Online Course Policy

[mdhopeful77]

I have seen that most medical schools do not accept online courses as counting towards medical school requirements and therefore I have been very careful about that. However, if I were to take a non-essential course such as Nutrition online, would that be alright? Or would it still be frowned upon? Just trying to plan out my schedule for next semester.

Thanks in advance!

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[lalalallala]

Will this nutrition course be listed on your transcript from your UG?

 

[mdhopeful77]

Will this nutrition course be listed on your transcript from your UG?

Yes

 

[Dr. Let 'er Buck]

I had a single online course listed on my transcript. It was History of Religion. Adcoms didn't bat an eye and it has never been mentioned. Perhaps since this course has NOTHING to do with medicine.

 

[lalalallala]

Yes

Doing pre-reqs online would be a no. I don't think it matters if you do one online course in nutrition as long as there's a reason you couldn't take it in person at your school (like nutrition wasn't offered at your school). As long as you are taking a serious schedule and doing activities so you dont look lazy then i think this is all good

 

[mdhopeful77]

I haven't seen nutrition listed as a prereq for any of the medical schools I have looked at, so I'm hoping it will be alright? It seems like it mostly applies to biology, chemistry, anatomy, physics, etc. which I have all taken in a seated classroom. Any thoughts? What about a toxicology class? There is a section of nutrition offered in-person, but I was hoping to do it online to free up some more time for hospital volunteering.

 

[lalalallala]

I haven't seen nutrition listed as a prereq for any of the medical schools I have looked at, so I'm hoping it will be alright? It seems like it mostly applies to biology, chemistry, anatomy, physics, etc. which I have all taken in a seated classroom. Any thoughts? What about a toxicology class? There is a section of nutrition offered in-person, but I was hoping to do it online to free up some more time for hospital volunteering.

If it is offered in person then you should just do it in person. I’m not saying at all that this is an application killer it just seems a bit unnecessary to do this when you have the option to take the real class

 

[premeddestiny]

Double check with the school; prereqs are likely not to be accepted, but certain courses like genetics might go through if you have a legitimate reason (e.g., schedule conflict) in not being able to take the in-person class.

 

[M&L]

i have 3 math courses as online (pre-calc, calc 1 and 2), and physics 1 as online. I didnt have a choice - i was in the military. They didnt care. but the DID care that i have FURTHER up the chain courses in classroom. So, as a math minor, i took 6 more courses (very advanced) after calc 1 and 2, and had 3.9 math GPA. And for physics i took higher physics courses in classroom, and that was fine as well. There are some prerequisites that i think you cannot do, - chemistry ones, i think, you cannot.

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

i have 3 math courses as online (pre-calc, calc 1 and 2), and physics 1 as online. I didnt have a choice - i was in the military. They didnt care. but the DID care that i have FURTHER up the chain courses in classroom. So, as a math minor, i took 6 more courses (very advanced) after calc 1 and 2, and had 3.9 math GPA. And for physics i took higher physics courses in classroom, and that was fine as well. There are some prerequisites that i think you cannot do, - chemistry ones, i think, you cannot.

Online general chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry courses are offered at several schools in the US. (My institution offers these courses.) They may or may not be accepted at medical schools. However, at the least, I recommend that students take these courses so as to prepare for the on-ground courses in which they really need to do well. After all, seeing the material again in an on-ground course will help reinforce your knowledge and you will (most likely) do better.

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

I have seen that most medical schools do not accept online courses as counting towards medical school requirements and therefore I have been very careful about that. However, if I were to take a non-essential course such as Nutrition online, would that be alright? Or would it still be frowned upon? Just trying to plan out my schedule for next semester.

Thanks in advance!

Knowledge of nutrition is essential, but is not a pre-requisite to medical school. I would like to see nutrition required for all students graduating with a college degree.

 

[jenniferluke1001]

I have seen that most medical schools do not accept online courses as counting towards medical school requirements and therefore I have been very careful about that. However, if I were to take a non-essential course such as Nutrition online, would that be alright? Or would it still be frowned upon? Just trying to plan out my schedule for next semester.

