My Plan

[kimt2234]

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So I took bio 1 and 2 w/ lab a while ago and by the time I apply to med school they will be 8-9 years old. should I.....

retake both classes (got a B and C) or, take upper level bio like human physiology, genetics, and molecular biology. which would look better to adcoms? which makes the most sense?

also, I started my prereq' this past fall and can only afford one class a semester and will be moving in the summer to another state and will take one year to establish residency. I will have to take this fall and spring off from school becaue tuition is 5x that of in state. Will taking 2 semesters off and taking an extra year to apply look bad?

thanks!

 

[relentless11]

"...the more rigorous option is preferred." is a saying that is usually associated with pre-reqs like OChem. Unless you got a D or F in some class, then its probably wise to just take a more advanced class in the subject area.

From the adcom perspective, taking time off can go either way. You better make sure that it is productive time off. Doing research, volunteering at a hospital, community service, etc are some choices. However these are all very subjective in the eyes of the adcoms. Transcripts, MCAT scores, letters of rec, and interviews are a bit better at providing hard evidence. Of course this is not to say that extracurriculars are irrelevant, but it is indeed a magical mixture of all the above that gets you in.

From an academic perspective, it is probably not a good idea to take too much time off. Getting back into "school mode" is quite difficult. Especially considering the courseload in med school is quite rough, and it would be helpful if you remember from your pre-reqs. It always look good on paper, but the mindset to go back to school after time off is quite a challenge for most people. Therefore this is something that adcoms may take into account, but more importantly could affect your performance in med school if you are accepted.

From a psychological perspective, time off can be good, don't want to burn out, and I know physicians who have encouraged pre-meds to take time off since they regretted going straight into med school.

So yea, you're going to have to figure that out on your own depending on your own personal situation.