Pre-Dental: What courses should I take for upper level biology electives?

[wannabe_dentist]

Help! I am currently in a jam with which upper level science electives to take. Here are my options: immunology, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular genetics, pathophysiology, medical botany, neurobiology, and developmental biology. I am leaning towards neurobiology, pathophysiology, medical botany, and immunology. I would take developmental biology, but I've heard it's kind of a joke at my university and that it's really easy. I don't want to waste my time even though that class is often a recommended course for dental schools. Let me know what you think!

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[Nachatta]

honestly just take what you want, catching up isn't really that hard to do imo

Although if I had to choose, immuno, cell bio, genetics and dev bio would probably be marginally helpful based on my curriculum, can't testify for other schools though

 

[wannabe_dentist]

honestly just take what you want, catching up isn't really that hard to do imo

Although if I had to choose, immuno, cell bio, genetics and dev bio would probably be marginally helpful based on my curriculum, can't testify for other schools though

Thanks for the reply! I should have been more clear, but I only have to take 9 credits from that list, so about 3 classes. Genetics is required at my school already which is nice because most dental schools have that as a strongly recommended course.

 

[macsak]

Help! I am currently in a jam with which upper level science electives to take. Here are my options: immunology, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular genetics, pathophysiology, medical botany, neurobiology, and developmental biology. I am leaning towards neurobiology, pathophysiology, medical botany, and immunology. I would take developmental biology, but the professor that teaches it at my university is kind of a joke and I heard it's really easy. I don't want to waste my time even though that class is often a recommended course for dental schools. Let me know what you think!

take the easy course so you can get a good grade
don't take medical botany...

 

[wannabe_dentist]

take the easy course so you can get a good grade
don't take medical botany...

Why no medical botany? Just curious.

 

[Nachatta]

Why no medical botany? Just curious.

not macsak but it's significantly more useless than the other classes lol

 

[macsak]

not macsak but it's significantly more useless than the other classes lol

this
and not likely to be helpful in d school

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

Immunology, neurobiology (I had zero neuroscience in undergrad so this would have helped me), any anatomy or histology heavy classes you can take too. Don’t waste your time on plants, take classes that will be expanded on in DS so you can start building foundational knowledge now.

 

[Marcos0789]

Neuro, Anatomy, Histology, Physiology, Immunology, Pathology, Pharmacology...

 

[bracketbuster68]

To me, the most relevant courses are immunology, cell biology, endocrinology, pathophysiology, and developmental biology (maybe - just depends on how deep the course goes).

 

[DanHussman]

Anatomy, Physiology, histology, microbiology, Nueroscience, Immunology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry.
That’s the order of preference

 

[dnz2]

hey! So I'm a grad student currently taking courses with D1's and immunology is DEFINITELY something you should take if you want to go into dental school. I'm taking their immunology course right now and it's probably just a step more advanced than an upper level immunology course so I highly reccomend it. I also think neurobiology will be helpful and honestly is probably one of the more interesting upper year bio courses and also i'd take developmental biology if it's an easy course. Neurobio and immunology are going to be tough and having an A from an upper bio course that you didn't have to work that hard in will be worth it...trust me lol

 

[Voltron2010]

Help! I am currently in a jam with which upper level science electives to take. Here are my options: immunology, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular genetics, pathophysiology, medical botany, neurobiology, and developmental biology. I am leaning towards neurobiology, pathophysiology, medical botany, and immunology. I would take developmental biology, but I've heard it's kind of a joke at my university and that it's really easy. I don't want to waste my time even though that class is often a recommended course for dental schools. Let me know what you think!

I was a Psychology major in undergrad and I ultimately graduated from dental school. Here is my experience. Many students who majored in science struggled to maintain a high science GPA. Mostly due to having to divide their time among other difficult science courses as well as advance math course required for the degree per semester. In my case, as a psychology major my only true hard course in a semester was the one science course I had ( the prerequisites for dental school) so I was able to devote a lot of time to getting a good grade in the science course. Ultimately, I had a higher science GPA than the majority of science majors. When I applied to dental school, I had a 3.8 science GPA and my psych GPA was 3.9 something as I had gotten one A- as my only "bad" grade in the area. When, I interview they did not look at each individual class, just at the overall number. They did not ask was your teacher too easy, or was the class a joke. My point is keep your science GPA as high as possible, take the easy course and avoid the unnecessary stress.

 

[dnz2]

I was a Psychology major in undergrad and I ultimately graduated from dental school. Here is my experience. Many students who majored in science struggled to maintain a high science GPA. Mostly due to having to divide their time among other difficult science courses as well as advance math course required for the degree per semester. In my case, as a psychology major my only true hard course in a semester was the one science course I had ( the prerequisites for dental school) so I was able to devote a lot of time to getting a good grade in the science course. Ultimately, I had a higher science GPA than the majority of science majors. When I applied to dental school, I had a 3.8 science GPA and my psych GPA was 3.9 something as I had gotten one A- as my only "bad" grade in the area. When, I interview they did not look at each individual class, just at the overall number. They did not ask was your teacher too easy, or was the class a joke. My point is keep your science GPA as high as possible, take the easy course and avoid the unnecessary stress.

I seriously regret not doing what you did...Congrats on being smart and strategic with your education

 

[wannabe_dentist]

hey! So I'm a grad student currently taking courses with D1's and immunology is DEFINITELY something you should take if you want to go into dental school. I'm taking their immunology course right now and it's probably just a step more advanced than an upper level immunology course so I highly reccomend it. I also think neurobiology will be helpful and honestly is probably one of the more interesting upper year bio courses and also i'd take developmental biology if it's an easy course. Neurobio and immunology are going to be tough and having an A from an upper bio course that you didn't have to work that hard in will be worth it...trust me lol

Thank you!! I actually went with immunology and I’m taking that this semester. I’m planning on taking neurobiology next semester which I am pumped for! So that’s awesome to hear that those two courses are going to be beneficial for me. I would totally take developmental bio but it’s only offered in the spring and I graduate next semester.

 

[wannabe_dentist]

I was a Psychology major in undergrad and I ultimately graduated from dental school. Here is my experience. Many students who majored in science struggled to maintain a high science GPA. Mostly due to having to divide their time among other difficult science courses as well as advance math course required for the degree per semester. In my case, as a psychology major my only true hard course in a semester was the one science course I had ( the prerequisites for dental school) so I was able to devote a lot of time to getting a good grade in the science course. Ultimately, I had a higher science GPA than the majority of science majors. When I applied to dental school, I had a 3.8 science GPA and my psych GPA was 3.9 something as I had gotten one A- as my only "bad" grade in the area. When, I interview they did not look at each individual class, just at the overall number. They did not ask was your teacher too easy, or was the class a joke. My point is keep your science GPA as high as possible, take the easy course and avoid the unnecessary stress.

Thank you for your response!! I would do this but it’s a little late for me because I graduate with my bachelors in bio next semester but I’m fortunate to have done well. I definitely don’t blame you though, that’s an awesome strategy

 

[wannabe_dentist]

Anatomy, Physiology, histology, microbiology, Nueroscience, Immunology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry.
That’s the order of preference

Amazing. After this semester I’ll have all of those done except for cell bio and neuroscience which I plan on taking next semester. Thank you for your response!!