Taking Biochem over the summer

[Random6221997]

Hello,
I was wondering whether it was a good idea to take Biochem over the summer? I would be taking it at my normal 4-year university, and I've gotten A-'s in my 2 semesters of gen chem and (hopefully!) both of my semesters of orgo. I am currently a second semester sophomore. I've heard that medical schools frown upon taking pre-reqs over the summer, but I'm wondering whether that might be outweighed by my previous history of good grades in chemistry?
Thank you so much!

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[Endoxifen]

Hello,
I was wondering whether it was a good idea to take Biochem over the summer? I would be taking it at my normal 4-year university, and I've gotten A-'s in my 2 semesters of gen chem and (hopefully!) both of my semesters of orgo. I am currently a second semester sophomore. I've heard that medical schools frown upon taking pre-reqs over the summer, but I'm wondering whether that might be outweighed by my previous history of good grades in chemistry?
Thank you so much!

I'd take it normally if you can. It's really not that bad.

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

I've heard that if you have a good GPA then it's fine but it's a risk as you don't know how any particular admissions committee/officer will see it. It's up to you on whether you want to take that risk.

 

[Random6221997]

I would if I could, but then I would either have to take 2 semesters of biochem or wait until the spring to take biochem (which would not be good because I want to take the MCAT in the spring).

 

[prehealthadvisor55]

I've heard that medical schools frown upon taking pre-reqs over the summer

I've never heard of this/seen this be an issue. If it's at a 4 year it's still covering the same material, just in a shorter time frame.

 

[blackroses]

I've never heard of this/seen this be an issue. If it's at a 4 year it's still covering the same material, just in a shorter time frame.

Depending on how your school runs summer sessions (and if they're on a quarter or semester system) they aren't even necessarily during a shorter time frame. I'm at a quarter system school that runs most summer classes for the same length as the "school year" classes!

 

[Keight]

Is taking summer classes really seem as a negative when applying to medical school? I took classes every summer during my undergrad and took the whole ochem series in one summer term. I wouldn't have been able to complete my degree in four years without doing that. If anything, I would think that taking classes on a compressed schedule and doing well in them would show that you are somewhat prepared to keep up with the course load in medical school. Is there something about summer classes that I don't know?