Should I take A&P 1 and 2 or Advanced Microbiology 1 & 2?

[djryan2000]

I am at a crossroads. I will be graduating next spring and am receiving conflicting advice on which to pick. My fall semester currently has immunology and serology (3 credits), organic chemistry lab (2 credits), a directed study (2 credits), and Sociology (3 credits).

I can either take 5 credits of Advanced Microbiology and its lab or I can take 5 credits of A&P + Lab and a genetics laboratory.

I have not taken any courses above the 300 level so far, which the exception of a single graduate class I took (Adv Physical Biochem). A&P are 200 level courses, and the genetics lab is a 300 level course. I believe this would make an easier semester than taking Advanced Micro (400 level course) as its known to be a very hard course at my school, and I will be doing EMT training over the summer, which should make A&P easier. I will either take a second semester of Adv Micro or A&P in the spring.

My question is, will one course look better than the other when applying to medical school? Should I take Adv Micro because it is a 400 level course, or will medical schools be okay with me taking 200 level courses before graduating?

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[Doctor-S]

I am at a crossroads. I will be graduating next spring and am receiving conflicting advice on which to pick. My fall semester currently has immunology and serology (3 credits), organic chemistry lab (2 credits), a directed study (2 credits), and Sociology (3 credits).

I can either take 5 credits of Advanced Microbiology and its lab or I can take 5 credits of A&P + Lab and a genetics laboratory.

I have not taken any courses above the 300 level so far, which the exception of a single graduate class I took (Adv Physical Biochem). A&P are 200 level courses, and the genetics lab is a 300 level course. I believe this would make an easier semester than taking Advanced Micro (400 level course) as its known to be a very hard course at my school, and I will be doing EMT training over the summer, which should make A&P easier. I will either take a second semester of Adv Micro or A&P in the spring.

My question is, will one course look better than the other when applying to medical school? Should I take Adv Micro because it is a 400 level course, or will medical schools be okay with me taking 200 level courses before graduating?

Take the course that interests you and do well in the course.

Adcoms are not spending extra time looking at every single course description on 100's of applicants' college transcripts.

In general, nobody knows if your school's 200, 300, or 400 level courses are more challenging or harder than another school's 200, 300, or 400 level courses. Strong sGPA is important (because low sGPA can keep you out of medical school).

As a friendly reminder, physiology can be found on MCAT. So is micro and genetics, but you can probably teach yourself enough about genetics and micro to manage the questions.

 

[djryan2000]

Take the course that interests you and do well in the course.

Adcoms are not spending extra time looking at every single course description on 100's of applicants' college transcripts.

In general, nobody knows if your school's 200, 300, or 400 level courses are more challenging or harder than another school's 200, 300, or 400 level courses. Strong sGPA is important (because low sGPA can keep you out of medical school).

As a friendly reminder, physiology can be found on MCAT. So is micro and genetics, but you can probably teach yourself enough about genetics and micro to manage the questions.

Thank you! A&P it is!