Just wondering...

[DRCM]

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Did anyone get into podiatry school without taking any advanced biology or other science courses (such as Biochem, Anatomy, Physio)? If so, what schools were you accepted to? Just wondering..

 

[j0ez0r]

i seriously hope not

 

[jonwill]

Did anyone get into podiatry school without taking any advanced biology or other science courses (such as Biochem, Anatomy, Physio)? If so, what schools were you accepted to? Just wondering..

Honestly, without quite a few advanced science courses, one probably wouldn't last very long.

 

[Emily156]

I've gotten into OCPM and DMU with money so far and I've only taken the required science classes, so I really don't think it matters for admission. The downside is that I crammed everything into 1 year, and only one year of science makes the MCAT pretty tough.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

I've gotten into OCPM and DMU with money so far and I've only taken the required science classes, so I really don't think it matters for admission. The downside is that I crammed everything into 1 year, and only one year of science makes the MCAT pretty tough.

So you only took Biology, Chemistry (General or Inorganic), Organic Chemistry, and Physics?

 

[Emily156]

Yep, I'm in organic 2 and biochem right now...and dreading mcat scores.

 

[MaseratiGT]

Did anyone get into podiatry school without taking any advanced biology or other science courses (such as Biochem, Anatomy, Physio)? If so, what schools were you accepted to? Just wondering..

I think that there are a lot of very qualified applicants out there. With podiatry becoming more integrated, I think that the talent that the schools will attract will only increase.

Only taking the very basics in general survey classes seems precarious to me. This is a medical education that you'll be pursuing. I feel like the point of taking upper level courses is to get you accustomed to a gargantuan course load in graduate school. (I'm so glad I go to use that word on this thread today, yeah, you know the one).

Are you destined to fail if you don't? Of course not. But as someone once said - you can't make a delicious whipped lemon meringue pie without...whatever you put into a delicious whipped lemon meringue pie.

 

[WannaBeDPM]

But as someone once said - you can't make a delicious whipped lemon meringue pie without...whatever you put into a delicious whipped lemon meringue pie.

Whoever said that, was a mother-friggen GENIUS...👍

 

[Feli]

Honestly, without quite a few advanced science courses, one probably wouldn't last very long.

ding ding ding^

Nothing's ever a hard and fast rule, but you will have to work MUCH harder in the basic sciences if you haven't been introduced and challenged with advanced sciences in undergrad. It will definitely be harder to excel, and it may be hard to even pass the courses.

Also, most people who didn't stick around to complete the advanced sciences in undergrad tend to be younger. That might mean a bit less mature (again certainly not a all-or-none rule), and grad school does take self significant self discipline. You have to put the socializing and recreation on the back burner for a few years, and some people aren't ready to do that.

Like I said in another thread, my class alone has some people who didn't finish an undergrad degree and are doing well while others who had a masters' degree coming in are now gone. Nothing's a given, but I think that you would really be helping your chances and knowledge base if you at least stuck in undergrad to take biochem, micro, cell and molec bio, anat/phys, etc. It's only one more year, and you are only young once... a bit more of the college experience (partying, sports, being single, etc) certainly never killed anyone (ok, well, probably not too too many people).

 

[Instigator]

Like I said in another thread, my class alone has some people who didn't finish an undergrad degree and are doing well while others who had a masters' degree coming in are now gone. Nothing's a given, but I think that you would really be helping your chances and knowledge base if you at least stuck in undergrad to take biochem, micro, cell and molec bio, anat/phys, etc. It's only one more year, and you are only young once... a bit more of the college experience (partying, sports, being single, etc) certainly never killed anyone (ok, well, probably not too too many people).

I'm in the same position as the orignial thread maker. However, I'm cramming in all this work for pre med (but I'm thinking about doing podiatry as well) into the next two years. Thats right I will be taking Princ chem etc starting in the summer and working my way through till I graduate in the Fall of 2010. After that I finish up school in the summer I will take the mcat and hopefully have a pretty good GPA. The only problem I have is that I will probably be able to take only one upper level science course.

Which brings me to your comment about only one more year. To me its a huge deal. I don't want to complain because I'm sure there are many other people out there with the same problem as me but I do not and can not afford to pay another 20,000+ a year on tuition let alone room and board and books.

 

[Feli]

...I think that you would really be helping your chances and knowledge base if you at least stuck in undergrad to take biochem, micro, cell and molec bio, anat/phys, etc. It's only one more year..

I'm in the same position as the orignial thread maker. However, I'm cramming in all this work for pre med (but I'm thinking about doing podiatry as well) into the next two years...

