One Class = One year ?

[cantthink]

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I've been looking at my schedule and I only need Bio 2, and both O-Chems after this semester... I'm in a position where I can really only take 1 class at a time (full time work, twin babies due in a few weeks, night classes not available.)

The problem is that both O-Chem 2 and Bio 2 are only available spring semesters at the local CC and the Local Univ. so that means I essentially have to wait a year before I can apply, and I'll need to apply while still in the class in order to get the advantage of applying early.

How bad will not having either Bio 2 or Ochem 2 be for the MCAT? Is there one I should have more than the other?

I plan to take an anatomy and BioChem or molecular bio class as well as volunteer more in the semesters in between so it wont be "dead time"

let me know your thoughts

 

[wholeheartedly]

That sucks, but if you can use that time to strengthen your app in other ways maybe it won't be such a bad thing. I haven't taken the MCAT so I can't comment on that other than that's something you really need to do well on and having core courses done before taking it seems to be the best idea.

Just to check, you don't have access to another school where you might be able to get either of those classes over the summer or in the fall? Not possible to rearrange the work schedule a bit? If not, I think your plan to get other valuable experiences during that time seems like a good one.

 

[augeremt]

What's covered in your Bio 2? Mine was kingdom, phylum, etc and some physiology, so it wasn't that useful for the MCAT. I mean, physio would've been nice but it was covered on such a superficial level that learning it on my own wasn't any harder or time consuming than taking the class.

I've heard that Ochem 2 is also not heavily emphasized on the MCAT, at least lately, but it can appear. So if you do get a passage on it and haven't done it then you're screwed.

My advice would be to see what is covered by Bio 2 at your school and depending on how useful that may be, skip that and take Ochem 2 for the MCAT and Bio 2 after you've applied.

 

[MedPR]

What's covered in your Bio 2? Mine was kingdom, phylum, etc and some physiology, so it wasn't that useful for the MCAT. I mean, physio would've been nice but it was covered on such a superficial level that learning it on my own wasn't any harder or time consuming than taking the class.

I've heard that Ochem 2 is also not heavily emphasized on the MCAT, at least lately, but it can appear. So if you do get a passage on it and haven't done it then you're screwed.

My advice would be to see what is covered by Bio 2 at your school and depending on how useful that may be, skip that and take Ochem 2 for the MCAT and Bio 2 after you've applied.

Organic 2 is probably harder for 99% of pre-meds than Bio2. It sounds like you'll have enough on your plate as it is, so I suggest Bio2. Even if your Bio2 doesn't cover a lot of high yield MCAT topics, I think it will benefit you more than Organic 2 because the majority of the BS section is Biology.

Edit: I think it's more likely get at least 1 MCAT question from Bio2 than from Organic 2.

 

[cantthink]

thanks for the replies. I think Bio 2 at the 4 year univ is entitled "ecology and evolution" and is the 2nd Bio recommended by the pre-med adviser there.....doesnt seem very MCAT-ish but I wouldnt know. I took BIO 1 there and it covered Cell level stuff (cell structure, replication, signalling, transport...that kinda jazz.) so hope that gets the meat of MCAT type materials.

I suppose if I'm really worried about it I could find out what book they are using this semester, buy the previous edition on Amazon for about $0.25 and read up. I imagine not much will change between editions. I have a bunch of old editions of Chem, Org Chem, Bio Chem, Bio, Physics that I bought this way...super cheap and great general references to skim before taking a class.


I think since my plan is limited to one class at a time. it will look like this, as of right now.....I assume it would be easier to self instruct on Bio2 topics than Ochem...So i'll save Bio2 for last perhaps.

Spring 2012 -Chem 2
Summer 2012 - anat/physio or something?
Fall 2012 - O-Chem 1
Spring 2013 O-Chem 2
Summer 2013 -review BIO 2 and take MCAT
Fall 2013 - extra class bio/chem
Spring 2014 Bio 2
Apply to med school 2014 to matriculate in 2015

I hope I don't forget everything along the way!

....I'll be 34/going on 35 ...bleh. 🙂

 

[MedPR]

Spring 2012 -Chem 2
Summer 2012 - anat/physio or something?
Fall 2012 - O-Chem 1
Spring 2013 O-Chem 2
Summer 2013 -review BIO 2 and take MCAT
Fall 2013 - extra class bio/chem
Spring 2014 Bio 2
Apply to med school 2014 to matriculate in 2015

I hope I don't forget everything along the way!

....I'll be 34/going on 35 ...bleh. 🙂

You don't need Bio2 as a pre-req for anatomy/physiology? If not, don't even bother with Bio2 unless you need it for GPA. I think your pre-mcat classes are good, except replace Ochem2 with genetics.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I haven't taken ochem 2 yet and won't, but I did take biochem for the mcat. My mcat was heavy in ochem but I got a 10 in the bio section.

