The order to take pre-med class considering timeline

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samuel984

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Hi there,

I'm an international student who works full time in the States. I'd like to apply for medical school in 6 years (after I obtain my greencard) and plan to take premed class part-time. Considering there are some med schools don't appreciate some prereqs taken more than 5 years, what would be the best order to take the classes from now in part-time? Thanks!

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What are these schools that don't allow prereqs taken more than 5 years ago? All the schools I plan on applying to, don't have an expiration date on pre reqs. I've seen a school that has a 10 year expiration date on pre reqs, but that's it.

II would check MSAR or contact admissions to make sure.
 
Closer to when you anticipate taking the MCAT would be better.
 
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I would do in this order

Physics I and II over 2 sems
(Chem I and Bio I in 1 sem ) or (Chem I and Chem II over 2 sems )
(Chem II and Bio 2 over 2 sems ) or ( Bio I and Bio 2 over 2 sems
Ochem I and II over 2 sems
and then additional courses as needed ( biochem etc math etc )
 
I don't think there's a huge benefit to the "optimal" schedule, but if you have the luxury of doing so, I recommend spacing out classes to even out the workload. The only prerequisites that build off each other are the gen chem --> orgo series, and bio 101 is going to be a prereq for almost everything so take that first semester. With the chem series, you'll taking classes for 4 semesters minimum. Build your schedule so you're taking a roughly even amount of classes for those 4 semesters and afterwards give yourself one semester of no classes to study for the MCAT. If you can, identify harder and easier classes and mix them in together so you're not taking all hard classes any given semester (ie maybe save your "easy" communications class for your semester with "hard" orgo 2).
 
I would actually do the ancillary requirements like math, English, sociology, etc classes first. Then start the sciences. This is because the science course are on the mcat. You want to take those classes as close to the mcat as you can. Especially if you are spreading everything out
 
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