How necessary are the prereqs?

[abp113]

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[eigen]

Pre-requisites are generally requirements. While some schools are cutting down on specific prerequisites, you will have a hard time with the MCAT if you haven’t taken the courses it covers material from.

You have to include all transcripts in your application from anywhere you’ve attended.

Have you taken biochemistry?

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Would be tough without at least orgo I.

I would say that plenty of schools accept orgo I + biochemistry. This is probably more helpful than orgo I + orgo II

 

[futurexray]

Some schools will interview and then delay their decision pending receipt of a transcript noting successful completion of the pre req.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

How can I figure out which schools take just orgo I, and orgo I + biochemistry?

MSAR probably lists this information. Otherwise, search the websites of the schools of interest.

 

[wysdoc]

There is a lot of biochemistry and organic content on the MCAT as well. It's not the kind of thing you can quickly teach yourself while cramming for the test, so take the courses first then finish your MCAT preparation.
Your concern about sinking your GPA: how much do you think a B or even a C will affect that GPA when added in to your 4 years of grades? Very little. You need a C or better for it to count as a prerequisite.

 

[eigen]

No biochemistry either… I wasn’t sure I wanted to apply to med until late in my science degree, so I didn’t get the chance to finish these three classes. I have a high GPA, and I’m concerned that I’ll do poorly in these ochem classes and harm my chances of getting in to the schools that don’t need them as prereqs. In your opinion, do you have any thoughts on how I should go about this?

I'll be honest, I would worry a lot more about doing poorly on the MCAT because you avoided taking OChem/Biochem than worrying about your GPA in those classes.

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

Hi! I’m considering doing summer semester courses after I graduate to fulfill all of the premed prereqs. I have all of them finished except for organic chemistry. If I don’t take them, how much more limited will my options for med schools be? How do med schools look at open studies courses taken post graduation at a different (but equally good) college? If I bomb the courses, can I apply to school without including the transcript from the summer courses, since they won’t be part of my bachelors degree?

O chem one is pretty much a requirement across the board. O chem 2 is not necessary technically, since it can be replaced with biochem1. But the overwhelming majority of schools are expecting o chem to be taken in one form or another.

 

[candbgirl]

Hi! I’m considering doing summer semester courses after I graduate to fulfill all of the premed prereqs. I have all of them finished except for organic chemistry. If I don’t take them, how much more limited will my options for med schools be? How do med schools look at open studies courses taken post graduation at a different (but equally good) college? If I bomb the courses, can I apply to school without including the transcript from the summer courses, since they won’t be part of my bachelors degree?

No. Every course you have ever taken must be reported to AMCAS.
And if you are accepted at a school without a prereq, that school will check for requirements and give you a date that prereqs must be completed and submitted.

 

[eigen]

O chem one is pretty much a requirement across the board. O chem 2 is not necessary technically, since it can be replaced with biochem1. But the overwhelming majority of schools are expecting o chem to be taken in one form or another.

I'll also add that depending on the order of content in your schools OChem classes, you may find most of the important content for Biochem and the MCAT in the second semester.

The traditional coverage order puts carbonyl chemistry in the second semester, and that is the most relevant to biochemistry (metabolic pathways, peptide bond formation, etc.). Increasingly, chemistry departments are switching up the order to cover at least the basics of carbonyl chemistry and reactivity in the first semester, but it's far from uniform.

 

[aldol16]

You should take the pre-reqs that are required for med school. You shouldn't shoot yourself in the foot by not taking something that is required. You will have to report all the courses you've taken after high school regardless of it's at your undergrad institution or not. You will have to provide transcripts. This is not something you can lie about.

 

[fogo]

Definition of ”prerequisite” as per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: something that is necessary to an end or to the carrying out of a function.

 

[eigen]

But what does that change? Are you saying only Brown students can get away without Gen Chem I?

Brown doesn’t effectively have gen chem 1 or 2. They have a single semester general chemistry course.

That means Brown students aren’t taking half of a 1-year sequence. They’re taking the entire general chemistry sequence, it just happens to be a single semester. There are other elite LACs with similar models.

When a school has a single semester chemistry (or biology) sequence, students need to take additional upper level courses to meet the minimum required hours in that field.

 

[OchemOficionado]

Your options will be much more limited if you don't take all of the prereqs. MSAR or the school's website should tell you what they require and you can then judge how your options will shrink and if you're okay with that or not. Med schools generally won't care if your post bacc classes are at a "different but equally good college". They care more about how you do in said courses. And yes, every college class you have ever taken has to be disclosed on the med school app.