Need Advice!!

[LadySophia]

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I have been taking many of my pre-requisites from the local community college.

Gen Bio 1, lab + 2, lab - A,A,A,A
Gen Chem 1, lab +2, lab - A,A,B,A
Gen Physics 1, lab - B,B

Then, I transferred over to my local university.

Ochem 1 - B
Gen Physics 2, lab - B,A
Evolution - C
Statistics - B

This summer, I went back to my local college to take:

A+P 1, lab - A,A

This is my dilemma. I want to take Ochem 2, Ochem labs, and Calculus at my local community college. However, I am afraid that medical schools frown upon taking pre-requisites at community colleges. When I went to the local university, my grades fell. When I went back to the local college in the summer, my grades went back up. (On a side note, I listed only the science courses I have completed. However, I have taken other courses too - humanities, etc. This summer I have done A+P 1, lab, Literature, and Medical Term and received all A's.) I do not want the medical school to think I'm hopping schools to boost up my grades. During my semester at the local university, I was pregnant in my 2nd+3rd trimester taking 17 credit hours. I was on campus 5 days a week. Three of those days, I go to school from 8am to 3pm. The other two days, I go to school from 8am to 7:30pm. I live an hour away from my local university. During that semester, I was a sleepy and constantly hungry pregnant woman waddling from one end of the campus to the other. I hope you see where I am getting at. Anyways, my situation is not written on the transcript. The medical school will see only grades and will likely conclude that my grades at my community college is over-inflated. To prevent that thought, I am considering taking courses at both my local community college and local university.

Currently, my courses are set us as this:

Local college: A+P 2,lab
Fund. of Comm.
Micro, lab

Local university: Ochem II, lab
Physical Chem.
Technical Writing
Calculus
Ethics
Grand total: 29 credits

By taking all of these courses, I hope to show that I can not only do well at my local university, but I can also handle this amount of courses/workload. From my understanding, 29 credits will be nothing compared to the amount of work that has to be done during medical school. I want to show that I can do a large amount of work and do it well.

Here is my question. Is there a better way to show the medical school that my grades at local community college is not over-inflated and that I can handle a large amount of workload?

By the way, I am planning to get a Bachelor in Medical Technology at a different local university. The curriculum includes clinical immunology, hematology, molecular genetics, etc. Will that be sufficient to show that I can handle upper-level science courses?

Thanks in advance for your input!

P.S. This semester, I only need to take Micro & lab to get into the Med Tech program. I am taking these extra classes to make myself more appealing for medical school. (That's how serious I am! =) If the Med Tech program is sufficient enough to demonstrate my abilities to medical school, I prefer to take only Micro & lab to save money. I have a family and would prefer to save the money especially during this unpredictable economic time. However, I do not want to skimp on school if it will decrease my chances of getting into medical school.

 

[Astarael]

The following is just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.

As to the question of taking classes at community college versus university, you'll be fine having taken some classes at the community college, but when you switch to university, I think it would be best to fully make the switch. Bouncing back between community college and university is not going to help make your record look stronger, and while it might not hurt it, what you really want to do at this point is prove that you can handle rigorous science classes. That needs to be done at a university.

As far as your major goes, I would really urge you to consider not going for medical technology. Matriculation rates are higher for people in traditional baccalaureate programs than in health sciences programs. I'd rather not get into the full scope of that argument here as it has been hashed out pretty thoroughly on this forum about three times in the last six months. Search for threads about people who have done BSN->med school and you'll get the general outline of the pros and cons of doing that kind of major.

If you have any other specific questions, just post them up!

 

[aSagacious]

29 credits?!? 👎

Micro, P-chem, and Calc could fill a schedule by themselves, they need no fluff.

 

[Morsetlis]

You're clearly not being challenged enough.

If you can't eat 5 pancakes today, how can you eat 10 tomorrow? 😀

 

[LadySophia]

@Astarael

That's exactly what I am afraid of. I do not want to look as though I am a weak candidate. Let me elaborate on something I did not in my original post. I am attending my local community college this semester to fulfill my Microbiology requirements. My local university does not offer Microbiology. (Yes, I know. What university does not offer Microbiology? It does have Microbiology Pathogens, but that is not the same as Microbiology itself. This same unveristy offers A&P once in a blue moon.) Since I have to return to my local community college, I am taking Microbiology and A&P II. I am considering whether I should take other science courses there too. However, I run the risk of medical schools thinking that I am school hopping.

About the Med Tech degree, I understand that the traditional degrees are more favorable, but I find Med Tech suited for myself. I am able to gain clinical experience and can find a job if necessary for my family. After completing this program, I intend to continue taking more upper-level science courses at my local university to make my application stronger.

@aSagacious

I prepped myself for this workload by spending a month to prep for all those classes. I am not saying I will walk in the class and ace every test, but I feel comfortable enough.

@Morsetlis

It can happen 😉 I can't eat 5 pancakes now. However, if I am determined enough and prep myself right, I may be able to eat 10 pancakes or 60-70 hotdogs like Joey Chestnut. =)

P.S. Does it make a difference if I was trying to eat those pancakes during a semester I was in a car accident and my mom was in a work accident the week after? I do not want to opt for pity. I rather do something about those grades and the perception medical school will have on those grades.

