Trying to avoid a gap year! help!

[expressions]

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Hello,

I am currently a Soph. Public Health major. As of fall 2011, I have completed my biology(got A's) and gen. chem( got B's) prereqs. So that means I still need to complete orgo as well as physics for the MCAT. That would mean I would have to take both courses the same time in my junior year(along with A&P for my major) and other nonsense, easy classes. Would this be too much of a load for one year and still study for the MCAT in April?

My other option is to wait until the summer after my junior to study for and take the dreaded August or September MCAT. I know med schools dislike late test dates but will my 3.6 gpa and the Cancer Research I participate in help me any?

If I don't take those courses concurrently, I will end up losing an entire year!

Has anyone done this and succeeded?

Thanks

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Can you take classes this summer? You could do Ochem I and II over the summer and then take physics next year, or vice versa. If that doesn't work, I don't think taking two prereq classes at the same time should be too much trouble, as long as you are willing to devote the necessary study time, even if it means making some sacrifices to your social life. I just finished a semester of physics, biology, organic, and statistics, so your proposed schedule should be possible.

 

[btown8908]

Hello,

I am currently a Soph. Public Health major. As of fall 2011, I have completed my biology(got A's) and gen. chem( got B's) prereqs. So that means I still need to complete orgo as well as physics for the MCAT. That would mean I would have to take both courses the same time in my junior year(along with A&P for my major) and other nonsense, easy classes. Would this be too much of a load for one year and still study for the MCAT in April?

My other option is to wait until the summer after my junior to study for and take the dreaded August or September MCAT. I know med schools dislike late test dates but will my 3.6 gpa and the Cancer Research I participate in help me any?

If I don't take those courses concurrently, I will end up losing an entire year!

Has anyone done this and succeeded?

Thanks

It's doable as long as you're motivated and ambitious enough.

I think May or June would be better instead of April. Definitely take Orgo/Physics junior year. I feel that you should take the classes before reviewing it before the exam. You could learn the material from a Kaplan/Princeton/Examcrackers review course, but I think if you have had previous experience with the material it helps tremendously.

That being said, if you're trying to get into med school taking these 2 courses simultaneously would be a good indicator to see if you're cut out for med school.

Good luck

 

[getdown]

Hello,

I am currently a Soph. Public Health major. As of fall 2011, I have completed my biology(got A's) and gen. chem( got B's) prereqs. So that means I still need to complete orgo as well as physics for the MCAT. That would mean I would have to take both courses the same time in my junior year(along with A&P for my major) and other nonsense, easy classes. Would this be too much of a load for one year and still study for the MCAT in April?

My other option is to wait until the summer after my junior to study for and take the dreaded August or September MCAT. I know med schools dislike late test dates but will my 3.6 gpa and the Cancer Research I participate in help me any?

If I don't take those courses concurrently, I will end up losing an entire year!

Has anyone done this and succeeded?

Thanks

There's nothing wrong in taking a gap year. Take your time and do it right cause if you mess up from being too swamped you'll end up having to take more than juts a gap year off when you're only holding rejection letters. Furthermore, medicine is a long process and once you're in you're going to be rushed along so you might as well take that year off and do other things you've always wanted to do like travel, etc. cause you sure as hell won't have time otherwise.

 

[plumhill]

Gap years, along with taking an extra semester/year to graduate, aren't bad. If you want to be in school the entire time until you go to med school, consider taking 5 years to graduate; this way, you can take more upper-level science classes/pick up a major/minor/etc. You can also do your research during a gap year.

Alternatively, taking Orgo and physics together isn't bad IF you take an algebra-based physics sequence. If you're math-savvy (unlike me) you might be able to handle orgo and calc-based physics together, but there's no need to do so.

If I were you, I'd just go for the gap year or stay in school longer.

 

[varsityblue]

Hello,

I am currently a Soph. Public Health major. As of fall 2011, I have completed my biology(got A's) and gen. chem( got B's) prereqs. So that means I still need to complete orgo as well as physics for the MCAT. That would mean I would have to take both courses the same time in my junior year(along with A&P for my major) and other nonsense, easy classes. Would this be too much of a load for one year and still study for the MCAT in April?

My other option is to wait until the summer after my junior to study for and take the dreaded August or September MCAT. I know med schools dislike late test dates but will my 3.6 gpa and the Cancer Research I participate in help me any?

If I don't take those courses concurrently, I will end up losing an entire year!

Has anyone done this and succeeded?

Thanks

You're aware that you don't need to be done with all of your prereqs by the time you apply to med school, right? If you think taking orgo and physics at the same time next year will be really draining, don't do it.

