How many hours a week?!

[Nerdeka]

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So as I'm sitting here trying to figure out my schedule for next year (informal postbacc), I'm so shocked at these class times. Most of them are 3 hours twice a week. And if I sign up for 5 classes, I'll be in classes 30 hours.

Is this standard? I don't know if i'm just spoiled by the quarter system.. but I'm used to 3 hours a week per science class + their labs. With just 4 classes (quarter system), that's 12 hours............

Isn't that a huge difference and totally unnecessary? I feel like this takes me back to high school when the teacher taught 10 minutes of material in one hour.

 

[eteshoe]

You and I had some very different experiences on the quarter system. That postbacc schedule sounds eerily similar to my UG schedule lol.

 

[Nerdeka]

You and I had some very different experiences on the quarter system. That postbacc schedule sounds eerily similar to my UG schedule lol.

This is crazy... There's not enough hours in the week.. Are labs absolutely required if they grouped them into the same credits?

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

The only time I ever had a 3 hr class was one that met only once a week (on a semester basis, not quarter). Are these classes on a semester schedule? If so that is like double the normal amount of class hours

 

[7331poas]

If you are on the quarter system then the schedule makes sense.

 

[Nerdeka]

If you are on the quarter system then the schedule makes sense.

I am on the quarter system with 3 hours per class a week.
The postbacc I am doing is on a semester schedule with 6-8 hours per class a week...

The issue is that they include labs in their classes even though I don't need a damn lab for Physio or Microbio or anything besides the ones I already took.

 

[Nerdeka]

The only time I ever had a 3 hr class was one that met only once a week (on a semester basis, not quarter). Are these classes on a semester schedule? If so that is like double the normal amount of class hours

Yes it is. Every class meets 6+ hours a week (both CC and Uni). The only class i found that was 3 hours a week was a 'hybrid' which essentially means it's half online. Ugh... Now I have to decide between taking 4 classes or working at all.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

In theory the number of credit hours should match the number of classroom hours. Labs is kind of a toss up, where I went you didnt get extra credit hours for labs, so it would be 3 hours classroom + 3 hours lab = 3 Credit Hours. I know many schools do grant extra credit hours for lab though.

If you're being forced to take labs you dont need, maybe look for other classes or possibly another institution for a postbacc?

 

[eteshoe]

This is crazy... There's not enough hours in the week.. Are labs absolutely required if they grouped them into the same credits?

It is crazy. But I would imagine that if the lab component is merged with the class component that not attending the lab would have a negative effect on your grade. You may just want to take less classes if you have the option.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Yes it is. Every class meets 6+ hours a week (both CC and Uni). The only class i found that was 3 hours a week was a 'hybrid' which essentially means it's half online. Ugh... Now I have to decide between taking 4 classes or working at all.

Do they meet for 6+ hours in the classroom alone or does that include lab time? Also how many credit hours are awarded for your 6 hours in class per week?

The number of hours in class should equal the number of credit hours granted (pretty sure thats a legal requirement from the accrediting board or whatever)

 

[Nerdeka]

In theory the number of credit hours should match the number of classroom hours. Labs is kind of a toss up, where I went you didnt get extra credit hours for labs, so it would be 3 hours classroom + 3 hours lab = 3 Credit Hours. I know many schools do grant extra credit hours for lab though.

If you're being forced to take labs you dont need, maybe look for other classes or possibly another institution for a postbacc?

Organic meets for about 3 hours a week but the lab is 3 hours and they give you 4 credits for it all.

I will be looking at other institutions but it's one of two public ones in my city so this stinks.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Organic meets for about 3 hours a week but the lab is 3 hours and they give you 4 credits for it all.

I will be looking at other institutions but it's one of two public ones in my city so this stinks.

This is the norm. Most schools will not give credit for lab time, or give 1 credit at most. My undergrad orgo class was 3 hours class + 3 hours lab for 3 credit hours. Some classes you got 3 credit hours +1 stand alone credit for the lab.

I personally think it's BS, but thats just the way it is. Thats why most people only take 1-2 lab sciences a semester. I would try to find classes that don't have labs if the lab is not required for med school (ie. physio lab, microbio lab, etc)

 

[Mr.Zero]

Organic meets for about 3 hours a week but the lab is 3 hours and they give you 4 credits for it all.

3 hours of lecture (over two or three classes) and a 3 hour lab for 4 credit hours was standard at my undergrad. I never took more than three science classes in a semester.

 

[Mad Jack]

So as I'm sitting here trying to figure out my schedule for next year (informal postbacc), I'm so shocked at these class times. Most of them are 3 hours twice a week. And if I sign up for 5 classes, I'll be in classes 30 hours.

Is this standard? I don't know if i'm just spoiled by the quarter system.. but I'm used to 3 hours a week per science class + their labs. With just 4 classes (quarter system), that's 12 hours............

Isn't that a huge difference and totally unnecessary? I feel like this takes me back to high school when the teacher taught 10 minutes of material in one hour.

We had two 1.5 hour classes and one three hour lab per class, though those lands often ended up running late (and then the write ups took even longer). So you're looking at 6 hours per class times four science classes for 24 hours per semester.

