Premed classes

[pgoat]

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I know my questions have been asked many a time, but given the changing MCAT and med school requirements, I'd like to get some clarification about current preferences. My goal here is to figure out the classes that I should take to prepare me for the MCAT and medical school and satisfy med school requirements without boring myself with repetition or running out of space in my schedule.

1. I took AP physics in high school. Would it be acceptable for me to take physics II + another physics class (such as modern physics) rather than physics I + II?

2. What are the most highly recommended science electives? I plan on taking biochemistry and a lot of neuroscience classes (I'm a neuroscience major). What is the relationship between genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology--does the material cross over?

3. What about non-science electives? I'm also a philosophy major, so I'll definitely be taking some classes on ethics. What are the other classes I should take: sociology, psychology...?

 

[deleted407021]

If you are taking the 2015 MCAT you need to have biochemistry, psychology and sociology done before then. Almost all, if not every med school requires you to have taken physics I&II by the time you have matriculated. This stuff is also on the MCAT. AP credits may or may not be accepted, but that depends on the school. Some med students have reported that upper division bio classes (histology, immunology, genetics etc..) helped them in the medical curriculum, so take that into consideration. Otherwise, take whatever you want. Some liberal arts classes could serve to make you better rounded. Good luck!

 

[Microglia]

1. AP Physics (as long as you have AP credits on your transcript) is accepted at most medical schools. During my application cycle, I was pretty shocked to find out a number of schools do not accept it, however (probably 10-20% are inflexible about this). This ended up having no bearing for me, as most of the schools I wanted to go to didn't require 2 semesters of physics, but if you are considering avoiding some physics in college I would check out the schools you are planning on applying to and see if they require it.

2. I highly recommend: biochemistry, mammalian or human physiology (this course basically taught me everything I needed to know for the first year of medical school in 4 months haha), and anatomy. Having a background in those will make your entire first year of medical school a repeat, which is great for giving you time to experience your new location. Also, in addition to biochem, take the new prereq's for the 2015 MCAT (psych/soc).

3. Sociology/Psych are going to be a must for the new MCAT (or so I hear), so be sure to take those. Other than that and the classes I listed in 2, I would load up on classes in whatever interests you. Undergrad is a unique time where you can learn about whatever you want and still get where you want to be, so take advantage of it! Suggestions: music, art history, art, foreign language, public speaking, economics, finance, etc.

 

[487806]

I know my questions have been asked many a time, but given the changing MCAT and med school requirements, I'd like to get some clarification about current preferences. My goal here is to figure out the classes that I should take to prepare me for the MCAT and medical school and satisfy med school requirements without boring myself with repetition or running out of space in my schedule.

1. I took AP physics in high school. Would it be acceptable for me to take physics II + another physics class (such as modern physics) rather than physics I + II?

2. What are the most highly recommended science electives? I plan on taking biochemistry and a lot of neuroscience classes (I'm a neuroscience major). What is the relationship between genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology--does the material cross over?

3. What about non-science electives? I'm also a philosophy major, so I'll definitely be taking some classes on ethics. What are the other classes I should take: sociology, psychology...?

1. You can be like physics majors and take upper level courses (like classical mechanics and E&M). But you're fine as is.
2. Biochemistry and cell biology are the best. Neuroscience can help. Genetics/mol bio aren't necessary.
3. Sociology and psychology are the most important.

 

[airabuyu13]

I know my questions have been asked many a time, but given the changing MCAT and med school requirements, I'd like to get some clarification about current preferences. My goal here is to figure out the classes that I should take to prepare me for the MCAT and medical school and satisfy med school requirements without boring myself with repetition or running out of space in my schedule.

1. I took AP physics in high school. Would it be acceptable for me to take physics II + another physics class (such as modern physics) rather than physics I + II?

2. What are the most highly recommended science electives? I plan on taking biochemistry and a lot of neuroscience classes (I'm a neuroscience major). What is the relationship between genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology--does the material cross over?

3. What about non-science electives? I'm also a philosophy major, so I'll definitely be taking some classes on ethics. What are the other classes I should take: sociology, psychology...?

I also took AP physics and placed out of physics I, but I took it again. Honestly, There's no way you're gonna remember what you learned in high school and it was so much more beneficial for me to take physics I fall of junior year and physics II spring of junior year right before I took the MCAT that summer. Molecular bio, genetics, and cell bio and developmental bio are all super helpful for the MCAT-- I wish I had taken cell bio before I took it but I'm taking it now. Other than that, take what you're interested in!

 

[487806]

I also took AP physics and placed out of physics I, but I took it again. Honestly, There's no way you're gonna remember what you learned in high school and it was so much more beneficial for me to take physics I fall of junior year and physics II spring of junior year right before I took the MCAT that summer. Molecular bio, genetics, and cell bio and developmental bio are all super helpful for the MCAT-- I wish I had taken cell bio before I took it but I'm taking it now. Other than that, take what you're interested in!