...Which brings me to your comment about only one more year. To me its a huge deal. I don't want to complain because I'm sure there are many other people out there with the same problem as me but I do not and can not afford to pay another 20,000+ a year on tuition let alone room and board and books.

Well, ultimately everyone will do what they deem best. As I said, some people do fine with just 3yrs of undergrad or do a non-science degree and just get the bare minimum pre-reqs (bio, chem-o-chem, and physics) without doing a bit more. That's fine, but they are usually the exception and not the rule.

Studies show time and time again that people who have taken the subjects beforehand perform better in professional programs. That is why SMP degrees are popular and more and more med students coming in having done them, post-bac, or at least tough undergrad curriculum. The didactic years of med programs are very tough, but good prep work before going into grad school can make the first year basic sciences somewhat of a review. Subsequently, if you do well in basic sciences, that obviously makes clinical sciences easier. Clinical sciences are then applied in clinic... etc etc.. you get the idea.

If money is the issue, then you also need to consider the cost of flunking out of grad school or getting a mediocre/poor residency and job because you weren't as prepared as many of your classmates, etc. Suddenly that $30k for another year of college to finish your degree and take some more advanced sciences doesn't look so bad after all.

 

[Creflo]

i majored in accounting in undergrad and am doing fine so far, its totally doable if you have a good work ethic. more science background would be nice to have, though. if you do well in the basic science courses and your mcat, and put in the study time in pod school, you'll probably be fine without all the extra science courses. but sure, they would have been helpful, just don't think that your'e doomed without them.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

i majored in accounting in undergrad and am doing fine so far, its totally doable if you have a good work ethic. more science background would be nice to have, though. if you do well in the basic science courses and your mcat, and put in the study time in pod school, you'll probably be fine without all the extra science courses. but sure, they would have been helpful, just don't think that your'e doomed without them.

👍 This is true for every program that has minimum requirements including MD and DO; if you meet the minimum it will take more work but can be done.

 

[Instigator]

i majored in accounting in undergrad and am doing fine so far, its totally doable if you have a good work ethic. more science background would be nice to have, though. if you do well in the basic science courses and your mcat, and put in the study time in pod school, you'll probably be fine without all the extra science courses. but sure, they would have been helpful, just don't think that your'e doomed without them.

👍 This is true for every program that has minimum requirements including MD and DO; if you meet the minimum it will take more work but can be done.

Thats great to hear. I'm just tired of hearing from students and my adviser that I will be lost if I get into pod school. Putting in the work is not a problem at all, I'm serious about what I want to do and where I want be.

Hey Dr. Feelgood, did you do your undergrad @ university of Iowa?

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Thats great to hear. I'm just tired of hearing from students and my adviser that I will be lost if I get into pod school. Putting in the work is not a problem at all, I'm serious about what I want to do and where I want be.

Hey Dr. Feelgood, did you do your undergrad @ university of Iowa?

Be prepared to work. It is like learning a new language and the classes move a lot faster than undergrad. Extra work and classes in undergrad do pay off b/c you get comfortable with the concepts and lingo.

I went to Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, IA.

 

[michk]

I am a senior at a very prestigious university which is very well known for its pre-med program. I am an anthropology major and because I am graduating in 3.5 years and I studied abroad, I haven't had time to complete my major, minor, the basic pre-med courses and advanced courses. I have not taken any advanced science courses but I have a good GPA, great experience, and I have spoken to many pod admissions recruiters...none of them have said that I have any less of a chance of interview and acceptance solely because I haven't taken advanced science course. I have taken other courses which have allowed me to become a well rounded person, something that not everybody in med school is. Accepting a well rounded person who can still succeed as a pod med school student is just as important as accepting some one who has taken some advanced science courses but have no interpersonal skills or knowledge about anything else in world. There are pros and cons to both situations, but I am not losing hope of acceptance.

 

[MrFeeties]

Hey Dr. Feelgood, did you do your undergrad @ university of Iowa?

I went to Iowa. GO HAWKS!!!

and while I was there, I had a good friend who was an M2 and I asked her what other classes I should take to prepare for med school. She said take as much biochem and microbiology/immunology as you can get! So I did and now it's saving my ***!

 

[iceman69]

As a physics and chem major, I will disagree that you should take advanced courses in bio for pod school. What's the point? They're giving everything you need to get an A, you just need to study a lot. Biochem is biochem at no matter the place, and setting. Anatomy is anatomy...Statistcal mechanics, well, let me say that that is a subject beyond most of you...it is by far one the most challenging areas of physics, as even modern QED is based largely off of it. A good student, with a good work ethic will surprise you all having extensive a priori knowledge of said subjects.