Question for Current Med Students

[jakesnake]

I am a sophomore in college, and was admitted into the medical school at my college my senior year of high school (through the scholarship I received). As a part of that admittance, I don't have to take the MCATs. I am currently majoring in Psych, with a possible double major Psych/Philosophy. My premed advisor wants me to take Genetics, Biochem, Human Physiology, and Comp Primate Anatomy. My question: Do I really need to take these prior to med school if I'm not taking the MCAT and I'm already admitted? Will I be at a serious disadvantage by not taking these classes? Please give me some advice. I've already taken the English, Chem, Bio, and Math requirements (taking Org Chem this year and Physics next year). Thanks.

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[pcl]

Well, it depends. Check with the Med School Admissions office to see what you need to matriculate per the requirements of your program.

That being said, I am a non-trad who will be starting in the fall. Frankly, I know I will struggle more than some of my classmates because I have had the BARE MINIMUM of pre-reqs. The material that we will cover first year will probably be review, or a more comprehensive presentation of material they have already seen, whereas I will be seeing much of it for the first time. If you can fit in the other classes, even if you take them P/F, don't you think it could work to your advantage to have some familiarity with the material prior to medical school? Just a thought.

Good Luck.

Laura

 

[doepug]

jake -

You might want to consider taking genetics and biochem before med school... these will come back in many different forms during your medical education, and you'll deal with these ideas much easier if you start digesting them now. I'd put off anatomy and physiology, since you'll get this ad nauseam in med school. Your med school professors will probably assume that you're familiar with fundamental biochem and genetics, but most everyone is new to anatomy and most of physiology.

Good luck,

doepug
MSII, Johns Hopkins

 

[Medic171]

Your advisor is more familiar with you and your program than anybody else, so I would do what you advisor says to do.

 

[Dr.No]

I say if you have the time, take the classes. You dont want to be halfway into your M1 year and realize you hate anatomy or biochemistry. Plus I took genetics and anatomy early on and I believe I have an edge over people who didnt take any hardcore science classes.

 

[Popoy]

Your advisor is telling you about these classes, probably because it'll be your first few classes during your first year in medical school.... Everyone else had said what I wanted to say.... Good luck.

 

[mcwmark]

I'd skip the anatomy, but I would take the biochem and physiology classes--some may say the genetics course also (we don't have a specific class for genetics here at my med school, but bits and pieces in others).

 

[JANPLME]

I'm not really going to give you advice either way, except that I was in the same situation. I did an 8 yr program, didn't take my MCAT's, was a psych major and only took the BARE minimum of science classes. I just finished my first year and it was definitely hard. One thing to consider is whether taking any classes undergrad will mean that you won't have to take them during med school, which will definitely make life easier. One of our requirements was Biochem and I found that that was one of the classes I had the least problems with in med school. But although I struggled at times during the school year taking all these science classes (5 at a time), when I'd never taken more than one at a time before, I got through it, I even got Honors in a couple of things (and one of them was not Biochem). And, I have great memories of studying abroad and of the cool classes I took undergrad. I hope that helped in some way.

 

[SirJosh]

The more familiar you are with medical school type material prior to starting, the easier things will be. It sounds like you have received good advice from your advisor. I know a lot of people who did not need to take anatomy prior to med school, but took it anyway--now they are happy they did. Good Luck.
-J

 

[Sheon]

If I could go back, I'd take most of those classes (maybe not genetics) but all the rest sound reasonable and they certainly would've been helpful.