 

[expressions]

Can you take classes this summer? You could do Ochem I and II over the summer and then take physics next year, or vice versa. If that doesn't work, I don't think taking two prereq classes at the same time should be too much trouble, as long as you are willing to devote the necessary study time, even if it means making some sacrifices to your social life. I just finished a semester of physics, biology, organic, and statistics, so your proposed schedule should be possible.

Yes taking those courses in the summer may be possible, but I was under the impression that med schools frowned upon taking prereqs in the summer?

 

[expressions]

You're aware that you don't need to be done with all of your prereqs by the time you apply to med school, right? If you think taking orgo and physics at the same time next year will be really draining, don't do it.

But wouldn't I need to at least have some working knowledge on the subjects in order to do well on the MCAT?

 

[robertch8]

Yes taking those courses in the summer may be possible, but I was under the impression that med schools frowned upon taking prereqs in the summer?

It might be a small negative but I think as long as you do a prereq at your undergrad institution and not at some community college, you should be okay. (Actually I believe LizzyM said this in response to someone else on her Ask Anything thread). It's a lot worse to struggle taking both at the same time than to do really well in both even if one of them is in the summer. I would actually recommend this route because the MCAT is going to take some time to prepare for especially if you're still in school.

Oh yeah, regarding the MCAT, you do need working knowledge but it's very basic compared to what you learn in class and the MCAT prep books have it all covered. (When I took it, I actually had forgotten almost all the Organic chem that I studied when I took the course). It's more of a reasoning test where you apply basic knowledge in many ways.

 

[Lazybum2014]

In my school, biochem majors are required to take orgo and alg-based physics together in sophomore year, with genetics in the first semester as well. so I think you will be fine but it is work. you will be stressed but I definitely think it's doable.

 

[Ismet]

Yes taking those courses in the summer may be possible, but I was under the impression that med schools frowned upon taking prereqs in the summer?

It's frowned upon to take prereqs at a community college over the summer. If you stay at your university and take ochem over the summer, it is perfectly acceptable. I've heard that summer ochem is harder because you go so fast while still learning the same amount of material overall, but if you're only taking 1 class, it should be manageable.

Taking ochem and physics together shouldn't be too bad as long as you're disciplined and keep up with everything.

Regardless of what you do next year, I would advise against an April MCAT (if your school is on the semester system). You'll still be in school, taking tests, preparing for finals, and you don't want to add an important test onto that. May is a really good time to take the MCAT since you'll have a couple weeks out of school to study and you still have plenty of time to schedule a retake if you think you need one.

 

[expressions]

Thanks to everyone! You have all been a big help!🙂

 

[FattySlug]

Don't strain yourself. I have seen others blew the MCAT big time because they thought they could score a 35 along with a heavy course load. If money is not a factor: try to ace EVERYTHING until graduation, then get a lab position somewhere even a nonpaid one is fine while studying for the MCAT, just ask your parents to support you for one more year if that's possible. If all things go well you will have a 3.7 and a 34. If you force it now, you might have a 3.5 and 31.

 

[rmnanon]

Take your time. Do well in your classes. Do well on the MCAT. Take a gap year if you need to.

My gap year has been the best of my life. Moreover, the activities I have done during my gap year are probably a MAJOR contributing factor in getting into medical school this round.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I'm in my gap year right now and loving every minute!! I wouldn't trade this stress-free period of time for anything. I'd take the gap year regardless of whether you need one with your schedule.

 

[StephanieZ]

Hello,

If I don't take those courses concurrently, I will end up losing an entire year!

I know it's an individual preference, but "losing a year" is not necessarily such a bad thing. When you're looking at whether to try to cram everything in to be done as early as possible, or taking some extra time to space out your classes/MCAT, I think the second option is really best. You'll do better at everything and won't come out of the process as frazzled, so you'll be fresh and ready for med school.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[WhitecatBlackcat]

Hello,

I am currently a Soph. Public Health major. As of fall 2011, I have completed my biology(got A's) and gen. chem( got B's) prereqs. So that means I still need to complete orgo as well as physics for the MCAT. That would mean I would have to take both courses the same time in my junior year(along with A&P for my major) and other nonsense, easy classes. Would this be too much of a load for one year and still study for the MCAT in April?

My other option is to wait until the summer after my junior to study for and take the dreaded August or September MCAT. I know med schools dislike late test dates but will my 3.6 gpa and the Cancer Research I participate in help me any?

If I don't take those courses concurrently, I will end up losing an entire year!

Has anyone done this and succeeded?

Thanks

Hey! I'm in the exact same situation right now. What did you end up doing and how did it all work out?

 

[gyngyn]

Hey! I'm in the exact same situation right now. What did you end up doing and how did it all work out?

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