Should you take an advanced Chemistry course if you got a B in Chemistry 1

[StudentDoc]

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When you are applying to med-school and you have a weakness in one one of your basic sciences, do medical schools look for the student that has taken an advanced science course in that subject area and get an A, to prove that he can handle the subject, and if it is not absolutely necessary, is it at least preferrable?
This is what my premed advisor suggested that I do. I got a B in Chemistry 1 lecture and lab, and took my Chem 2 the following summer. The premed advisor said that medical schools in my area (NEw York) do not want to see students taking Chemistry classes out of their school nor in the summer. However, I took Chem 2 at another school in the summer, and I am taking Organic Chemistry as a visiting student at another school. He suggested that since my Chemistries look shaky, I should take an advanced course. However, I don't like General Chemistry and it is a time consuming course. I registered for Analytical Chemistry (Quantatatitive Analysis), I am also taking Organic Chem 1, which is fairly difficult here, at the same time along with a couple of other humanities courses (English Lit, Intro to Music). I don't want to risk my Organic Chemistry grade, however I don't want to look incomplete in my med-school application either. I will also start preparing for April 2001 MCAT, This is FALL 2000 If people who are knowledgeable with the admissions process, or who have already applied and are going through it now would respond I'd really appreciate it.
Thankyou in advance.

 

[Socceroo4ever]

First of all, focus first on the MCAT. With a poor MCAT, any future efforts to get ADCOMMs to smile on you cannot have any effect. So, with that in mind, do well on your organic, because that is a major section of the test. From what I've heard, it's typically the most difficult, too. Once you've finished with the organic, you might consider a biochemistry course. If you can take that before the MCAT (at least half the course, anyhow), I believe you'll be even more prepared for the lovely test. Also, from what others have said, it seems that taking an undergraduate course in biochemistry at least prepares you a little bit for biochemistry in medical school.

I do NOT recommend taking chemistry courses to bring up a science GPA, though, especially if you don't like chemistry. I would instead take courses in other pertinent sciences, such as biology, to bring up your science GPA. Pick a course that you know you like; for me, that might be anatomy and physiology (again, a course that won't serve much other purpose but to prepare you for a year of gross anatomy in medical school).

Remember that medical school ADCOMMs look at two GPAs: your overall and your science. Taking another chemistry just because you want to prove you can do chemistry isn't really going to matter much, but if you do get an A in that class, it'll bring your GPA up that much. If, however, you pull a lower grade, you've defeated the purpose of going to that extra trouble.

Best of luck anyhow!

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Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night,
God said "Let Newton be," and all was light.

-- Alexander Pope

 

[Mango]

I would agree that taking an advanced chem is a pretty bad idea. What happens if you do poorly in it? Then the whole plan would have backfired! Incidentaly, I got a C in gen chem 2, and also took both Orgo 1 and 2 during a summer program at a school other than the one I was attending! So don't worry about the summer courses. They don't make a bit of difference, unless of course you took them at a community college, but that's a whole other story! And most colleges (including mine) don't even accept transfer credit from CC's. The point is, LOTS of med students take summer courses. In addition, a B is nothing to be concerned about. Just keep those C's out of the picture, if possible.

Final point: I was told in interviews that the fact that I was able to score a 10 on the physical sciences portion of the MCAT (after relearning chem on my own), was proof enough that I was competant in chemistry. So the scores you get can effectively negate a poorer performance in a class. Incidentally, that 10 also helped me to get accepted to two schools that required a year of college math, even though I took ZERO math classes in college!

Good Luck,
Mango
MS1

 

[StudentDoc]

Originally posted by Mango:
I would agree that taking an advanced chem is a pretty bad idea. What happens if you do poorly in it? Then the whole plan would have backfired! Incidentaly, I got a C in gen chem 2, and also took both Orgo 1 and 2 during a summer program at a school other than the one I was attending! So don't worry about the summer courses. They don't make a bit of difference, unless of course you took them at a community college, but that's a whole other story! And most colleges (including mine) don't even accept transfer credit from CC's. The point is, LOTS of med students take summer courses. In addition, a B is nothing to be concerned about. Just keep those C's out of the picture, if possible.

Final point: I was told in interviews that the fact that I was able to score a 10 on the physical sciences portion of the MCAT (after relearning chem on my own), was proof enough that I was competant in chemistry. So the scores you get can effectively negate a poorer performance in a class. Incidentally, that 10 also helped me to get accepted to two schools that required a year of college math, even though I took ZERO math classes in college!

Good Luck,
Mango
MS1

If you don't mind me asking, Are you in medical school now? What medical school are you in?
I didn't take any courses at community colleges. I go to a top 50 college, the premed advisor wouldn't approve of premeds taking science at community colleges.

 

[12R34Y]

don't mean to disagree and cause problems, but I know of at least 10 medical students all in M.D. programs that took numerous CC classes. It just doesn't matter. Now taking all of your sciences there is not healthy, but taking 1 or 2 out of all of them is certainly okay. Many people take lot of humanities and such at CC's. Most colleges DO accept CC courses. I've attended 3 major universities and all CC classes transferred without a problem. No more than 60 hours can come from a CC though. After talking with many medical students who went to CC's and speaking with my pre-health advisor, medical school admissions counselors they all agreed CC classes aren't a big deal. just take your upper level stuff at the university.

 

[Mango]

For the person who asked, I am a first year med student at the U. of Cincinnati.

As far as the CC stuff goes, as I said, it's a topic of it's own. I just know from my experience, that my undergrad school didn't accept CC credits. So when I took summer school, I did it at a four year college, and I had no problems. If any of you are in the Ohio/Midwest area, the school is Capital University in Columbus. They have a summer sciences program that offeres OChem, Physics, Gen Chem, etc. Most of the students (and there were a couple hundred of us), were premeds who went to college that did NOT accept CC transfer credits.

For those of you with CC experience, will be able to tell the rest of it what you thought of the prparation the courses gave you. Good Luck, and again, I highly reccommend Capital to anybody considering summer courses to meet premed recs! (No they didn't pay me, that's an honest opinion)