pre-med bio courses?

[Bito42]

I have a Q for you med students. I'm an upcoming pre-med junior and am wondering what bio courses are good to take before you get to med school. I've taken basic bio and human physio, but I'm considering genetics, cell biology, endocrinology, and embryology. any thoughts?
thanks!
Bito42

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[m2006]

I would say cell bio might be the most helpful because there is so much to learn and many people have either worked in labs or were biochem majors. It's also really helpful for the MCATs which seem to be emphasizing biochem/molecular bio concepts more and more. As for the others, I'd say genetics would be next most useful, followed by the other 2. My school teaches embryology as part of gross anatomy, but it's not bad and endocrinology is a course unto itself and is pretty self-contained.

 

[8744]

But none are really necessary, at least not at my medical school.

I was not a Biology-type major, and I agonized over whether I should take biochemistry, even after I had an acceptance letter. I decided not to, and I don't believe it hurt me a bit.

Some of my classmates who took biochem, for example, said that their "advantage" was negated after about the second week of class.

I have a degree in Civil Engineering and took all the pre-med courses "post-bac." If you are a bio major please disregard my advice.

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by Bito42
I have a Q for you med students. I'm an upcoming pre-med junior and am wondering what bio courses are good to take before you get to med school. I've taken basic bio and human physio, but I'm considering genetics, cell biology, endocrinology, and embryology. any thoughts?
thanks!
Bito42

All of the classes taht you have listed are good for med school. If I had to rank them though, I would take cell bio first (good for the MCAT too), genetics, endocrinology, then if there was time I would take embryology. Right behind cell bio I would put a good biochem class. Other good classes to take if they are offered are more advanced physio courses, abnormal psychology, anatomy, and neuroscience. It's nice to have a good science background for med school, but studies have shown that non-science majors do just as well as the science majors in pre-clinical grades. Also, be sure to maintain your GPA if you are going to be taking difficult courses. Med schools usually don't overlook poor grades just because they are in "difficult" courses.

 

[djjj08]

Can anyone tell me if taking following classes(during undergrad) is useful in medical school?

- molecular Immunology

- Neurophysiology

thanks in advance~

j

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by djjj08
Can anyone tell me if taking following classes(during undergrad) is useful in medical school?

- molecular Immunology

- Neurophysiology

thanks in advance~

j

Both of those classes will prove useful in med school, particularly immunology (left that one out on my original list). They probably won't help you get a better grade in med school, but taking immunology will probably save you a week or so of confusion if your med school is anything like the 2 that I know about.