Premed Classes

[Argon]

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1. Are premed classes required at the time I apply, or before I matriculate?

I have a bunch of AP credit for chemistry and physics E&M and ochem lab isn't required for my major.

My current plan is to apply, and if I get into med school then take all of those classes. I figure I should have no problem taking 28 units of lower div science as a senior if I've already been accepted (getting a C is okay, right?).

2. If I can take the classes after I've been accepted, do most med schools start in the fall or the summer before? Would I be able to do summer session to take the required premed classes, or would classes have already started for med school?


Edit:
Extra info I forgot to include

I'm a bioengineering, economics double major, which leaves me little time to take premed classes that are either 1. Not required for my major or 2. Stuff I already have AP credit for.

I have close to a 4.0 science GPA and I'm not afraid of taking the premed classes, it's just that in order to take them I'd have to either drop my economics double major or pile up everything senior year after I've been accepted (where slightly lower grades won't matter)

 

[iceman55]

hahahah thats funny, but I don't see anything wrong with doing it as long as you score 35+ on your MCAT. 35 because you want to give them the idea that you know your stuff well, so anything below 35 would be saying otherwise.

 

[docelh]

My current plan is to apply, and if I get into med school then take all of those classes. I figure I should have no problem taking 28 units of lower div science as a senior if I've already been accepted (getting a C is okay, right?).

Are you afraid of taking undergraduate pre-med science classes?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

 

[Dr Ginger]

no bueno 👎. good luck on the MCAT without ochem.

 

[Argon]

I guess I didn't make myself clear in my first post.

I'm a bioengineering, economics double major, which leaves me little time to take premed classes that are either 1. Not required for my major or 2. Stuff I already have AP credit for.

I have close to a 4.0 science GPA and I'm not afraid of taking the premed classes, it's just that in order to take them I'd have to either drop my economics double major or pile up everything senior year after I've been accepted (where slightly lower grades won't matter)

By the way, is ochem lab critical to the MCAT? I will have taken the ochem classroom sequence by the time I take the MCAT, just not the lab.

 

[docelh]

Safe to say the schools want to see your letter grades in the pre-reqs, rolled up into that sGPA.

 

[Dr Ginger]

I guess I didn't make myself clear in my first post.

I'm a bioengineering, economics double major, which leaves me little time to take premed classes that are either 1. Not required for my major or 2. Stuff I already have AP credit for.

I have close to a 4.0 science GPA and I'm not afraid of taking the premed classes, it's just that in order to take them I'd have to either drop my economics double major or pile up everything senior year after I've been accepted (where slightly lower grades won't matter)

By the way, is ochem lab critical to the MCAT? I will have taken the ochem classroom sequence by the time I take the MCAT, just not the lab.

my bad. i thought you wrote lecture, not lab.

if economics is that important to you, stick to your plan. IMO, you should try and enjoy your senior year and maybe just stick to an econ minor, which im sure you have the credits for. i cant see being a double major as that impactful on acceptance

impressive sGPA. but if you got credit for a lot of premed classes, how many credits (and what courses) make up your science GPA?

 

[Argon]

The classes I plan to put off are ochem lab, physics E&M, and general chemistry.

My science GPA is composed of mainly bioengineering classes (fluid mechanics, biostatistics, physics, ochem, biochemistry, genetics etc)

My other issue is that since I have credit for physics and gen chem already, even if I retake those they won't affect my GPA. It seems like a lose-lose situation because if I do well my GPA won't go up, whereas if I do poorly the letter grade still shows up on my transcript.

I just wanted to make sure there's no "requirement" to finish all premed courses at the time of applying.

By the way, does anyone know if med schools start in the fall, or do some start in the summer? Not sure if I'll have more time to take premed required classes the summer before starting.

 

[iniquus]

hahahah thats funny, but I don't see anything wrong with doing it as long as you score 35+ on your MCAT. 35 because you want to give them the idea that you know your stuff well, so anything below 35 would be saying otherwise.

This is the worst advice of all time. You should have all your prerequisites completed by matriculation. If you're still missing the bulk of them (and AP credits usually do not suffice), I don't think a lot of medical schools will look favorably on you as an applicant.

I don't think you're going to make medical school, then magically enroll in all your pre-requisite classes and do well in them. Prioritize your career goals. If you're going to apply, that's a firm commitment, so have a complete application. Your double major won't be important in the long run if medical school is your end goal.

EDIT: I think most medical schools start orientation in mid to late August.

 

[Richardh]

It isn't a requirement to finish all of your the premed courses by the time you're applying. But it is best to complete them before your apply bc some schools might place you on hold even after you complete a 2ndry application or an interview. So complete your premed courses 🙂

Most medical schools start in mid August or early Sept.