physics pre-req

[huckaaa]

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So, technically I have 8 hours of physics but I'm not sure if this will work. I took a basic physics course at a four year (physics 1000) because that was all that was required for my major and I wasn't then planning on going to medical school. Now I'm in College physics I at another four year university. My first physics transfered as a physics elective. Do I need physics II? I was planning on taking it but it interferes with another class (molecular biology) that I want to take. Also, who exactly should I contact to get a "concrete" answer?

 

[Punchap]

Are you on a quarter or semester system? If it's a quarter system, you'll probably need more like 12 credit hours to get into medical school. If you are on a semester system then you should probably be okay. I would contact a couple of the schools you are/will be applying to and ask if they accept your credits. This way you won't be strapped to take the course at the last minute. Good luck.

 

[FrickenhugeMD]

If I were to guess what they meant by the physics requirement I would think you have the proper credits, but it doesnt sound like you have taken any physics lab, which is required at some schools.

It also sounds like you are taking the same class, but at different colleges. This would lead me again to think that you still need to take physics II. I would take it just to be safe, I would also get into a physics lab. Where I went there was a lab for both physics I and II.

As for who to contact, call a handful of schools that you are interested in applying to and ask. Most admissions staffs are very helpful with these kinds of questions

 

[huckaaa]

If I were to guess what they meant by the physics requirement I would think you have the proper credits, but it doesnt sound like you have taken any physics lab, which is required at some schools.

It also sounds like you are taking the same class, but at different colleges. This would lead me again to think that you still need to take physics II. I would take it just to be safe, I would also get into a physics lab. Where I went there was a lab for both physics I and II.

As for who to contact, call a handful of schools that you are interested in applying to and ask. Most admissions staffs are very helpful with these kinds of questions

I do have labs (three lecture hours and one lab hour (semester) for each). And while the classes really were not that much different (college physics I was only motion while foundations of physics touched just slightly on everything that college physics I and II covers), I'm was thinking they might be considered different because the first (foundations of physics) did not transfer as college physics I (it was physics elective) to the second university I attended (hence I had to take it). Thanks for the info. Also, could you take astronomy or something like that instead?

 

[FrickenhugeMD]

I guess those classes might qualify, but dont quote me on it 😉. As for astronomy, I have no clue. Is there a DO school close to where you live or attend school? If there is you could schedule a meeting with an admissions councilor? Thats what I did last year and it helped me alot

 

[huckaaa]

thanks!

 

[mletter]

So, this is an interesting question. I guess you would ultimately have to ask the schools to which you are applying but does any physics satisfy the physics prerequisites as long as you have the laboratories. I was looking on many of the college websites and most all say that you must have either one year of physics with lab or at least 8 semester hours with lab. I would think that does not imply specific physics courses? Not sure, but if that is true I would definetly have enough physics credits and physics lab credits (2) without having to take physics 2.... Money saved?🙂

 

[Powdermonkey]

So, this is an interesting question. I guess you would ultimately have to ask the schools to which you are applying but does any physics satisfy the physics prerequisites as long as you have the laboratories. I was looking on many of the college websites and most all say that you must have either one year of physics with lab or at least 8 semester hours with lab. I would think that does not imply specific physics courses? Not sure, but if that is true I would definetly have enough physics credits and physics lab credits (2) without having to take physics 2.... Money saved?🙂

I think you are going to have to take Physics II. The general intro to Physics course really didnt cover much of Physics II in depth, did it? Like optics, wave and particle mechanics of light, electricity, magnetism, etc.... I asked many of the schools I was applying for if I would have to take the second half of physics since we only needed the first half in my mechanical engineering major and they all said yes. They wanted to see that second four hours of physics II on my transcript.

Have you taken the MCAT yet? Because a lot of the physics comes from the second semester. I had seen it all in other classes from engineering, but if you havent it would be really tough to just learn. Especially for you science minded people. I got it because I'm not only a math nerd, Im also an enginerd. Im finishing up the second half of physics right now and its a joke to me its so easy. So I would recommend it. But thats just my $0.02.

The bottom line is the best (and only correct) answer is going to come from whatever schools you are applying to. Because we on SDN dont really know what the individual med school ADcoms are looking for. So ask them. Good luck to you, and let us know how it turns out! 🙂



P.s. - get whatever you do find out in writing like in an email so if some issue comes up later you can explain why you did what you did.