 

[Glandzburg]

This is the norm. Most schools will not give credit for lab time, or give 1 credit at most. My undergrad orgo class was 3 hours class + 3 hours lab for 3 credit hours. Some classes you got 3 credit hours +1 stand alone credit for the lab.

I personally think it's BS, but thats just the way it is. Thats why most people only take 1-2 lab sciences a semester. I would try to find classes that don't have labs if the lab is not required for med school (ie. physio lab, microbio lab, etc)

You didn't get credit for lab time? My UG gave us 1/3 credit for lab, so 6 hours of organic chem lab was 2 credits if I remember correctly.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

You didn't get credit for lab time? My UG gave us 1/3 credit for lab, so 6 hours of organic chem lab was 2 credits if I remember correctly.

Some classes, usually upper level labs like biochem, gave 1 credit hour per 3 hour lab. For most classes though, no. Lab counted for ~30% of your final grade was considered like an assignment or part of the homework, rather than additional class time. (even though it behaves like a standalone class with separate, professors and assignments)

Not a fan of that system but it's not like I had much of a choice lol

 

[Glandzburg]

Some classes, usually upper level labs like biochem, gave 1 credit hour per 3 hour lab. For most classes though, no. Lab was considered like an assignment or part of the homework, rather than additional class time.

Not a fan of that system but it's not like I had much of a choice lol

That's criminal! But yeah, many of my friends were non-science majors and I would have none of it when they would complain about their courseloads.

 

[Nerdeka]

The not getting credit thing is whatever but it screws people who don't need/want a lab.

 

[Nerdeka]

We had two 1.5 hour classes and one three hour lab per class, though those lands often ended up running late (and then the write ups took even longer). So you're looking at 6 hours per class times four science classes for 24 hours per semester.

I thought most semester schools took 5-6 classes.. If I took 4 classes in a quarter (3 a year) school that should equal 6 in a semester (2 a year) school.

 

[Mad Jack]

I thought most semester schools took 5-6 classes.. If I took 4 classes in a quarter (3 a year) school that should equal 6 in a semester (2 a year) school.

I had no idea what you were taking, credit-wise. Many people taking a postbacc are often only short four courses- chem, orgo, bio, and physics. Though now, I think they're wanting genetics and biochem, so that'd bump you up to a fifth course per semester and 30 hours total.

 

[Nerdeka]

I had no idea what you were taking, credit-wise. Many people taking a postbacc are often only short four courses- chem, orgo, bio, and physics. Though now, I think they're wanting genetics and biochem, so that'd bump you up to a fifth course per semester and 30 hours total.

Ohh yeah I just want to take a lot to boost the GPA. But it sucks because their schedule is making me have to take a lot of CC classes instead.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

If you're just bumping GPA take random non-lab sciences that will be easier A's. Unless you need to take the core classes, just take crap like exercise physiology or evolutionary biology. Will make your life way easier

 

[Nerdeka]

If you're just bumping GPA take random non-lab sciences that will be easier A's. Unless you need to take the core classes, just take crap like exercise physiology or evolutionary biology. Will make your life way easier

Should I retake courses I did terrible in? Not to just boost GPA but to show I can do well or will my MCAT and overall GPA be enough?

 

[bearintraining]

At my undergrad institution it was 3 hrs of lecture a week (which was either 1hr x3, 1.5hr x2 or 3hr x1), and then specific courses (e.g. chem, biol, etc.) usually had a 3 hr lab per week, no additional credits, all for a total of 3 credits per semester per course. 2 semesters per academic year (and there's 2 in the summer) (i.e. 30 credit years)

 

[Nerdeka]

Class 11:30 am - 3:00 pm MW
Ecology Concepts, 3 credits, no lab

ARE YOU ****ING KIDDING ME LOL

Can't believe I spent money on an app + transcript.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Class 11:30 am - 3:00 pm MW
Ecology Concepts, 3 credits, no lab

ARE YOU ****ING KIDDING ME LOL

Can't believe I spent money on an app + transcript.

lol that is both absurd and not a BCPM class anyway (i think)

 

[Nerdeka]

lol that is both absurd and not a BCPM class anyway (i think)

yeah, I'm guessing any Bio classes without these labs are not BCPM

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Na a bio class is any class that is administered by the bio dept. For example I took a class called "frontiers in neuropsychology" (no lab) but it was offered by the bio dept. Course entry on amcas was something like "BIO346 - Frontiers in NeuroPsychology - 3 Credits - A"

so if that ecology class is listed like "BIO100 - Intro to Ecology" then its BCPM. if its "ECO100 - Intro to Ecology" then it's not

You should look up how AMCAS categorizes BCPM vs non-BCPM classes. They have a very exhaustive guide on their website.

 

[Nerdeka]

Na a bio class is any class that is administered by the bio dept. For example I took a class called "frontiers in neuropsychology" (no lab) but it was offered by the bio dept. Course entry on amcas was something like "BIO346 - Frontiers in NeuroPsychology - 3 Credits - A"

so if that ecology class is listed like "BIO100 - Intro to Ecology" then its BCPM. if its "ECO100 - Intro to Ecology" then it's not

You should look up how AMCAS categorizes BCPM vs non-BCPM classes. They have a very exhaustive guide on their website.

Ah I see.

I'm actually debating moving to Bumble****, Illinois to do a postbacc.