Question on course prerequisites, need help...

[lixxx669]

As we all know, most of the med school require 2 semesters of physics + lab, but I'm not quite sure whether my situation can fulfill this requirement or not:

I took two years of college in a foreign country (not study aboard) and transferred my credits to a state college in US. I took the general physics in the foreign college and it was only one semester with lab. But when I transferred my credits to the US college, they made a course equivalency and equalized my one semester physics course to their two semester physics courses.

So does anyone know whether my situation can fit the 2 semesters physics requirement? I'm applying this cycle and I submitted the primary already. So hould I send the med schools a letter to clarify my situation or should I just plan on taking one more semester of physics?

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[brahms11]

As we all know, most of the med school require 2 semesters of physics + lab, but I'm not quite sure whether my situation can fulfill this requirement or not:

I took two years of college in a foreign country (not study aboard) and transferred my credits to a state college in US. I took the general physics in the foreign college and it was only one semester with lab. But when I transferred my credits to the US college, they made a course equivalency and equalized my one semester physics course to their two semester physics courses.

So does anyone know whether my situation can fit the 2 semesters physics requirement? I'm applying this cycle and I submitted the primary already. So hould I send the med schools a letter to clarify my situation or should I just plan on taking one more semester of physics?

From my understanding, AMCAS/AAMC will not accept the science pre-reqs taken at any other nation than the USA or Canada do to variability in material covered. I would check with your pre-med adviser immediately.

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news..but it's better you look into it now than when applying!

EDIT: Just saw that you are already applying already. I'd check directly with individual schools that you've sent your primaries to. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong and international science classes are allowed.

 

[Mesokun]

I am in a very similar situation as you do. I also submitted my primary, and I have 3 quarters of lectures and 1 quarter of lab. What I did wast got myself signed up for 2 additional labs this quarter as nonmatriculant and take those classes right away so no one asks any questions about it or rejects me because I don't satisfy any requirements.

 

[lixxx669]

From my understanding, AMCAS/AAMC will not accept the science pre-reqs taken at any other nation than the USA or Canada do to variability in material covered. I would check with your pre-med adviser immediately.

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news..but it's better you look into it now than when applying!

EDIT: Just saw that you are already applying already. I'd check directly with individual schools that you've sent your primaries to. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong and international science classes are allowed.

Well, AMCAS don't include foreign courses to calculate GPA, but they do listed all the foreign courses I took. So I think it might be up to individual med school's decision about whether they accept them or not.

Does anyone know how exactly it works?

 

[Mesokun]

I say just contact the schools you are applying to and find out through those expensive phone calls. I would because they rarely reply to my emails....

 

[lixxx669]

Lucky that my state med school doesn't need this requirement, and that's the only school that I am actually hoping to go to.... I'm thinking if it's going to be too complicated, then I'll just drop all other secondaries.... ahh, waste of several hundred dollars to send the pimaries...

 

[lixxx669]

So I went to read the details of the course requirements for the school I applied, most of them clearly said that all prerequisites need to be taken in US or Canada, so basically, I'm screwed. Since my intro bio and intro physics were all taken in foreign colleges.
Luckly, my state med school only has pretty easy requirements that my situation can fit in. So, I'm just applying to only one school now.......

 

[flip26]

So I went to read the details of the course requirements for the school I applied, most of them clearly said that all prerequisites need to be taken in US or Canada, so basically, I'm screwed. Since my intro bio and intro physics were all taken in foreign colleges.
Luckly, my state med school only has pretty easy requirements that my situation can fit in. So, I'm just applying to only one school now.......

This US or Canadian school req is pretty much the case at all US allo schools AFAIK...as well as the last 60 hours have to be taken at the US college...

 

[Tin Man]

From my understanding, AMCAS/AAMC will not accept the science pre-reqs taken at any other nation than the USA or Canada do to variability in material covered. I would check with your pre-med adviser immediately.

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news..but it's better you look into it now than when applying!

EDIT: Just saw that you are already applying already. I'd check directly with individual schools that you've sent your primaries to. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong and international science classes are allowed.

If this were true, how would any foreign applicants apply to US medical schools?

 

[flip26]

If this were true, how would any foreign applicants apply to US medical schools?

Well, Canadians who attend a Canadian or US college are in the clear. Canadians are by far the greatest source of "foreigners" in US med schools.

But other internationals are at a severe disadvantage if they do not attend college in the US, at least the last 60+ hours, and also take all the pre reqs here.

And even good old Americans who attend college abroad are just as screwed. I know an American who graduated from City College of London, came to the US and did a one year post bacc, only to find out that she needed to take even more classes at a US college to get up to the bare minimums (the last 60 hours thing).

 

[lixxx669]

Just a small correction, ont 60 credit hours, but 90!! So basically, they need you to attend college in US or canada for at least 3 years (15 credits per semester times 6 semester.

But some school just need you to have bac degree in US or canada.

 

[Van Chowder]

SHould have applied to University of California at San Diego..

THey don't require ANY labs

 

[Van Chowder]

From my understanding, AMCAS/AAMC will not accept the science pre-reqs taken at any other nation than the USA or Canada do to variability in material covered. I would check with your pre-med adviser immediately.

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news..but it's better you look into it now than when applying!

EDIT: Just saw that you are already applying already. I'd check directly with individual schools that you've sent your primaries to. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong and international science classes are allowed.

I think he is applying..