Another I want to address is I have 3 kids, worked full time for 50 hours per week and had a part time hospital job for 20 hours per week and one interviewer asked if I took classes part time. When I said no (I took 20 credits), he said quote, "good because we generally don't accept people who take classes part time as they don't do very well." I am not saying this to scare you and it is one DO school, but it is worth mentioning so you could plan accordingly. They weren't going to cut me any slack on part time status regardless of my work schedule and family. FYI.

 

[cantthink]

I haven't taken ochem 2 yet and won't, but I did take biochem for the mcat. My mcat was heavy in ochem but I got a 10 in the bio section.

Another I want to address is I have 3 kids, worked full time for 50 hours per week and had a part time hospital job for 20 hours per week and one interviewer asked if I took classes part time. When I said no (I took 20 credits), he said quote, "good because we generally don't accept people who take classes part time as they don't do very well." I am not saying this to scare you and it is one DO school, but it is worth mentioning so you could plan accordingly. They weren't going to cut me any slack on part time status regardless of my work schedule and family. FYI.

How are you guys skipping the 2nd part of O-Chem? isn't it required to apply to most schools? generally I see most places say 8hrs (or 1 year) of Organic is needed.

regarding the credit hours per semester....I'm afraid I don't have a choice!
1)My work doesn't allow me to leave more than I already do. (full time engineer. so no real options for moving to a different shift unless i take an unskilled labor job at less than half my current pay)
2)The prereq. classes are not available at night....but I guess I could add extra course work at night. Good idea!
3)I also run a business from home which makes a sizable percentage of my income and run (organizing, not just participating) other philanthropic endeavors which raise several thousand per year for various causes. There are literally not enough hours in a day to do it all. So could I drop my business and fundraising and take classes instead? yea...but I don't (in my opinion at least) think that would show any more or less ability to take heavy class loads. When I get to med school I would have no work and I would suspend my other stuff...so I'm not sure I agree with their thinking.


Anywho.....more thoughts are always appreciated. I think I'll add some additional non-prereq night classes based on the above suggestion. It still won't be full time though....because that is not possible w/o cutting work down...

 

[random2708]

How are you guys skipping the 2nd part of O-Chem? isn't it required to apply to most schools? generally I see most places say 8hrs (or 1 year) of Organic is needed.

Anywho.....more thoughts are always appreciated. I think I'll add some additional non-prereq night classes based on the above suggestion. It still won't be full time though....because that is not possible w/o cutting work down...

Some schools don't require both OChems. In particular DMU, the school that the above poster is going to attend, only requires 4 hours of OChem plus an OChem lab. I personally have the same issue you do and will be pushing OChem 2 off to allow for MCAT prep and will take it, if necessary, in my glide year.

I also have the same issues you have regarding work, family, projects, school etc. For me the answer was to schedule so that at some point work fell away and I had 2-3 sememsters of full time academic performance to point to. I've been working towards this by taking night classes, summer sessions, winter break classes, ect and am now within the range of finishing hard in 2-3 semesters fulltime. I have dropped work to a part time 20 hr a week, night/weekend job in the ER.

Good luck

 

[FrkyBgStok]

many schools will also take biochem as an ochem 2 replacement, but you are gung ho about taking the mcat before one of them. you will still need to take ochem 2, it is just less important for the mcat. but it will still probably be covered.

also i am not saying that you won't get accepted, or your situation isn't exempt. i sat down with a school and they basically told me everything i was doing is wrong and i thought i didn't have any other choice. then i realized that i had to make it work if i really wanted it. this caused a complete change, but i made it happen. i just wanted to warn you. some schools may look down on it.

 

[cantthink]

FryBgStok, was this DMU that said the stuff about part time/full time? or some other school.

The schools that are near the top of my list all ask for 8hrs of O-chem so I think I'm stuck there. no worries. I like chemistry 🙂

I do plan to apply to very broadly mostly DO, with maybe one or two instate Illinois MD programs as a total long shot. I have friends and family scattered through out the country so I have a lot of convenient options. Hopefully I can get past their automatic "filters" and land an interview....


Did anyone else have problems with negative feedback for being part time?

 

[pkwraith]

One thing I see about your proposed schedule:

Summer 2013 -review BIO 2 and take MCAT
Spring 2014 Bio 2
Apply to med school 2014 to matriculate in 2015

You're taking MCAT Summer 2013. If your score is good and early enough, you can immediately apply to matriculate in 2014. That would cut off a year of waiting around.

For example, when I applied. I did MCAT in July 2010. Got score and immediatly applied. Finished my Orgo and Biochem prerequisite Spring 2011 (I got accepted to Med School before I finished my prereqs).

 

[MedPR]

How are you guys skipping the 2nd part of O-Chem? isn't it required to apply to most schools? generally I see most places say 8hrs (or 1 year) of Organic is needed.

I'm not saying to skip Ochem2, I'm saying to take it after your MCAT because it won't help you as much for MCAT as a class like genetics, physiology, or biochem.