Thanks in advance!

Yes most of the courses are not taken into account I did the newborn care guidelines course last Summer it also has not listed.

 

[Catalystik]

if I were to take a non-essential course such as Nutrition online, would that be alright?

Yes.

 

[peregrino]

Regarding online pre-reqs and the age of classes: Is it okay to take
While in high school, I got a 5 on the AP English test. Then I took a general basic English class and received an A. I left school to work and I didn't return to that school until 20 years later to complete that bachelors degree, which included another English class a few years ago. In the meantime, I took at least 3 other more advanced English classes at some junior colleges during the 1990s. All of these classes were done in-person because there was no public Internet back then.

Now, I would like to take another advanced English course to improve my writing and critical thinking ability in preparation for the CARS section of the MCAT among other reasons. However, due to work and volunteer commitments and that my post-bacc science program does not offer English (it's all science), I can only take this advanced course at a junior / community college and only on certain nights or online.

Is this okay: To take advanced English at a junior college and maybe online, or should I try for re-doing English at a 4-year college and in-person? If medical schools want proof that I can write, think, and respond in English, I have written countless essays and several scientific papers as part of the requirements for my past college degrees.

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

Regarding online pre-reqs and the age of classes: Is it okay to take
While in high school, I got a 5 on the AP English test. Then I took a general basic English class and received an A. I left school to work and I didn't return to that school until 20 years later to complete that bachelors degree, which included another English class a few years ago. In the meantime, I took at least 3 other more advanced English classes at some junior colleges during the 1990s. All of these classes were done in-person because there was no public Internet back then.

Now, I would like to take another advanced English course to improve my writing and critical thinking ability in preparation for the CARS section of the MCAT among other reasons. However, due to work and volunteer commitments and that my post-bacc science program does not offer English (it's all science), I can only take this advanced course at a junior / community college and only on certain nights or online.

Is this okay: To take advanced English at a junior college and maybe online, or should I try for re-doing English at a 4-year college and in-person. If medical schools want proof that I can write, think, and respond in English, I have written countless essays and several scientific papers as part of the requirements for my past college degrees.

It sounds like a good plan to me. I routinely encourage students to pursue technical writing courses since they will be of benefit in their careers.

 

[peregrino]

I recommend that students take these courses so as to prepare for the on-ground courses in which they really need to do well. After all, seeing the material again in an on-ground course will help reinforce your knowledge and you will (most likely) do better.

By online courses, are you referring to those classes for credit through a college or those classes taken for non-credit via, say, edX, Coursera, or Udemy or directly from a college? BTW, I've taken some great non-credit courses through these MOOCs.
So, if a student takes online courses for credit before taking in-person "on-ground" version of those courses, doesn't this constitute unnecessarily repeating coursework? I can take English 101 online (or in-person) through a local junior college and then retake it at a later date at a 4-year school?

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

By online courses, are you referring to those classes for credit through a college or those classes taken for non-credit via, say, edX, Coursera, or Udemy or directly from a college? BTW, I've taken some great non-credit courses through these MOOCs.
So, if a student takes online courses for credit before taking in-person "on-ground" version of those courses, doesn't this constitute unnecessarily repeating coursework? I can take English 101 online (or in-person) through a local junior college and then retake it at a later date at a 4-year school?

I am referring to classes through a college, although the non-credit one are also good option. When you take an online course, take it as the "audit" or "guest/visitor/outreach" option (depending on the school) so that you do not later run into issues through the national clearinghouse system. Since you don't take the courses for a grade, they don't count toward your official GPA. The point here is to get practiced before you do the course that really counts.

Yes, you can take English 101 at the two institutions as you mention above given what I wrote about the audit/visitor option.

Alternatively, you can always hire a tutor to teach you the material before the course begins. In my previous teaching jobs, I have noticed that many very competitive pre-med students utilize this technique.