Is microbio course a requirement?

[pvnguyen1]

Is there any school out there that requires microbiology class?

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[mspeedwagon]

None that I can think of. Quite a few require biochemistry and a few require genetics. Definitely haven't heard of a microbio requirement anywhere.

Is there any school out there that requires microbiology class?

 

[pvnguyen1]

Thanks. I am taking biochemistry and planning to apply in June. I'll try to find a genetics class, but it's hard in the summer. Perhaps I will take pharmacology instead.

 

[7starmantis]

Not that I know of either, but micro is easy. Its an easy gpa booster and quite interesting at that. I found it to be one of my favorite classes of all, both times I took it (once too long ago to count, and then more recently). Admittedly I did spend 3 years of my life doing bacteriological research, but I actually didn't enjoy bench research. However micro was very enjoyable to me.

 

[funklab]

I know some schools "highly recommend" it, but I do not know of any that require it.

 

[katiemaude]

What about Human Anatomy and Physiology? From reviewing some sample MCAT questions, it seems like the bio classes I've had have not covered the human body as much as they should have. Does any school require or recommend A&P?

 

[PharMed2016]

What about Human Anatomy and Physiology? From reviewing some sample MCAT questions, it seems like the bio classes I've had have not covered the human body as much as they should have. Does any school require or recommend A&P?

I would recommend pathophysiology instead. This gives you a good understanding of the different organ systems and also what happens if something goes wrong. The questions on the MCAT are all these types of questions.

 

[Nasrudin]

Mileages from our different general biology curricula will vary.

There's 2 separate considerations if you feel your Biology fund of knowledge is weaker--medical school and MCAT. The MCAT can be prepared for adequately on one's own--w/ effort put into bolstering up weak areas. But if you have to take some upper bio electives anyway then the consensus is something like this: Cell Bio, Physiology, biochem, genetics, microbio, and lastly anatomy--in a ranked list of most useful to least. The anatomy for MCAT is so minimal as to be nearly negligible.

Medical school yield from undergraduate classes is murky. Some say they wish they had more general fund if the majored in theater or something. But I've read from credible sources here that the difference in background at the next level gets equalized in the first onslaught of general anatomy as you've never seen it before.

Despite these sensible prognostications. I'm am quite happy to have taken general anatomy 2 times because my school wouldn't except my CC course. As maximal memorization has never been a strong suit for me. But we'll see I guess...

 

[pvnguyen1]

Is genetics really a requirement at some schools?

 

[mspeedwagon]

Yes. Here is an example: http://www.kcumb.edu/Adm2/com_requirements.asp.

I've seen it on a few select schools. It is probably required at very, very few select schools (biochemistry is required by many more schools).

P.S. - I noticed this link didn't take you straight to the page so to cut and paste:
Satisfactory completion, with a grade of C or higher, of the following college courses, including laboratory work:
English Composition and/or Literature: 6 Semester Hours
Chemistry: 13 Semester Hours
Biochemistry (in addition to 13 hours of chemistry): 3 Semester Hours
Physics: 8 Semester Hours
Biological Sciences: 12 Semester Hours
Genetics (in addition to 12 hours of biological sciences): 3 Semester Hours

Is genetics really a requirement at some schools?

 

[mooshika]

Well, I took medical microbiology, and BTW it was NOT easy. It was a really good course covering good review of cell biology, replication, virus biology and patho, bugs, immunology and more - then i took advanced patho and the micro stuff helped a lot in that class which was also tough.

people kept saying you don't "need" it for the MCAT (biochem as well) but from my experience having had those courses helped me a great deal, and Im sure 1st year med school will not be as tough having taken some of these upper level bio and graduate physiology/patho courses.

Love,
Moo

 

[UnitedWay211]

Is genetics really a requirement at some schools?

No, it isn't required. 1 year bio with labs, l year gchem with labs, 1 year ochem with labs, (some schools will let you replace 1 course in ochem with biochem), and 1 year physics.

The med school I will be attending requires cell and molecular biology with lab and biochem. Some schools have a math requirement, such as a year of calculus.

 

[mspeedwagon]

True for most schools, but not for all (see my example above). There are a handful of schools (less than 10 that require genetics). I've come across it on a few schools web sites, and will post them as I find them.

No, it isn't required. 1 year bio with labs, l year gchem with labs, 1 year ochem with labs, (some schools will let you replace 1 course in ochem with biochem), and 1 year physics.

The med school I will be attending requires cell and molecular biology with lab and biochem. Some schools have a math requirement, such as a year of calculus.

 

[UnitedWay211]

True for most schools, but not for all (see my example above). There are a handful of schools (less than 10 that require genetics). I've come across it on a few schools web sites, and will post them as I find them.

Interesting. I think it would be helpful to have a background in it. It wasn't required for my major or the med school that I will be attending. I took it out of interest. Yeah, I would like to see the list.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Alright, after doing further investigation, it is required at a few D.O. programs. I can't find a single M.D. program that requires it (though a lot strongly recommend it).

Interesting. I think it would be helpful to have a background in it. It wasn't required for my major or the med school that I will be attending. I took it out of interest. Yeah, I would like to see the list.

 

[UnitedWay211]

Alright, after doing further investigation, it is required at a few D.O. programs. I can't find a single M.D. program that requires it (though a lot strongly recommend it).

Thank you for checking. I had only applied to MD programs, so I wasn't aware of the requirement. I think it would be good to take it before entering. The stronger one's background is in the biological sciences, the better it is.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Is there any school out there that requires microbiology class?

Just take it. It wasn't hard although the equations in the dilution series troubled me as did not being able to see the different color dyes, lol. All said, I'm glad I took it despite being eight years ago and barely able to recall any of it.

 

[JoyceMD]

Required no, recommended...yes. Many DO schools that I have researched encourage upper level coursework which includes studies in BioChem, Genentics, Microbio and Molecular Bio.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I'd posted this earlier, but it turns out OHSU also requires genetics: http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/sc...ograms/md-program/admissions/requirements.cfm.

Alright, after doing further investigation, it is required at a few D.O. programs. I can't find a single M.D. program that requires it (though a lot strongly recommend it).