Is taking calculus and calculus-based physics important for medical school?

[TerrapinAndrew]

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I am looking at several post-bac programs, deciding between UVM, NYU and CUNY/Hunter. I have only taken 2 of the pre-reqs, so I am not talking about the grade enhancement programs.

Hunter/CUNY and NYU require calculus as part of their post-bac curriculum while UVM doesn't.

Although calculus is only required by a few medical schools, is it important to take in order to make oneself more competitive?

If I go to UVM, which doesn't offer calculus-based physics, would there even be a point to taking pre-calculus and calculus? I took pre-calculus in high school and took statistics/research methods my senior year of college.

Any comments or personal experience is greatly appreciated...

 

[CurrySpice]

If you're halfway decent at math, I would recommend taking calculus. It's a very useful subject in actually understanding what's happening in physics (and consequently physiology). I use calculus in my algebra-based physics class all the time! (Although you could just memorize the equations and not worry about calculus).

I really like math and I wanted to take calculus-based physics. However, it's definitely a weed-out class for physics major, and I wanted to keep my gpa high. (there, I said it. pre-vets are neurotic about grades too!)

 

[James Sacket]

Nope.
If there's an "important" class you should take, it's Biochem.
But med school will teach you all you want to know.

 

[paveen]

Taking calc can mean a couple of different classes. I went to a big university as an undergrad and had to retake a calc because i took the wrong calc. Lots of big schools have multiple calc classes and not just calc1 vs calc 2 but a 100 level calc for biology chem majors vs a 200 level calc class for engineers, physicist and mathematicians. Don't take calc based physics! Most places use it to weed out Engineering majors and will tell you that you are wasting your time taking calc based physics to apply to med school. Calc based physics are way harder and the profs often feel the need to give minimal help so that only students who can do it on there own can pass and do well. I went to grad school for physics (very brief stay) and heard many profs tell students that.

 

[Lil Mick]

It isn't necessary to take calc or calc-based physics. However, I felt that knowing calculus and the concepts behind the equations in physics helped me understand physics better for the MCAT and our biophysics class in MS1. That being said, if you aren't good at math or don't care for it, it's probably okay to skip these classes.