This is an exaggeration. My high school teachers basically created a college version of AP Chem/Physics and prepared me as such. The exams were ridiculously difficult but it forced long-term retention. As such, taking intro courses for a "refresher" was a complete waste of time for me. n=1

 

[Microglia]

This is an exaggeration. My high school teachers basically created a college version of AP Chem/Physics and prepared me as such. The exams were ridiculously difficult but it forced long-term retention. As such, taking intro courses for a "refresher" was a complete waste of time for me. n=1

Agree with this, my AP physics prepared me very well for the MCAT, but was a really intense course back when I took it. Didn't take any refresher. n=2

 

[pepocho]

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[kyamh]

Agree with this, my AP physics prepared me very well for the MCAT, but was a really intense course back when I took it. Didn't take any refresher.

n=3

I didn't take any physics and did plenty well on my physical science section. Honestly, the level of physics that I ended up taking - calculus based - went way over what I needed for the MCAT anyhow. The MCAT physics doesn't so much require great understanding of physics as it does problem solving and pattern recognition. Eventually, after many practice sections, you will notice that there aren't that many ways to ask a projectile motion or a buoyancy question in a wayng" that lets you answer it in under a minute. At the end of the day, you get some numbers, and you have to know whether to add, subtract, multiply, or divide them. Upper level physics doesn't help you with that. Theory-based "interesting" or calculus based physics doesn't help you.

 

[Starry]

n=3

I didn't take any physics and did plenty well on my physical science section. Honestly, the level of physics that I ended up taking - calculus based - went way over what I needed for the MCAT anyhow. The MCAT physics doesn't so much require great understanding of physics as it does problem solving and pattern recognition. Eventually, after many practice sections, you will notice that there aren't that many ways to ask a projectile motion or a buoyancy question in a wayng" that lets you answer it in under a minute. At the end of the day, you get some numbers, and you have to know whether to add, subtract, multiply, or divide them. Upper level physics doesn't help you with that. Theory-based "interesting" or calculus based physics doesn't help you.

n=4. High school physics taught me basic concepts. I did retake Physics I but I studied 0 hrs for that class and passed with near perfect scores on every exam. For Physics II, I cracked open a prep book that I bought from Barnes & Noble and worked problems as a refresher. And that's it!

 

[BABSstudent]

I know my questions have been asked many a time, but given the changing MCAT and med school requirements, I'd like to get some clarification about current preferences. My goal here is to figure out the classes that I should take to prepare me for the MCAT and medical school and satisfy med school requirements without boring myself with repetition or running out of space in my schedule.

1. I took AP physics in high school. Would it be acceptable for me to take physics II + another physics class (such as modern physics) rather than physics I + II?

2. What are the most highly recommended science electives? I plan on taking biochemistry and a lot of neuroscience classes (I'm a neuroscience major). What is the relationship between genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology--does the material cross over?

3. What about non-science electives? I'm also a philosophy major, so I'll definitely be taking some classes on ethics. What are the other classes I should take: sociology, psychology...?

I should also point out that the MCAT only tests intro physics. Taking a modern physics class is probably not going to help you with that. Unless a school does not accept AP physics credits I would not take more (unless you like it, of course).

As for the science classes, it sounds like you got it covered. The material does cross over between the various subjects. At the very least I would suggest taking genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, possibly evolution, and physiology. You will learn all the material at a greater depth than you need for the MCAT, but it's nice to have a bigger knowledge so it makes review easier.

Non-sciences classes will probably just take a psychology class.

 

[papi89]

My AP Physics course was not as rigorous so I took it again in college, which was very helpful. But if you feel that you already know it pretty well (as a few people above have indicated) then you probably don't need the refresher.

 

[pgoat]

Thank you all for the advice!

I forgot to mention that I'm an undergrad sophomore, so I'll be taking the 2015 MCAT.

I'll hold off on physics until senior year, and I might end up doing physics I & II. I wanted to take modern physics out of personal interest, but it might not be worth taking such a hard class just for fun.

I'm in a humanities-heavy core along with 2 majors and being pre-med, so as much as I would love to take classes that I just enjoy, I don't have enough space in my schedule.

I think I'll try to take biochemistry and human physiology. For cell bio at my school, I have to take genetics + lab as a prereq, and I don't have room for all of that. Is it feasible for me to learn cell bio on my own rather than take the class? (I worked in a genetics lab over the summer, so I might see if I can get the genetics prereq waived...)

I'll be taking a sociology class next semester. Does biopsychology count as a psychology class in terms of med school requirements? As I said, as much as I would like to take more classes, I only have so much room. I also took AP psych in high school, which wasn't the most rigorous class and won't count for med school requirements, but it did teach me the basics.

In general, I do a lot of reading on my own, and I like learning things independently.