I don't have the option of picking another professor because he's the only Physics professor at the university.

How lenient are the pharmacy schools when they look at your Physics grade? I think it's completely ridiculous that most pharmacy schools even require a whole year of physics. I guess it's just to weed out more applicants from applying to pharm school.

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[illusions]

I hate physics and i just wanted to say that

 

[VP_Pharm2004]

Thank goodness I'm not alone! Physics has got to be the worst pre-pharmacy class for me. It makes Calculus I & II and Organic look like a piece of cake.

 

[Sukie]

He's the only guy teaching physics? That's tough. Why not take it at a community college over the summer? The pharmacy schools will look at your science gpa, so do well in those physics classes. Although, I hear that you don't use much of it in pharm school.

 

[moobymaster]

You won't use much, but it's a weeding out course so it is important. From what I read about U of F, it's one of the courses that the school uses when making their determination...they can't use all of the sciences like Organic II because most students don't have it completed when they submit. Other schools are different of course.

 

[gdk420]

Physics is not important in pharmacy school. Well at least not Newton's classical mechanics, electromagnetic field, and how light bends. But the critical thinking, the ability to manipulate equations and problem solving ablity is needed in some pharmacy classes that involve physic like problems such as physical pharmacy, pharmacuetics, and phyiscal chemistry. Not every school requires their students to take these classes. It will depend on how research oriented ur school curriculum is. Even so, it will be a very small portion of ur 4 year curriculum. Just make sure u understand biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, genetics, microbiology classes.

 

[moobymaster]

What about when you want to calculate the trajectory of a pill falling off the counter? Or how long it will take to hit the floor? Ya gotta have physics for that.

 

[VP_Pharm2004]

Thanks everyone! Physics is the only science class that I have trouble with and it's bringing my science GPA down. It will most likely make or break my chances of getting into the pharmacy school I want to get into. The universities here go by terms, not semesters, so that means I might get 3 C's in Physics. So far, my GPA is 3.50 (with 3 years of pre-pharmacy that's required here).

 

[MALA]

I love this board for all the little things I'm picking up.
Hey Mooby, would you pick the pill up and put it back in the bottle?
I swear I read this board and get scared sometimes too- I'm dreading physics, but I'm trying to get psyched for it somehow
So is that another unspoken tidbit I'm hearing- apply to pharm school while you're taking the last 1 or 2 of the hardest classes so that if you get accepted- they'll accept you as long as you pass the class? Is this the subtle message I'm hearing?

 

[DSM]

I don't normally post on this side of the world but check out my signature. I am WELL KNOWN for my hatred of Physics in my threads. So much, that a friend on the forum pm'd me with this thread! So I just thought I would share the "love" with you guys!

One more time

 

[MALA]

I'm trying to decide what classes to take over the summer.
I decided to take calculus over since I got a C the first time around - even though they'll average it or ignore it- it might look better if I do it over and get a better grade? (who knows?).
I'm wondering now too- STATISTICS is a required class, and I took that way back when, should I retake that class? Does anyone find they use STATS in Pharm School? Is that considered a "Math" class and they would really look at that grade? does anyone know?

 

[jdpharmd?]

Personally, I would not take calc again. In my experience, schools tend to frown on retakes in general. It's easy to look at it and say "oh, I got a C, so I'll retake it and get an A.. that will look good!". But, it's another matter all together to get that A. If you retake it and get a B, it doesn't really impress anyone. If you had a hard time and got a B- or a C, then I would be worried that adcoms would see a "trend" developing (for C's). Get high grades in all your other courses and let them feel your pain in Calc. Some people don't like math.. it's ok. They can probably sympathize.

 

[28657]

Originally posted by MALA
I'm wondering now too- STATISTICS is a required class, and I took that way back when, should I retake that class? Does anyone find they use STATS in Pharm School? Is that considered a "Math" class and they would really look at that grade? does anyone know?

If stats is a required class then the adcom will scrutinize it more than another class. This quarter we had a class called Research methods and it was a joke - but mostly because of the professor. However, it was mostly about stats and I feel that having taken a stats class previously did not help me. Then again if we had actually been challenged in the class it might have been a different story. So I'm trying to say - I wouldn't retake it.
I got a C in Calc I, which worried me a lot too. But I took Calc II and got an A-. So if you're worried about that grade, like Jdpharmd said I wouldn't retake it, maybe take Calc II and get a good grade. Then you can show them that even though you struggled at first, you in the end pulled through.

 

[MALA]

See my STATS classes were business-oriented and didn't relate anything to science. From what I remember it was lots of long formulas...and I remember plugging in numbers to the formulas. And we would all groan everytime we had to learn a new one because no one does those formulas by hand anymore because the computer will figure out the company's sales stats, etc...the programmers and developers have to know the logic when loading in code,etc... I just couldn't figure out where in pharm school you might need to use one of those horrid things.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Wow, interestingly, I thought Physics was the easiest class the semester I took it. Of course it had Calculus II, Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, and New Testament Survey to compete against (those religion courses are HARD!)

