Here's my situation:
I majored in Biomedical engineering - so I did not take exact matches of some prereqs.
I have AP credit for two semesters of general bio, so I didn't take them. In my curriculum I took two semesters of 2000 level physiology (not A&P but in depth physiology). I also took a semester of 2000 level cell and molecular biology for engineers. I did not take general bio labs, but I did take two 3000 level 4 credit each BME labs that were heavy on biology (PCR, westerns, cell culture etc.). My school did advise me at the start that I could use what I would take in BME as equivalents to premed requirements (don't know if this was all that true but its what they told us - seemingly for bio it should be okay). From what they said, they will give me a form letter explaining the equivalence of these courses that I can submit with my AMCAS application if I just request it.
I took physics 2 and the lab online at community college over the summer, to be honest largely because I was being lazy about it, which was retrospectively not the smartest. but I had a ton of rigorous courses that I took instead, I just took some more electives that I wouldn't have had room for otherwise (bioethics, psyc/soc etc.).
I did take physics 1 and the lab seated, I also have courses in biomechanics and biotransport which are heavily physics based. In my 8 credit BME lab sequence, there were modules with a heavy focus on circuitry, ultrasound, optics etc. that I think did hit home on a lot of physics 2 lab topics.
I also did not take biochem - my course in molecular biology did touch on most of the biochem topics I needed for the MCAT (131 on the BB section). Department advised us not to take biochem because this course was sufficient. I have emailed some schools so far asking if this can fit their biochem requirement, and some have gotten back to me and asked for the syllabus to review. I figured this couldn't hurt. Probably will keep trying this if the first couple responses are somewhat positive. Obviously not all schools require this, so at the end of the day I could just apply to schools that don't - but if I could keep some as options that would be nice.
Gen chem/orgo and the labs I took normally so there is no concern on these.
Realistically, if I had paid more attention to these details in college I wouldn't be here but I wasn't 100% on medicine until a year ago or so I was just keeping it open as an option that I was interested in.
I graduated one year ago, have been working in clinical research for the last year, and am planning to apply this upcoming cycle, I have decent stats (519 and 3.7) and good EC's.
My questions are:
- if it turns out that for biochem I can't claim course equivalence (I won't be shocked), and I wanted to apply to a school that requires it - could I just take it the summer before matriculating and apply to schools that require it anyway? or would they not even consider me? Would I just need to ask/explain this situation to them? I know schools are all different, but in general is this a thing that some would allow you to do?
2) same thing for physics 2 and lab - if a school requires this and doesn't accept the online credit could I guess in theory take it the summer before starting? Do I have a case that my upper level courses might have given me equal experience? If not, in theory could I take it over the summer?
3) should I be worried about the whole general bio situation? From what I've researched so far, I feel like I should be fine here since the classes I took were just upper level bio topics/labs instead of intro due to AP credit.
Any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated.