 

[augeremt]

I'm not saying to skip Ochem2, I'm saying to take it after your MCAT because it won't help you as much for MCAT as a class like genetics, physiology, or biochem.

Neither will Bio 2, and between Bio 2 and Ochem 2 I would suggest Ochem 2 would be better to prepare you for the MCAT. Neither is that useful, honestly, so maybe do both after the MCAT?

 

[MedPR]

Neither will Bio 2, and between Bio 2 and Ochem 2 I would suggest Ochem 2 would be better to prepare you for the MCAT. Neither is that useful, honestly, so maybe do both after the MCAT?

I didn't say Bio2 would help either. I suggested that the OP take biochem, genetics, or physiology instead. Notice that the OP said they planned on taking an extra class/biochem AFTER the MCAT. Therefore, they plan on taking it, so they might as well get it in before MCAT so they have it in their brain.

 

[augeremt]

I didn't say Bio2 would help either. I suggested that the OP take biochem, genetics, or physiology instead. Notice that the OP said they planned on taking an extra class/biochem AFTER the MCAT. Therefore, they plan on taking it, so they might as well get it in before MCAT so they have it in their brain.

Sounds like we're on the same page then, just said it differently (or I thought it and forgot to write it out...)

 

[cantthink]

One thing I see about your proposed schedule:

Summer 2013 -review BIO 2 and take MCAT
Spring 2014 Bio 2
Apply to med school 2014 to matriculate in 2015

You're taking MCAT Summer 2013. If your score is good and early enough, you can immediately apply to matriculate in 2014. That would cut off a year of waiting around.

For example, when I applied. I did MCAT in July 2010. Got score and immediatly applied. Finished my Orgo and Biochem prerequisite Spring 2011 (I got accepted to Med School before I finished my prereqs).

Might be a good idea even if I'm later in the application.....I guess it couldn't hurt to apply a little later in summer.

thanks for all the thoughts and comments

 

[MedPR]

Might be a good idea even if I'm later in the application.....I guess it couldn't hurt to apply a little later in summer.

thanks for all the thoughts and comments

Don't forget that you can submit your AACOMAS/AMCAS before actually taking the MCAT. Submit it as soon as you can no matter what. You have a better shot at schools seeing your app and waiting for your grades/mcat than schools taking you just because your mcat and a couple of new A's are already on your application.

 

[popopopop]

I haven't taken ochem 2 yet and won't, but I did take biochem for the mcat. My mcat was heavy in ochem but I got a 10 in the bio section.

Another I want to address is I have 3 kids, worked full time for 50 hours per week and had a part time hospital job for 20 hours per week and one interviewer asked if I took classes part time. When I said no (I took 20 credits), he said quote, "good because we generally don't accept people who take classes part time as they don't do very well." I am not saying this to scare you and it is one DO school, but it is worth mentioning so you could plan accordingly. They weren't going to cut me any slack on part time status regardless of my work schedule and family. FYI.

I hope he was saying it to scare you. I don't even know how you even passed your classes with working 70 hours a week?

 

[cantthink]

Don't forget that you can submit your AACOMAS/AMCAS before actually taking the MCAT. Submit it as soon as you can no matter what. You have a better shot at schools seeing your app and waiting for your grades/mcat than schools taking you just because your mcat and a couple of new A's are already on your application.

I'm worried that I wont even get a look w/o a good MCAT....I'm definitely an "Underdog"....undergrad cGPA was 2.82 and an sGPA of 3.39 ( i was a a "distracted" student, we'll say)
.....my post bach (21hrs so far) has been all As and one B. though not all are Med related stuff some were just for fun because I like learning stuff.....

Even by the time I finish all prereqs plus a few extras and get straight As my cGPA will only be 3.11 and sGPA will only be 3.69 by my calculations.

So yea...I was really thinking i would be needing a VERY good MCAT on the application otherwise i'd get overlooked. the undergrad GPA is a real killer.... stupid hindsight.

 

[oldinsaneguy]

I am 44, so don't feel bad about your age. I got a piece of advice from a professor that completely changed my paradigm. This was for anatomy, but I apply it to everything now. He told me to not just learn the material, instead I should own it. Perhaps it's obvious. Perhaps it's hard to explain. But, it works for two reasons. First, by owning it, you're not just trying to remember material. Instead, you have it forever. Second, you never know when that small forgettable piece of information will help you solve a problem or cure something. Which is after all the reason for our pursuit. By simply changing my paradigm, striving to know all the material thoroughly, then applying it into my daily life (like using the vocabulary or teaching my family or tutoring another student), I breezed through finals with a minimal of study time. I didn't use this technique for the first BIO. So, I've started reviewing that and have kept in touch with my teacher so I can ask questions.

I hope this doesn't sound stupid. After all, it is just a simple change in the way you think. But know this, I'm rooting for you (please root for me too) on behalf of all non-traditional (older) pre-meds.