Prerequisites Advice

[TOMWALK]

Hello, everyone. I'm a newbie on SDN, so please be kind.

I'm a nontraditional student beginning the rest of my prerequisites at a local college campus. Beyond the basic core prereqs. (Chem, Organic Chem, Physics, etc.) I was wondering what other people have decided to take, if anything. Below is a list of what this college offers. Any advice would be much appreciated.

BIOLOGY CORE:
BIOL 121/116 ______ Biology I: Diversity, Ecology and -- TAKEN
Behavior and Lab
BIOL 131/118 ______ Biology II: Development, Structure -- TAKEN
and Function and Lab
BIOL 231/232 ______ Biology III: Cell Structure and -- WILL TAKE
Function and Lab
BIOL 241/242 ______ Biology IV: Genetics and -- WILL TAKE
Molecular Biology and Lab

Molecular & Cellular
BIOL 322/323 _____ Microbiology & Lab
BIOL 409 _____ Immunobiology & Lab
BIOL 415 _____ Molecular Biology & Lab
BIOL 417 _____ Biotechnology & Lab
BIOL 423 _____ Physical Principles of Biological Chemistry
BIOL 433 _____ Population Genetics
BIOL 533 _____ Medical Microbiology & Lab

Structure & Function:
BIOL 213/214 _____ Human Anatomy & Physiology (1 yr sequence w/ labs)
BIOL 404 _____ Gross Anatomy/Cadaver Dissection
BIOL 410 _____ Human Physiology
BIOL 513 _____ Functional Human Anatomy

Chemistry
CHM 321 _____ Analytical Chemistry
CHM 333 _____ Biochemistry
CHM 420 _____ Lab in Molecular Biochemistry

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[TriagePreMed]

Beyond the Biochem and the Genetics/Molecular Bio, I wouldn't take any more courses. Are you taking more because your GPA is low or because you want to impress? If your GPA is low, consider re-taking some older classes with a C. If you want to impress, forget it. There's no point in gambling your GPA.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

How many "extra" classes do you think you would have time to take? Are you full time or working as well? Also, I would guess there are some prerequisite relationships involved in those classes (i.e. can't take Med Micro until you've had Baby Micro, etc.) The only duds in your list are Biotech, Anal Chem (yes, that's on purpose) and the biochem lab. I wouldn't consider them. I could go either way on Population Genetics; it would depend on how much the course focuses on heritable human disease for me. The rest are all solid stuff though. Immuno and physio I highly recommend. Seeing those for the first time in the compressed format of M1 would be a nightmare, personally.

 

[TOMWALK]

Beyond the Biochem and the Genetics/Molecular Bio, I wouldn't take any more courses. Are you taking more because your GPA is low or because you want to impress? If your GPA is low, consider re-taking some older classes with a C. If you want to impress, forget it. There's no point in gambling your GPA.

Neither actually. I'm just looking to gain some knowledge and experience before the MCAT and med school (hopefully). I don't want to get to med school and completely freak out because everything seems foreign to me.

Thanks for the advice. That makes perfect sense not to gamble a good GPA.

 

[TOMWALK]

How many "extra" classes do you think you would have time to take? Are you full time or working as well? Also, I would guess there are some prerequisite relationships involved in those classes (i.e. can't take Med Micro until you've had Baby Micro, etc.) The only duds in your list are Biotech, Anal Chem (yes, that's on purpose) and the biochem lab. I wouldn't consider them. I could go either way on Population Genetics; it would depend on how much the course focuses on heritable human disease for me. The rest are all solid stuff though. Immuno and physio I highly recommend. Seeing those for the first time in the compressed format of M1 would be a nightmare, personally.

Thanks. This is very helpful. As of now, I am not working, so the time issue won't be a major constraint; but I'm 31 now, so I don't want to spend too much time finishing up prereqs. I just want to make sure that I get the basics solidly under my belt, you know? About me-- I started college in 1998 as a vocal performance (music) major, and then I eventually transitioned that into a BS in Speech & Hearing Science/Speech-Language Pathology, which I finished in 2009. I'm not looking to pad my resume, so to speak, but since I'm transitioning from fairly unrelated fields of study, I thought it might be a good idea to become more familiar with this area of coursework before I fling myself into the MCAT and med school. What do you think?

