Satisfaction of Premed Requirements

[[insertname]]

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Hi All,

I recently decided to take a semester's leave to study abroad, so I won't be able to satisfy all of the general premed requirements by the time that I will be applying to MD/PhD programs. Will this hurt my application in any way? (Of course, I plan to take these courses eventually, I just will not be able to in time for application process).

 

[unexpected_medicine]

Nope those reqs won't hurt you but your acceptance will be conditional on their completion. Its the same deal as medicine.

 

[StIGMA]

You won't be prepared for the MCAT if you have not taken core science requirements. If it is non-science, I agree with the previous poster.

 

[unexpected_medicine]

You won't be prepared for the MCAT if you have not taken core science requirements. If it is non-science, I agree with the previous poster.

While that is true for many pure-MD applicants the OP is an MD/PhD applicant. If he hasn't learned enough science to handle the MCAT by senior year without more core courses then he has 0 chances of getting in.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

While that is true for many pure-MD applicants the OP is an MD/PhD applicant. If he hasn't learned enough science to handle the MCAT by senior year without more core courses then he has 0 chances of getting in.

Typically physics is the last pre-req that pre-meds have failed to fulfill by the time they apply/take the MCAT. Assuming OP is a biomed major like most MD/PhD applicants, I don't think having not taken physics will be a big deal, except of course on the MCAT.

 

[[insertname]]

That's correct--the majority of the prereqs that I will not have fulfilled by application time are in the humanities. The only science course I'm concerned about is genetics. Is that a subject that can be self-taught for the MCAT? And what's the verdict on sociology?

 

[unexpected_medicine]

Sociology is required at some schools but not many. It will be replacing the language section on the MCAT I think. But, I wouldn't be surprised if they're just tweaking that section to be more medically relevant. I.e wth do we want a medical student to be able to interpret henry david thoreau. The MCAT doesn't have that much real genetics. However, (this is very important) interviewers rly rly like genetics because it has simple to understand elements but very very complex and elegant experiment design. I was asked during an interview to design an entire genetics project (no need for perfect science therms luckily) off the top of my head even though I was focused on computational modeling. When you do take genetics don't focus on the molecular biology facts even though they may seem to be the most interesting. Focus on the experiment design and proper statistics.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Genetics can be self-taught to the extent that it's on the MCAT. I should know, I didn't ever take genetics and still managed to come out with a 14 on the BS section. I didn't run into any genetics stuff while I was interviewing either; in fact, most interviewers didn't grill me on science at all, save for one guy who apparently decided I stood for everything that he hated about the scientific establishment and proceeded to tear my research philosophy apart before spending the rest of the interview talking about how much of a revolutionary he was and how everyone would be switching to his viewpoint soon enough.

As for sociology, that's definitely self-teachable. Hell, you may not even have to study for it. I took a sociology class in freshman year and I had no idea what that class was supposed to be about, even while I was taking the final. Didn't stop me from getting an "A".

 

[unexpected_medicine]

wow I had the opposite experience. a ton of science grilling but all in good taste. there was like 1 or 2 jerks but i was able to defend my position decently.

 

[Doudline]

As for sociology, that's definitely self-teachable. Hell, you may not even have to study for it. I took a sociology class in freshman year and I had no idea what that class was supposed to be about, even while I was taking the final. Didn't stop me from getting an "A".

🙄

edit: damn did I just necro a thread from may 11 x.x