Retaking aced courses?

[isaacl]

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After much research and reflection, I've decided on a career change and am planning on earning an MD. As is the case with every non-trad, there is a long story behind my decision, which I'll save for later.

At this point, my pressing question is this: should I retake pre-req courses in which I've already earned a 4.0? About five years ago I took the calculus-based physics series at a community college. Not that ad coms will know this, but I took it at the CC to which UC Berkeley sends students they cannot admit in the fall but wish to accept in the spring. All that to say, it was sufficiently rigorous for my taste.

More background: I hold a BA in Philosophy from UC Berkeley with a cumulative (Cal) GPA of 3.7. My cumulative UG GPA is higher (which confirms the general anti-CC bias).

My thought is this: with a 4.0 in calculus-based physics from a CC, I have nowhere to go but down if I take physics for life sciences at a 4-year. Assuming I do as well as I intend in the Chems and Bio at UC Davis, should I really re-take the physics series there as well? Wouldn't I be better served by taking bio-chem at a 4-year institution (if I wish to really spruce up my transcripts)? Of course if I don't do as well as I intend, I'll need to re-evaluate this whole plan, but I'm pushing that thought out of my mind at this time...

I appreciate anyone's thoughts.

 

[Econ2MD]

Don't retake. Explain your reason for a cc course if it comes up in interview. Ace the rest of your courses at a 4yr and I can't imagine it being an issue. Heck, I'd question your judgment if you did retake.

 

[7starmantis]

Don't retake. Explain your reason for a cc course if it comes up in interview. Ace the rest of your courses at a 4yr and I can't imagine it being an issue. Heck, I'd question your judgment if you did retake.

This + 100000000000

Can't even fathom a reason to retake them. I did nearly all pre-reqs at CC and it never came up in any interviews. Never heard anything about it at all.

 

[isaacl]

Heck, I question my judgment all the time. Divorce had that effect on me. 🙂

Thanks for your counsel.

 

[njbmd]

If you feel like you need a knowledge update for the MCAT, then audit those course but don't retake them for credit. If asked, you can tell them that you needed to reinforce your knowledge much like continuing medical education hours reinforces my knowledge base as an attending. If you don't need the grade, don't put yourself in a position where you can score less than what you earned before (red flag).

 

[mspeedwagon]

I agree with the post below if you have a lot of time to audit the courses. If not, may I suggest you buy the EK and BR Physics books and work through the problems or take any of the review courses for the MCAT.

I would definitely not retake the classes for credit.

If you feel like you need a knowledge update for the MCAT, then audit those course but don't retake them for credit. If asked, you can tell them that you needed to reinforce your knowledge much like continuing medical education hours reinforces my knowledge base as an attending. If you don't need the grade, don't put yourself in a position where you can score less than what you earned before (red flag).

 

[NTF]

I personally think retaking (and even auditing) the classes is a waste of time. Just get a good MCAT review book. You'll be surprised how much of it will come back to you. If you retake (or audit) the classes you'll just end up spending time on material irrelevant to the MCAT. But if you're really jonesing that hard for the "knowledge" than I agree with njbmd, auditing is the way to go. +1 on not risking getting a lower grade.

 

[isaacl]

Thank you all for your responses. That was definitely what I wanted to hear. Not only does it save me time, stress, and money, but it also means it's possible for me to finish my outstanding pre-reqs by the end of next June.

 

[ENGR2PHYSICIAN]

I personally think retaking (and even auditing) the classes is a waste of time. Just get a good MCAT review book. You'll be surprised how much of it will come back to you. If you retake (or audit) the classes you'll just end up spending time on material irrelevant to the MCAT. But if you're really jonesing that hard for the "knowledge" than I agree with njbmd, auditing is the way to go. +1 on not risking getting a lower grade.

For reviewing general chemistry in order to take organic, would you suggest BR gen chem to review and solidify the basics? Or would you suggest a general chemistry textbook and a book like Schaum's (3000 problem series for chemistry) to go with it? I have taken gen chemistry about 6 years back, so just want to review thoroughly before taking orgo. Thanks a lot.

 

[buffdoc]

For reviewing general chemistry in order to take organic, would you suggest BR gen chem to review and solidify the basics? Or would you suggest a general chemistry textbook and a book like Schaum's (3000 problem series for chemistry) to go with it? I have taken gen chemistry about 6 years back, so just want to review thoroughly before taking orgo. Thanks a lot.

I was a chemical engineer before going to med school. Really, there is very little gen chem that is used in organic. My advice is to take the organic chem and skip reviewing the general. But you WILL have to review general chem before taking the MCAT. Taking organic will make reviewing general chem easier.

 

[NTF]

For reviewing general chemistry in order to take organic, would you suggest BR gen chem to review and solidify the basics? Or would you suggest a general chemistry textbook and a book like Schaum's (3000 problem series for chemistry) to go with it? I have taken gen chemistry about 6 years back, so just want to review thoroughly before taking orgo. Thanks a lot.

They usually go through a mini gen chem review during the first week of orgo. Honestly, if you've taken it before it'll come back. Just get a MCAT subject review book (any of the major ones, EK, Kaplan, PR, etc will be sufficient). It'll hit all the highlights you'll need in pre-med orgo.