quick post bacc question

[rewopswaj]

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[blee]

If you can afford not to work, don't work and take a full load of pre-reqs. If you've taken nothing, this will be a little tricky since organic chemistry requires general chemistry first.

The most time-efficient way to do this is to take gen chem over the summer, then take orgo/bio/physics during the school year. If you're not in a hurry, split it up over two years and take gen chem with either physics or bio and organic with the other science the following year. Not many med schools require anything else for admission.

Most post-bacc students don't take non-required courses because of cost. It wouldn't hurt to take them, but I don't think it would help all that much either.

 

[spicedmanna]

I graduated recently, but I'm going to take my pre reqs this coming fall. I took no science courses in undergrad (except rocks for jocks! yay!), so I'm wondering, when I do enroll, how many classes does the average non traditional take each semester?

Yes, you should definitely strive to take a full load of classes each semester. On average, this amounts to roughly 16 semester credits, but this can depend on factors such as your school's definition of full time and your comfort level. I believe my alma mater considers around 12 credits to be full time, but most pre-medical undergraduate students will average around 16 credits/semester, up to around 18, or so, but this is because they take non-science classes also. I stuck with around 12 credits, mostly, in my postbaccalaureate work, with a couple of classes in the summer; they were all science classes. 16 semester credits is 4 science classes with lab, and 12 credits is 3 science classes with lab.

I read in one thread about an individual who was getting turned down by med schools because he/she wasn't taking a full course load during the post bacc years.

Some schools probably would do this, but definitely not all. Mostly, however, schools consider it a red-flag that you are not taking a full load; that is, it is cause for concern for them, and is not viewed favorably. They want to see consistantly good academic performance across a full schedule. Many schools do take into consideration that some people work during school, and that this can cause a student to take fewer credits than they normally would.

So, basically, one should be a full-time student taking the pre reqs?

If it is feasible, then it would certainly look good, and you'll be complete faster, too.

And should this full time course load be 100% science? And finally, what are the best classes to take first?

No, it doesn't have to be 100% science, although I chose to do it that way. I know in my undergraduate work, I took about 2-3 science classes per semester, mixed in with other classes, such as humanities, etc. In postbaccalaureate programs, however, it is my impression that students generally take all BCPM classes with maybe one other type of class mixed in to round things out a little. They also tend to take only the classes that are required for medical school admission. If they have already satisfied these requirements, they will then take more advanced BCPM classes.

I cannot suggest what classes would be best for you to take first. This is something best done with a school advisor. I can only tell you that I took General Chemistry I + Lab, General Biology I + Lab, and Physics I + Lab, during my first post-baccalaureate semester; 12 credits. It was pretty challenging with all those labs; in general, labs are quite time-consuming and the write ups are not too fun, but doable. I got A's in all of them, but I had to work hard. Work with your advisor to make a suitable schedule so that you feel that it is doable and one that won't jeopardize your grades (it's better to take fewer classes than overload and do poorly, of course).

Good luck.

 

[vtucci]

Okay. I did a full course load with a full-time job. I started with bio I and lab and calc I in spring. Did genetics over the summer. Then Bio II and lab and Chem I and Physics I with lab in the fall. Then did Chem II and lab, Org I and lab with Physics II and Lab, second spring term. Did Org II and lab over the summer and took the MCAT and applied. All told, it was a year and half of course work.

 

[rewopswaj]

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[blee]

thanks for the help everyone. man, i'm so nervous.

to those who took classes in the summer terms: how hard was it being accelerated and all?

It wasn't a walk in the park, but it was a good first run of the rest of the school year. Taking one class over a 4-5 week summer session was not much more or less work than taking three classes over 12-13.

 

[boodthedog]

I'm finishing up classes over two years that I worked out with an adviser. Like you, I had few science classes as a Journalism major. I took a few summer classes that would allow me to take higher level bios, but I was wary of taking the actual pre-reqs over the summer. Some schools don't like them to be taken at an accelerated level. Now I'm taking a full load of science classes (18 credits), but the only pre-req I'm finishing up is the second orgo and its lab. Of course, I don't know how this will work out with admissions, but I've been happy with it.

 

[tiredmom]

After working for a few years, I went back to get prereqs - I worked full time and took 1-2 classes at a time. I only had the organics, the physics, and calculus to finish though. No one gave me any lip about it, but it was also obvious I was working 50+ hours per week too. I got interviews everywhere I applied and am currently an MS4.

 

[Jonesie]

After working for a few years, I went back to get prereqs - I worked full time and took 1-2 classes at a time. I only had the organics, the physics, and calculus to finish though. No one gave me any lip about it, but it was also obvious I was working 50+ hours per week too. I got interviews everywhere I applied and am currently an MS4.

I'd have to second this. I completed my prereqs over eight semesters, and I don't think that schools consider a part-time load to be a "red flag" -- as long as you are working full-time, that is. I just got back from interviewing and nobody raised it as an issue; in fact, I explained that I was taking more time to gain relevant job/volunteer experience and reflect upon my career choice. My pre-health committee actually complimented me on my longer time frame. According to them, many post-bac students get impatient and skimp on clinical experience in the rush to finish their coursework.

I know that many people want to knock out the prereqs in a year or two, but as someone who took the longer path, I thought I'd throw in my two cents. It was nice to not rush through the process, and the upside is that if you spread it out, tuition and AMCAS fees will be less of a financial burden for you. When it comes down to it, there is no "right" way -- it's a purely personal choice.

 

[Benna]

Right now I'm taking 10 hours and working a 30-hour per week job. I'm in the post-bac program at Loyola, and they don't allow you to take a full load of science and math classes unless you petition them personally. The feeling is that you're going to be overwhelmed with all those labs and exams, and that it's better to follow the two-year track they set up for you than try to cram it all in.

Given that Loyola has a pretty good track record of getting post-bacs into med school and they actually push you to go part-time, I highly doubt med schools see a part-time load as any sort of red flag.

I'm happy with it.

 

[gotmeds?]

Ideally, yes, you should take a full-time courseload. Not necessarily 16 units of all math and science (most undergrad pre-meds don't even take that many at a time), but 12 is a good number. However many units you're taking in your post-bacc, however, you should really try to get As. A 3.6 in post-bacc is a lot different than a 3.6 in undergrad. For undergrad, it's not a bad GPA. For post-bacc, it's lousy.

You mentioned something else in your post: that you have not taken any science classes before. That's a huge bonus! As long as you're willing to give it everything you've got for the next two years, youll be able to apply to med school with a 4.0 BCPM GPA. Trust me, that's a big plus. Good luck.

 

[montessori2md]

I'm doing basically what Benna is doing, 30 hrs/wk working, 10 hrs of courses.

I took o-chem in the summer, before chem II (I had chem I as an undergrad). UMd's post bacc program is recommending this as standard scheduling for everyone (chem I summer, orgo I fall, orgo II spring, chem II spring, you're done in 15 months)

I'm so glad I took the accelerated class in the summer, loved it, worked like crazy because it was my only course and we had a midterm every week. That said, a lot of people in my class totally hated it, didn't take the 2nd semester the summer session b/c they decided to wait till spring.

I suggest you take something as a bellweather first, to find out how hard going back to school will be for you, then decide how to schedule the rest. That may not work in your reality, but just quitting work and then discovering it's really hard to do well in your classes would really suck (broke + lousy gpa =miserable).

 

[rewopswaj]

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