 

[Astarael]

@Astarael

That's exactly what I am afraid of. I do not want to look as though I am a weak candidate. Let me elaborate on something I did not in my original post. I am attending my local community college this semester to fulfill my Microbiology requirements. My local university does not offer Microbiology. (Yes, I know. What university does not offer Microbiology? It does have Microbiology Pathogens, but that is not the same as Microbiology itself. This same unveristy offers A&P once in a blue moon.) Since I have to return to my local community college, I am taking Microbiology and A&P II. I am considering whether I should take other science courses there too. However, I run the risk of medical schools thinking that I am school hopping.

About the Med Tech degree, I understand that the traditional degrees are more favorable, but I find Med Tech suited for myself. I am able to gain clinical experience and can find a job if necessary for my family. After completing this program, I intend to continue taking more upper-level science courses at my local university to make my application stronger.

@aSagacious

I prepped myself for this workload by spending a month to prep for all those classes. I am not saying I will walk in the class and ace every test, but I feel comfortable enough.

@Morsetlis

It can happen 😉 I can't eat 5 pancakes now. However, if I am determined enough and prep myself right, I may be able to eat 10 pancakes or 60-70 hotdogs like Joey Chestnut. =)

P.S. Does it make a difference if I was trying to eat those pancakes during a semester I was in a car accident and my mom was in a work accident the week after? I do not want to opt for pity. I rather do something about those grades and the perception medical school will have on those grades.

Three things: first, you do not have to take microbiology (or probably A&P, either), as neither are required as medical school pre-requisites. Second, even if the med tech degree is suited to you, the data doesn't stack in your favor. You should know that going into it, because health sciences students on average have a more difficult time gaining admission to medical school. Lastly, I hope we're all misunderstanding you, but do you mean to say you are taking 29 credits in one semester? Or is that your schedule for the year?

 

[SN1]

Once you have started taking courses at a 4-year university, I think it is best to stay there to continue taking the rest of your prerequisites and other level science classes. However, do what works out for you. The MCAT will allay all this issue.

I am in a similar situation. I will have completed all of my prereqs at a community college and will start at a 4 year university in the spring. I had the option to take A&P and microbio but decided to save them for the 4 year uni.

 

[LadySophia]

Three things: first, you do not have to take microbiology (or probably A&P, either), as neither are required as medical school pre-requisites. Second, even if the med tech degree is suited to you, the data doesn't stack in your favor. You should know that going into it, because health sciences students on average have a more difficult time gaining admission to medical school. Lastly, I hope we're all misunderstanding you, but do you mean to say you are taking 29 credits in one semester? Or is that your schedule for the year?

(1)The microbiology course is a requirement for the Med Tech program. I am taking the A&P course, because I enjoy that course and think it will be helpful in medical school. (2)I appreciate your advice about the Med Tech degree and understand the risks you are trying to emphasize if I take this pathway. Due to the economy, I have to stray off-course to gain a 1-up in case anything happen to my husband's job. Not only that, I sincerely want to enter the program, because the hands-on work and curriculum are interesting to me. There is an awesome factor for me in working with needles, tubes, and microscopes. It is like mixing the color red and blue and getting purple. It's magic. Poof. That kind of deal. (I know Med Tech is not about mixing colors...just need to make sure I'm stating it out there. I'm am only using an analogy.) (3)Yes, I am considering those courses this semester, am trying to choose between them, and am narrowing it down to about 20 credits. (4) Thanks for having this conversation with me. 👍

 

[Political]

You're clearly not being challenged enough.

If you can't eat 5 pancakes today, how can you eat 10 tomorrow? 😀

I wonder how many pancakes kobayashi can eat?

 

[LadySophia]

Once you have started taking courses at a 4-year university, I think it is best to stay there to continue taking the rest of your prerequisites and other level science classes. However, do what works out for you. The MCAT will allay all this issue.

I am in a similar situation. I will have completed all of my prereqs at a community college and will start at a 4 year university in the spring. I had the option to take A&P and microbio but decided to save them for the 4 year uni.

I want to stay at my local university, but they do not offer the microbiology course I need. Not only that, the science courses they offer are limited. The budgets cuts have made it rough. There is only one Genetics, Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Organic Chem II class available for a school of over 12,000 people and the first three courses are filled. I am going to my local college to take Microbiology and A&P. I am trying to take other courses at my local university and dual enroll so I do not look like am school hopping.

 

[LadySophia]

I wonder how many pancakes kobayashi can eat?

100 pancakes with maple syrup 😀😀

 

[LadySophia]

If it's a requirement for the degree, why not take the microbiology course at the university that requires it?

That university does not offer microbiology. You have to take all your pre-requisites elsewhere to apply and enter into their program.

P.S. The pre-requisites are about 2 years long and their program is about another 2 years.

 

[Political]

100 pancakes with maple syrup 😀😀

probably

Too bad he cant do Nathans any more 🙁

 

[Kekeirda]

(1)The microbiology course is a requirement for the Med Tech program. I am taking the A&P course, because I enjoy that course and think it will be helpful in medical school. (2)I appreciate your advice about the Med Tech degree and understand the risks you are trying to emphasize if I take this pathway. Due to the economy, I have to stray off-course to gain a 1-up in case anything happen to my husband's job. Not only that, I sincerely want to enter the program, because the hands-on work and curriculum are interesting to me. There is an awesome factor for me in working with needles, tubes, and microscopes. It is like mixing the color red and blue and getting purple. It's magic. Poof. That kind of deal. (I know Med Tech is not about mixing colors...just need to make sure I'm stating it out there. I'm am only using an analogy.) (3)Yes, I am considering those courses this semester, am trying to choose between them, and am narrowing it down to about 20 credits. (4) Thanks for having this conversation with me. 👍

good luck!