Non-Bio/Chem Major

[Cain]

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Hello,

I started college late after serving in the military for a little while. When I started, I began work on getting my LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). Most colleges allow for LPNs to transfer classes in order to attempt to get their ASN in only one year (Associate of Science in Nursing). I will then be getting my BSN.

My problem is that these are pretty much full majors with not a great deal of room to get my pre-med requirements. So, I was curious about how I'm going to do this. I will only need to take one more semester of composition/writing since it mentions only a year. I still have some more math to take so I can get through my year of Calculus. I know I should take a full year of Modern Physics (that was the only calculus based physics I saw). I saw a calculus based chemistry but I won't be able to reach that because of the number of pre-reqs.

So, let me get to the couple problems. First, is there a certain kind of biology or chemistry to take? I know I need 1 year of bio, 1 year of gen chemistry, and 1 year of organic chemistry. My school has them listed as such (General I and II and Organic I and II). Will a medical school look at those favorable or should I try to reach the higher level courses (which would most likely extend me from applying for another year or two). Also, I have to take Human Biology, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and Pathophysiology: Endogenous Agents to get my BSN. That is 2 full years of biology related classes. Would that fulfill my year of Biology or do I need to take the specific "Principles of Biology I and II" classes? Having those 4 take care of my year of biology would be great.

Any other advice would be very much appreciated. Also, since I will be working in a hospital as a nurse while going to college, will that look favorable on a med school application? I know they like you to volunteer for a while and since I'll be working their I figured that would look good. And, would they be irritated that I didn't do any major research? I won't have time at all to go to school full time with 15-20 credit hours and work near full time AND do the research.

This was originally posted in Pre-Allopathic but someone reccomended posting here since I am non-trad. I also want to mention that I am pursuing nursing because I don't know for sure yet whether I want to become a CRNA or a doctor... so I'm doing both.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[DrMidlife]

Short answer: it's going to be very inefficient to hedge your bets and simultaneously prep for both a nursing career and a medical career. Ideally you would pick one and go for it.

My problem is that these are pretty much full majors with not a great deal of room to get my pre-med requirements. So, I was curious about how I'm going to do this. I will only need to take one more semester of composition/writing since it mentions only a year. I still have some more math to take so I can get through my year of Calculus. I know I should take a full year of Modern Physics (that was the only calculus based physics I saw). I saw a calculus based chemistry but I won't be able to reach that because of the number of pre-reqs.

You don't have to take calculus-based physics for medical school. A lot of medical schools require calculus, but not all of them.

With respect to your "it mentions" above, if you're looking at one particular medical school's requirements to plan your coursework, that's a mistake.

So, let me get to the couple problems. First, is there a certain kind of biology or chemistry to take? I know I need 1 year of bio, 1 year of gen chemistry, and 1 year of organic chemistry. My school has them listed as such (General I and II and Organic I and II). Will a medical school look at those favorable or should I try to reach the higher level courses (which would most likely extend me from applying for another year or two). Also, I have to take Human Biology, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and Pathophysiology: Endogenous Agents to get my BSN. That is 2 full years of biology related classes. Would that fulfill my year of Biology or do I need to take the specific "Principles of Biology I and II" classes? Having those 4 take care of my year of biology would be great.

Nursing bio, chem & ochem are typically lighter than premed bio, chem & ochem. For med school you need to take a year of each (and physics) with labs - the lab part usually differentiates nursing classes from premed classes. Every school is different with its names and numbers for classes. Look at the school's premed advising web page.

The bio requirements (A&P etc.) for the BSN are not going to cover your premed bio requirement. This, in particular, is why it's inefficient to do premed and a BSN at the same time.

Any other advice would be very much appreciated. Also, since I will be working in a hospital as a nurse while going to college, will that look favorable on a med school application? I know they like you to volunteer for a while and since I'll be working their I figured that would look good. And, would they be irritated that I didn't do any major research? I won't have time at all to go to school full time with 15-20 credit hours and work near full time AND do the research.

Nursing is considered a strong extra-curricular activity, and an excellent story, in a med school app. You don't need to do clinical volunteering in addition. You SHOULD, however, do community volunteering as well (Special Olympics et al). You don't HAVE to do research.

This was originally posted in Pre-Allopathic but someone reccomended posting here since I am non-trad. I also want to mention that I am pursuing nursing because I don't know for sure yet whether I want to become a CRNA or a doctor... so I'm doing both.

Not a good idea. You should pick one and go for it. If you don't like your choice after a couple terms, then you can choose again. The vast, vast, vast majority of people doing an undergraduate degree change their major at least once.

Best of luck to you.

 

[gman33]

The prereqs need to be the classes a science major would take. For example, bio should be bio for majors, not classes for nursing majors. Usually nursing classes don't fufill the prereqs.

There is some debate about whether or not being a nurse helps getting into med school. Some say it helps, some say it hurts. If you are going straight from nursing school to med school, I'd probably say it's viewed as neutral to slightly negative. In your case it may be okay, since it sounds like you want to practice for a while or become a CRNA.