Prereqs

They will want see all your grades irregardless of which ones. The grades for ALL classes that are designated as Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or Math will be lumped together to determine the BCPM GPA, what many people call the Science GPA. You must have a 'C' or better in all the requisite courses (General Bio, General Chem, General Physics, Organic Chem, and possibly Biochem, possibly a Math Course(s), possibly English course(s), possibly Psychology course(s) depending on the school).

I personally don't have any experience with Community College classes but it is doubtful that it will put you at any serious disadvantage.

 

If you do not have the pre-reqs then you need to get them regardless of how many upper level chem/bio you have. The only exception that I have read at some med school sites is replacing one of the gen bio semesters with some other upper level bio class like cell/molec. If the school requires one full year of general chemistry that is what you need to have from my understanding. I am not sure if you have already done all your pre-reqs and then added some more upper level courses, or you only did one semester each of gen bio and gen chem. Also do not forget organic and physics (which I am sure you have but just in case) Also your best bet is to go to individual med school sites that you are interested in and reading the requirements, it seems that more schools are now also requiring one semester of biochem.

 

Schools have different policies about "not doing well" in the prereq courses. Obviously, if you failed either chem or bio, you would need to retake those, because you wouldn't have technically completed those courses.

Some schools require you to have at least a C in all prereqs. Others don't care, as long as you have at least a D-, have done upper level work, have a convincing reason for having done poorly, and have convinced them that you are past the period where you were performing badly. EVERY MED SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT. I know that schools have very different procedures from applying this past year and speaking to admissions directors at schools I didn't get accepted to (in case I had to reapply, I wanted to know specifically what they would want to see me do -- but I did get in to med school so I'm all set! )

<B>I would call the med schools</B> you want to apply to and ask their policies regarding grades less than C's. While it may be embarrassing, you would be able to find out which schools you shouldn't bother to apply to if they won't look at you because they don't consider that you have satisfactorily completed the official pre-med requirements. The other possibility is that if you REALLY still want to apply to a school that has that policy, you could take those courses again during the year you are applying, and tell them that you are in the middle of taking the classes and you will update them with the grades.

There is this pre-med resource that I think is the coolest: A woman who was the director for admissions at New York Medical College answers pre-med questions (from their specific situations) on this website: http://www.examkrackers.com/forums
I think she (Judy Levine) has mentioned something about adcoms not being *psyched* about community college courses, but I don't really recall. You could read the answers she gave to other students, and even ask her yourself for her opinion on what she thinks you should do.

But I would say, after applying (blech), my biggest piece of advice would be to call schools to see if they'll even consider you given your grades in those classes. It could save you a lot of money, and time, and ego, and let you focus more on the schools that will take a more comprehensive and balanced look at who you are, what challenges you've overcome and how you are achieving now, and how great a physician you'll be.

Good luck.

 

P.S. I noticed you are from Philadelphia -- I am moving to Philly on Wednesday to start med school! I am very excited. Philadelphia seems like a great city.