Only one semester of Organic Chemistry Lab

[plumhill]

I've taken two semesters of orgo lecture, but only one semester of orgo lab. I did not do so well in lab, and I have a feeling if I take the second semester of lab, my sGPA will suffer even more than it already did.

When schools say "two semesters of organic chemistry (with lab)" does that mean they want 2 semesters each of lecture and lab, or at least two semester of lecture, with some lab component? As far as the 8 semester hours that some schools have listed, I've got 4 each from lecture and 2 from lab (total of 10). Basically, I'm trying to avoid taking the second semester of lab, if I can.

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[Temperature101]

You are good... My school has only one semester of Organic lab (2 credits) and people have no problem getting into med school.

 

[KindofBlue]

That depends. Some schools let you use Biochem to fulfill the requirement, some schools will let you take just 1 semester of lab, but you'd have to check with each school.
Either way, I don't know if just 2 semester units of lab will do enough damage to significantly alter your GPA.

 

[plumhill]

That depends. Some schools let you use Biochem to fulfill the requirement, some schools will let you take just 1 semester of lab, but you'd have to check with each school.
Either way, I don't know if just 2 semester units of lab will do enough damage to significantly alter your GPA.

I know that it varies with each school, but I was thinking for the majority of US MD or DO schools. And I guess in perspective a 2-credit lab didn't destroy my sGPA but I don't want to knock it down even more with a second semester if I (generally speaking) don't have to.

 

[wiloghby]

If your school offers 2 semesters of organic chemistry lab, you should take both. Some schools only offer one semester of organic chem lab and make it worth double the credits, in that case you wouldn't have to worry.

At the very least, I would wonder how your committee would view only taking half the organic chem lab sequence if they have several other candidates applying to medical school who finished the full sequence.

At my undergraduate Harvard interview, my interviewer was a private college admissions counselor (conflict of interest much?) and he gave me some great advice: "Sometimes you just have to let it all hang out"

Maybe try to figure out why you didn't do as well as you wanted in organic chem lab this semester and use that to do better next semester. You are going to have to assess why things aren't working as you study in medical school and adjust to keep up with the material; taking organic chem lab next semester is a great opportunity to practice without the weight of medical school on your shoulders.

Get back up, register for the next course in the lab sequence, and let it all hang out a little.

 

[plumhill]

If your school offers 2 semesters of organic chemistry lab, you should take both. Some schools only offer one semester of organic chem lab and make it worth double the credits, in that case you wouldn't have to worry.

At the very least, I would wonder how your committee would view only taking half the organic chem lab sequence if they have several other candidates applying to medical school who finished the full sequence.

At my undergraduate Harvard interview, my interviewer was a private college admissions counselor (conflict of interest much?) and he gave me some great advice: "Sometimes you just have to let it all hang out"

Maybe try to figure out why you didn't do as well as you wanted in organic chem lab this semester and use that to do better next semester. You are going to have to assess why things aren't working as you study in medical school and adjust to keep up with the material; taking organic chem lab next semester is a great opportunity to practice without the weight of medical school on your shoulders.

Get back up, register for the next course in the lab sequence, and let it all hang out a little.

Are you referring to adcoms or a school's pre-med committee?

 

[wiloghby]

Are you referring to adcoms or a school's pre-med committee?

I am referring to your schools' pre-health committee -- of course it depends how strict your premed committee is. My university's premed committee tries to write fantastic things about everyone and portray them in the best light. Other premed committees rank their applicants and give different levels of recommendation.I would guess that AdComms don't have much time to look at specific coursework when deliberating.

 

[Omppu27]

With regards to your GPA, it will have practically no noticeable effect... It's only 2 hours.

 

[midnight0il]

I've taken two semesters of orgo lecture, but only one semester of orgo lab. I did not do so well in lab, and I have a feeling if I take the second semester of lab, my sGPA will suffer even more than it already did.

When schools say "two semesters of organic chemistry (with lab)" does that mean they want 2 semesters each of lecture and lab, or at least two semester of lecture, with some lab component? As far as the 8 semester hours that some schools have listed, I've got 4 each from lecture and 2 from lab (total of 10). Basically, I'm trying to avoid taking the second semester of lab, if I can.

You are fine with only one semester of organic lab. I only have a total of 8 credit hours worth of orgo: 3 from orgo 1 lecture, 3 from orgo 2 lecture, and 2 from orgo 1 lab. My school offers orgo 2 lab, but I chose not to take it.

I've been on 8 interviews so far and none of the schools bat a lash at the lack of additional orgo lab. However, I did extremely well in my orgo 1 lab so our situations aren't exactly the same. It might be worth it to take the second sequence to show that you're able to handle the material.

 

[plumhill]

I am referring to your schools' pre-health committee -- of course it depends how strict your premed committee is. My university's premed committee tries to write fantastic things about everyone and portray them in the best light. Other premed committees rank their applicants and give different levels of recommendation.I would guess that AdComms don't have much time to look at specific coursework when deliberating.

I go to a huge state school, so we don't have a pre-med committee.

 

[wiloghby]

I go to a huge state school, so we don't have a pre-med committee.

I also go to a huge state school. We have a pre-health committee, and they are incredibly overworked and stressed out all the time. I would expect most big schools to have them. Today I learned that there are large state schools without committees. Interesting.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

You are fine with only one semester of organic lab. I only have a total of 8 credit hours worth of orgo: 3 from orgo 1 lecture, 3 from orgo 2 lecture, and 2 from orgo 1 lab. My school offers orgo 2 lab, but I chose not to take it.

I've been on 8 interviews so far and none of the schools bat a lash at the lack of additional orgo lab. However, I did extremely well in my orgo 1 lab so our situations aren't exactly the same. It might be worth it to take the second sequence to show that you're able to handle the material.

Are you sure a school is going to look at OP transcript and says....He/she got A- in Orgo 1....B+ Orgo 2--and C in the lab (2 credits)... We have doubt he/she can handle med school materials... I am not too sure that school will pay close attention to one C for an Orgo lab.

 

[midnight0il]

Are you sure a school is going to look at OP transcript and says....He/she got A- in Orgo 1....B+ Orgo 2--and C in the lab (2 credits)... We have doubt he/she can handle med school materials... I am not too sure that school will pay close attention to one C for an Orgo lab.

That's why I said it might be worth it, not that it's a necessity. Regardless, a C in any context doesn't look great, particularly a pre-req. You can bet that they'll be looking closely at your science grades.