 

[moobymaster]

Stats, like Physics, is mostly a weeding out course, used to determine problem solving ability. And yes, it might be a good idea to save the hardest courses for last, but you still will have to maintain a minimum gpa...most likely a B. If you're carrying a 3.5 going in a C wouldn't hurt you though and by then you would have already been accepted.

 

[pharmel]

Yep, physics is definitely the worst class ever invented. Just have to get through. Yes, I think it is a good idea to take it last so the ad com never sees the grade? Give me chemistry any day!

 

[Modnar]

Originally posted by pharmel
Yep, physics is definitely the worst class ever invented. Just have to get through. Yes, I think it is a good idea to take it last so the ad com never sees the grade? Give me chemistry any day!

I agree! I'm doing decently in my physics class, but it's still one of the most boring classes I've taken. Down with physics!

 

[MALA]

What do you think if a person takes Physics 1 & 2 over the summer?
Take P1 the first session and P2 the second session....I could take them one at a time so that for 6 weeks all I have to do is concentrate on 1 class at a time (while working f/t).
Do you think it's suicide to do it that way??

 

[moobymaster]

I did I and II over the summer and found it easy. There was no way that all of the info could be taught in the short time so it wasn't as comprehensive...good times.

 

[28657]

Physics was one of the hardest undergrad classes that I took, and it wasn't so nice to my GPA either. Buuuut...it IS a pretty fun class. Maybe it depends on the professor, but I loved going to class and hardly ever skipped because it was really interesting. The only thing I didn't like was that it somehow consumed almost my every thought. When I was taking it, it seemed like everything could be related back to physics. Was it just me or did other people experience things like this cartoon?!

 

[Superflyjsc]

do u think if i take physics with Orgo Chem and Bio all in same semester will be the death of me?
I figured with good time management I should be fine?

 

[moobymaster]

Try explaining to your wife that as you jump out of the plane the Earth is accelerating towards you.

 

[shal]

Originally posted by Superflyjsc
do u think if i take physics with Orgo Chem and Bio all in same semester will be the death of me?
I figured with good time management I should be fine?

If you feel you can do it, go for it! At one point, I took O Chem, Gen Chem, Phys, and Bio in one quarter. I knew I could handle the workload.

 

[28657]

Originally posted by Superflyjsc
do u think if i take physics with Orgo Chem and Bio all in same semester will be the death of me?
I figured with good time management I should be fine?

You're right with good time management you'll be totally fine. Taking those classes in the same semester is completely do-able. Admissions committees look at that kind of stuff. If you can handle a heavy and challenging course load, then you most likely do well in pharmacy school. And trust me pharmacy school is much more intense than those 3 classes.

 

[Caverject]

I agree with Amanda...if you can get thru Physics, you are getting a good taste of pharmacy school. It will be just as hard with some classes that are going to be worthless to you. Stick with it, schools admire students that don't quit!

 

[Superflyjsc]

Im confused. Some people say physics was the hardest science class while others said it was one of the easier ones. And others argued that Chem or Orgo Chem was the hardest while others say Calculus was the hardest.
Just to clear up my confusion, which do you guys think is the hardest of the science classes? Or does it all depend on the school and teachers?

 

[28657]

And some people's favorite color is blue and other's like red.....

 

[VP_Pharm2004]

Originally posted by Superflyjsc
Im confused. Some people say physics was the hardest science class while others said it was one of the easier ones. And others argued that Chem or Orgo Chem was the hardest while others say Calculus was the hardest.
Just to clear up my confusion, which do you guys think is the hardest of the science classes? Or does it all depend on the school and teachers?

I think it all depends on the professor you have. There are some professors that want the students to succeed, while others love to watch you struggle and suffer... which may be a good thing at times because you become a stronger person because of it (if that makes sense). I think Physics is the hardest course because it involves a lot of thinking and combining tons of formulas together. Physics helps you build your skills with using letters instead of numbers all the time, when solving a mathematical problem.

 

[VP_Pharm2004]

Also, I hate Physics because it's not my forte. I could care less about at what angle must a swimmer swim to arrive at the EXACT opposite side of the river while the river current is flowing down so and so fast! It's like, who cares? Just swim and find out.

 

[MALA]

Originally posted by moobymaster
Try explaining to your wife that as you jump out of the plane the Earth is accelerating towards you.

Is that a real physics theory? It sounds like philosophy. Are the equations really difficult?
Oh man, am I dreading these classes............

 

[moobymaster]

It's real.