Spring coursework

[Jas1360]

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I'm trying to pick my classes for this spring and having trouble deciding. I have already applied, this is my senior year, and I am waiting to hear back from two post interview and hoping to get at least one or two spring interviews.

The classes I have to take are Biochemistry, Cell Biology w/lab, and Spanish III.

The next 5 credit hours are the part I need to decide between. The first option will get me a neuroscience minor and the possibility to graduate with honors. I would have to take a 3 credit hour neuroscience class and continue 2 credit hours independent research.

The other option is a 5 credit hour Human Anatomy class. It is designed for students who have already taken a lower level anatomy and plan to go into the medical field as an MD, PA, or PT.

The problem with the first option is time. The research will require six hours a week and the lecture will be 3 hours a week, not including study time. The second option will be about 4.5 hours a week but three of those hours is for studying (lab) and obviously there will be more time needed to study. Also, there will be a manuscript style paper required for the neuroscience course, a poster presentation for the research, and no written assignments for the anatomy.

I would like to do both options but that would be crazy with the other three classes I am taking. So I have to choose one of the two options. I am leaning toward the second option when it comes to my schedule because it would give me more daytime study hours while my kids are at daycare. The first option seems like it would be better for my résumé and I'm so close to the neuroscience minor it would be difficult to give it up. But the schools don't even know I am a neuroscience minor so it would not have an impact on their decisions this cycle anyways.

 

[Jas1360]

Bump...

Anyone have any opinions on my class situation? I really would like to do it all but that is not possible so I must choose.

 

[Jas1360]

Anyone ever in a similar situation? My options are both good which is why it makes the choice rather difficult. Either way I want to finish strong. If it helps, I do have two children and I am the primary caregiver while my spouse works full time, so study time is just one of several things I schedule into my day.

 

[mspeedwagon]

In my humble opinion, neither will really impact your med school app. In your shoes, I'd add the neuroscience minor as it'll look prettier on your resume long term and also the fact that you graduated with honors.

The next 5 credit hours are the part I need to decide between. The first option will get me a neuroscience minor and the possibility to graduate with honors. I would have to take a 3 credit hour neuroscience class and continue 2 credit hours independent research.

 

[Jas1360]

In my humble opinion, neither will really impact your med school app. In your shoes, I'd add the neuroscience minor as it'll look prettier on your resume long term and also the fact that you graduated with honors.

Thank you.

Another options that I recently realized was that I could finish up the research and go for honors and skip the Neuroscience minor by taking some other elective.

One doctor I talked to seemed to think the human anatomy would be a good option if I were to get an acceptance before classes begin. There is the small possibility of hearing from a school and being able to switch up my schedule the first day of this semester. They thought that the neuroscience and honors would be good if I end up needing to re-apply but the anatomy would be beneficial for medical school if I already had an acceptance.