Requirement vs. Recommended Pre-Reqs

[chad5871]

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Good evening all. I had a meeting with my Pre-Med Advisor this morning, and I learned nothing new (everything I ever need to know I learned at SDN!), except that he said that some schools list "Recommended" pre-requisites for acceptance into their medical schools, but that this really means they are "Required." In other words, they don't explicitly say it's required, but you will pretty much not get in if you don't have it. For example, he showed me in the MSAR that the Minnesota Medical School has Genetics listed as Recommended, but you would probably not get in if you didn't take it.

Is this true or is he mistaken? Should I try to take Genetics (Biochem is already part of my major)?

 

[Gerrymandering]

TAKE IT, TAKE IT, AND ACE IT!!! it's an extremely fun class. From what i've heard it is a very helpful course for the MCAT and medical school!!! so good luck and TAKE IT!

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I have not heard of a school requiring, officially or unofficially, a course that is listed as "recommended." Having said that, however, if you only have the basic pre-reqs completed your application will be weaker than someone who is otherwise comparable but who has upper-division bio courses: genetics, immunology, cell bio, or biochem. Medical schools do like to see you succeed in upper-division work. I would have loved to have taken genetics but I ran out of time - you'll hear a hundred different opinions about whether or not you need biochem, but that's what I'm taking for this last semester before med school and I'm glad that I did (it's a killer, but I'll be suffering less in the Fall). If you've got biochem, genetics would be an excellent choice.

 

[Dorise04]

I heard taking some of the 'recommend' courses will make you more competive applicant.

 

[chad5871]

Thanks for the advice - I might squeeze Genetics in the place of my Biotechniques lab in the Spring Semester to help prepare me for the MCAT as well. I'm taking Biochemistry in Fall 2007 and I am scared!

 

[Em1]

I have not heard of a school requiring, officially or unofficially, a course that is listed as "recommended."

Sure they do. See the MSAR.

 

[Bluntman]

Guys...out of all the interviews I went to, none of the schools even really cared about the required classes, let alone the recommended ones. All they said is you've got to have them done by the time you matriculate. I wouldn't worry.

 

[Catapult]

Guys...out of all the interviews I went to, none of the schools even really cared about the required classes, let alone the recommended ones. All they said is you've got to have them done by the time you matriculate. I wouldn't worry.

Agreed. The requirements seem often to be just recommendations. I was a bio major, but not premed during undergrad (a few years ago) and didn't take or placed out of physics lab and general chemistry. No schools cared about this when I called to ask if I need to complete this coursework before matriculating. Of course that could explain my many waitlists. Hmmm....

 

[Gerrymandering]

Agreed. The requirements seem often to be just recommendations. I was a bio major, but not premed during undergrad (a few years ago) and didn't take or placed out of physics lab and general chemistry. No schools cared about this when I called to ask if I need to complete this coursework before matriculating. Of course that could explain my many waitlists. Hmmm....

that is if someone is offered an interview! i say take all your pre-reqs and you're fine...it never hurts to enjoy college a little and take the hard courses as well.