I'm definitely going to take the A&P sequence, as well as the gross anatomy/cadaver dissection. I know I'll be working with cadavers in med school, but the class at this college is very small, so I'd have a great chance to get some hands-on experience. Beyond that, I was thinking Biochem and maybe the Microbio, or do you think the combined genetics/microbio is good enough for now? I hadn't really given Immuno a whole lot of consideration. You think that would be helpful, too?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I'm definitely going to take the A&P sequence, as well as the gross anatomy/cadaver dissection. I know I'll be working with cadavers in med school, but the class at this college is very small, so I'd have a great chance to get some hands-on experience. Beyond that, I was thinking Biochem and maybe the Microbio, or do you think the combined genetics/microbio is good enough for now? I hadn't really given Immuno a whole lot of consideration. You think that would be helpful, too?

I agree with your plan; I'm basically doing the same thing - matriculating in August, taking my last quasi-prereq (biochem, some schools require it) and taking a bunch of other knowlege-base-growing courses: immuno w/lab, virology, micro w/lab. I feel confident that it will help when the SHTF this fall having seen that material at least once before hand.

Immuno will blow your mind.

 

[TOMWALK]

I agree with your plan; I'm basically doing the same thing - matriculating in August, taking my last quasi-prereq (biochem, some schools require it) and taking a bunch of other knowlege-base-growing courses: immuno w/lab, virology, micro w/lab. I feel confident that it will help when the SHTF this fall having seen that material at least once before hand.

Immuno will blow your mind.

Thanks. I'm glad to know I wasn't off-base in wanting to feel a bit more prepared. Congrats on your acceptance! Where will you be headed, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[GoodmanBrown]

I would agree with the previous poster. Don't delay your application cycle to take extra classes. That would be a waste of your time.

Otherwise, immunology or microbiology would be nice. Genetics or A&P as well. Basically, all that stuff gets covered in the first year or so, so you would have some decent yield from those classes.

 

[TOMWALK]

I would agree with the previous poster. Don't delay your application cycle to take extra classes. That would be a waste of your time.

Otherwise, immunology or microbiology would be nice. Genetics or A&P as well. Basically, all that stuff gets covered in the first year or so, so you would have some decent yield from those classes.

Thanks. Words of wisdom from people who have already done this are much appreciated! My advisor unfortunately isn't much help.

That being said, would you mind taking a look at my rough course plan that I have mapped out to see where I've fit things? I've attached it below.

 

[GoodmanBrown]

Thanks. Words of wisdom from people who have already done this are much appreciated! My advisor unfortunately isn't much help.

That being said, would you mind taking a look at my rough course plan that I have mapped out to see where I've fit things? I've attached it below.

Everything looks good but your MCAT date. Taking the MCAT in August means the score won't be released until mid-September. People are already on interviews then, so you'll just be getting secondaries. This puts you at a huge disadvantage with any school that does rolling admissions (which is most).

Plan to take the MCAT in May. It's close on the heels of your last classes, but it will help you out. Get your initial application submitted by mid-June and turn your secondaries around within 2 weeks. Otherwise, you're looking good!

 

[Shakespeare37]

I'm with GoomanBrown and Pons. Everything looks good except your MCAT date/application timeline. You're obviously very organized. I would encourage you to take the MCAT in April/May. Yes, you lose a summer of study time, but you'll have had the material more recently in classes, and it gives you time if you have to retake it. Also, with your application time line, having your application in at the beginning of June means you get secondaries during the summer, when you can turn them around really quickly. With rolling admissions at most schools, this does make a difference. That said, don't take the MCAT if you aren't ready (ie, getting 2-3 points higher on your practice tests than the score you want/need). Unless you have extenuating circumstances, another year won't hurt you, and some of the classes that year might help on your MCAT.
I spent two years doing my post-bac (just finishing now) full time (benefit of the GI Bill and working wife), and took the MCAT in January of the second year. I was able to get all the classes I needed for it in ahead of time, and I am essentially ready to submit my AMCAS right now (PS and everything else done). All my advisers, and many people on SDN, view applying at the very beginning of the cycle as an advantage. It's one that, with your organizational skills, you should take into consideration. Good luck.

 

[Johnny_D]

I took all of the pre-reqs plus biochemistry. I'm glad I did and I wish I would have taken microbiology, anatomy and molecular biology, but this is a wish list. I would recommend biochemistry though.

Do not delay your applications to take more courses. Taking the courses at the undergrad level will make things easier in med school, but they will not make or break you.

Take the MCAT early in the cycle. You should really have your application complete as soon as possible. It is getting more and more competitive to get into med school.

Good luck.