Laboratory Courses Concerns

[Henry Bicket]

Hi!
I go to a school where Biology Laboratory 1 and 2 alongside Physics Laboratory 1 and 2 are only offered as a pass/fail courses. Additionally, they only offer one semester of General Chemistry Laboratory. I'm a Texas resident so I'm looking to apply to schools in the TMDSAS, will this make me look bad? This has not proven to be an issue for other pre-meds, as the Gel Chem laboratory is designed alongside both semesters of the Orgo lab to fill the Pre-Med laboratory requirements but I'm worried that it might be taken against me for the Texas Pre-Med schools.

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[Mr.Smile12]

Hi!
I go to a school where Biology Laboratory 1 and 2 alongside Physics Laboratory 1 and 2 are only offered as a pass/fail courses. Additionally, they only offer one semester of General Chemistry Laboratory. I'm a Texas resident so I'm looking to apply to schools in the TMDSAS, will this make me look bad? This has not proven to be an issue for other pre-meds, as the Gel Chem laboratory is designed alongside both semesters of the Orgo lab to fill the Pre-Med laboratory requirements but I'm worried that it might be taken against me for the Texas Pre-Med schools.

What does your prehealth advisors say? How many have been admitted to medical school (Texas) from your school in the last 3 years?

 

[wysdoc]

Here's what TMDSAS will look for in the sciences:
2 Bio Lab credit hours as well as 12 total hours of other biology courses.
6 hours Physics Lecture and 2 hours Lab
6 hours General Chem Lecture and 2 hours Lab
6 hours Organic Chem Lecture and 2 hours Lab
3 hours Biochem (no lab required)
3 hours Statistics

These are some pretty stringent requirements compared to AMCAS schools, but in general if you can meet these, you will have met the prereqs for pretty much any school you want to apply to.

@Henry Bicket if your school's offerings are only pass/fail, you may end up having to take the labs at a community college instead.
On the TMDSAS guide you can look up your specific college and see which course numbers will meet the requirements

 

[Henry Bicket]

@Mr.Smile12 I go to school in the northeast, so not many people have gone to TMDSAS Med Schools. My Prehealth advisors said it should be fine, but I will confirm with them again to make sure.

@wysdoc Thank you so much! Is there any way I can confirm that I can confirm that my credits in my university can apply to the TMDSAS schools?

 

[wysdoc]

@Mr.Smile12 I go to school in the northeast, so not many people have gone to TMDSAS Med Schools. My Prehealth advisors said it should be fine, but I will confirm with them again to make sure.

@wysdoc Thank you so much! Is there any way I can confirm that I can confirm that my credits in my university can apply to the TMDSAS schools?

If you send me a DM and tell me what university you attend, I will send you the course list for your school

 

[Henry Bicket]

@wysdoc Sent the message, hopefully I did it right lol. Thank you so much!

 

[eigen]

FWIW, pass/fail labs that co-requisites / tied to the lecture class is pretty common for undergraduate programs. That's how we do it, and no school has ever batted an eye, including Texas schools.

I've also taught places with a single semester of general chemistry, and students generally take analytical or inorganic to bring up the total credits of "General/Inorganic" chemistry to what's needed.

This is distinct from having a 2 cr course that covers both semesters of content- it's unclear from your post which yours does.