No second orgo chem lab?

[Necr0sis713]

Hey folks,

I'm sort of in a bind here. My university doesn't have a second organic chemistry lab, and none of the community colleges in my area offer the lab alone. However, I hear that a second semester of orgo lab isn't mandatory for most schools. Can anyone with experience chime in on this? Is it true that most schools only require one semester of orgo lab?

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[md-2020]

Well if you can't find any labs to take regardless, it's a moot point.

I'd personally want 2 labs on my app, but from what I've heard it won't kill you.

 

[Necr0sis713]

Do you think having 2 anatomy labs and a cell biology lab make up for it?

 

[y123]

One lab is fine.

 

[Cotterpin]

They usually say something like "1 year of orgo with lab." I think in the cases where they specifically say that you should have two semesters of lab, they're thinking of 1-credit labs. At my university, the only lab that worked like that was physics. For all the others, they only offered one-semester labs worth 3 credits and that has been acceptable for all the schools I've applied to.

 

[moemoekyun]

Go to your school's prehealth office or the chem department. Where I went to school, the head of the chemistry department had some kind of notice or something that the one semester orgo lab taught is fine for most (all?) schools. It was a 2 credit lab compared to 1 credit labs offered at the cc. There was an orgo lab 2, but mainly for chem majors. From what I know, some schools recommend a biochem lab.

 

[Necr0sis713]

My school only has one orgo lab and its 1 credit. But it's inclusive and involves synthesis and stuff.

 

[Hitmann]

I asked the same question before. Chances are the 1 semester lab that you are taking is 2 credits unlike the 1 credit gen chem labs. So even though its 1 semester it satisfies requirements

 

[Doug Underhill]

I guess every other pre-med in the history of your school was rejected from every med school for not having enough lab. Contact your pre-med advising office: they clearly have a plan in place.

 

[sovereign0]

Schools will usually accept your single lab if your undergraduate school deems that lab alone as adequate lab experience.

I took Organic I and II lectures (3cr each), but my school only offers one lab, a 3 credit Organic II lab and lecture combo, and had no problems.

 

[Necr0sis713]

That's so weird. In my university its only 1 credit hour, yet the counselors say that its enough to get into medical school. How does this make any sense if they require two semester hours of lab?

 

[sovereign0]

That's so weird. In my university its only 1 credit hour, yet the counselors say that its enough to get into medical school. How does this make any sense if they require two semester hours of lab?

As I mentioned before, typically if your school says it is sufficient organic chem lab experience, the medical schools will (most likely) agree.

 

[Hitmann]

That's so weird. In my university its only 1 credit hour, yet the counselors say that its enough to get into medical school. How does this make any sense if they require two semester hours of lab?

If it's really 1 credit then some schools allow to you to replace 1 semester with biochem lab. either that or your counselor is saying ****

 

[Gurby]

A lot of schools are no longer requiring Orgo 2 anyways, allowing you to substitute Biochem for it instead. "A 2-year course in chemistry that covers topics in inorganic, organic and biochemistry".