Useful auxiliary classes?

[NaOH]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

So, it's that time of year again... time once more to prepare to chain yourself to a rigorous educational schedule for the next 5 months based on minimal information.

In my current status as a postbacc, I find that I have already completed my 'soft' prereqs in the humanities and social sciences, leaving little left but straight up chemistry and biology. However, I fear that I may not actually have 'enough' core prereqs to fill my schedule between now and spring of '11, after which I will hopefully be ready to level up and start at a college of pharmacy. My class schedule for Spring '10 is a follows:

Organic I and lab
Physics I and lab
Microbiology and lab

Due to poor scheduling and lack of relevant prereqs, I find that I am unable to take any of my other required classes this term.

And so, my question to you all... what non-core courses do you feel would be beneficial to flesh out a schedule with? I suppose I could just start taking random upper-level chem/bio courses, but somehow I don't know if Ornithology or Wetlands Ecology Management will be of much use to me in my future profession. I had considered maybe a foreign language, or something along those lines.

Thoughts?

 

[pharm B]

If you're taking it just for the sake of taking something enriching, I personally think a music course wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe a focused one like piano or guitar.

A course in another language is always useful, too.

 

[holymolys]

psychology is a good one if you havnt taking it, genetics is useful too, some school may have those as prereqs

 

[Monalyce]

Speech com classes are good. My school had a "communication issues in health care" class. Public speaking or interpersonal communications is useful. Also, anything that addresses cultural issues will be useful.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Take whatever interests you, whether it's philosophy or Quantum Physics.

As for non-core classes that will benefit you in Pharmacy school, I highly recommend Biochemistry if you're not already planning to take it.

 

[NaOH]

Thanks for the responses so far. Yeah, both Genetics and Biochem are two of the elective prereqs I plan on taking. Unfortunately for me at the moment, Genetics requires 12 hours of biology, and Biochem requires Analytical Chem 1, neither of which I have yet.

The speech com idea seems pretty good, considering how much face-to-face interaction comes with this line of work.

 

[UES Girl]

Take a statistics course, you will most likely have to take biostatistics your first year of pharmacy school and having a statistics course under your belt will make things a lot easier. I also second public speaking, depending on the schools you apply to, it may actually even be a requirement.

Which schools do you plan on applying to ?

I could give more specific pointers to applicants applying to my school.

 

[AdamSanders]

Anatomy and Physiology would be good to take before pharmacy school. Taking courses in Pharmacology and Med Chem may also be beneficial. Cell Biology would give you a better Bio background if you have not taken it yet. Other than that idk what to suggest that hasn't already been mentioned yet. Hope that gives you a few more ideas!

 

[kidkay]

Are courses like virology, immunology, parasitology, endocrinology, or histology useful courses ? IMO, I dont think so...but will adcoms be impressed?

 

[NaOH]

Take a statistics course, you will most likely have to take biostatistics your first year of pharmacy school and having a statistics course under your belt will make things a lot easier. I also second public speaking, depending on the schools you apply to, it may actually even be a requirement.

Which schools do you plan on applying to ?

I could give more specific pointers to applicants applying to my school.

UAMS, since it's about 10 minutes drive from my current apartment. If I don't manage to get in there? Well... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Suicidal risk = fun. 👍

Anatomy and Physiology are definitely on my to-do list. Intro to Statistics is also one of the elective prereqs, so yeah... that might be a good idea as well.

 

[delano2000]

psychology is a good one if you havnt taking it, genetics is useful too, some school may have those as prereqs

Sociology is so much easier.

 

[delano2000]

Speech com classes are good. My school had a "communication issues in health care" class. Public speaking or interpersonal communications is useful. Also, anything that addresses cultural issues will be useful.

👍

 

[DocAcclamation]

knock out a history or humanities course, most are pretty easy going.

 

[pharm B]

UAMS, since it's about 10 minutes drive from my current apartment. If I don't manage to get in there? Well... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Suicidal risk = fun. 👍

Anatomy and Physiology are definitely on my to-do list. Intro to Statistics is also one of the elective prereqs, so yeah... that might be a good idea as well.

Stats would be pretty doable. I only hate the course because of the prof I have. It's a pretty light "math" course.

 

[pearljam5a1]

I took an intro Medicinal Chemistry course and an intro Pharmacology course in undergrad. They weren't very difficult but they were useful in seeing a little of what I was getting myself into. My school had a medical school attached to it though so that may not be an option for you.

 

[drjmariesegars]

My question is on the same page as the OP-I'm just starting with my pre-requirements.
Would it be better to do my 'soft' requirements first or leave those last? Or mix them together?

 

[NaOH]

My question is on the same page as the OP-I'm just starting with my pre-requirements.
Would it be better to do my 'soft' requirements first or leave those last? Or mix them together?

Given that it seems a bit silly for me to be giving advice when I was the one who was originally looking for some... 😳 I would think mixing them would probably be best. One of the things I've heard from talking to people on the UAMS adcom is that they definitely look at course load when examining transcripts, and even if they're not all pure science classes, being able to regularly handle 16-18 hours over several semesters would certainly look good. And it's definitely nice to have at least one 'easy' class in the mix to give you a little breathing room when tackling some of the more rigorous classes.

My $.02, anyway.

But yeah, looks likes stats it is... just sucks though, my other three classes are all T-R, yet statistics is only offered in the afternoon MWF. Farewell, my 4-day weekend! :cry:

 

[drjmariesegars]

Given that it seems a bit silly for me to be giving advice when I was the one who was originally looking for some... 😳 I would think mixing them would probably be best. One of the things I've heard from talking to people on the UAMS adcom is that they definitely look at course load when examining transcripts, and even if they're not all pure science classes, being able to regularly handle 16-18 hours over several semesters would certainly look good. And it's definitely nice to have at least one 'easy' class in the mix to give you a little breathing room when tackling some of the more rigorous classes.

My $.02, anyway.

But yeah, looks likes stats it is... just sucks though, my other three classes are all T-R, yet statistics is only offered in the afternoon MWF. Farewell, my 4-day weekend! :cry:

Lol No, any USEFUL advice is welcomed during this sign up time. I wasn't sure But I am trying to apply to Wayne State's COP and they require that you have certain science classes to apply and some non-science classes so I just want to get all of those out of the way, but I feel better that i'm not a wimp for mixing them up. lol

 

[diastole]

Are courses like virology, immunology, parasitology, endocrinology, or histology useful courses ? IMO, I dont think so...but will adcoms be impressed?

I think immunology and endocrinology will be useful. I think we have an immunology block coming up and I keep learning about receptors and hormones and other things you will get in endocrinology.

I'd also recommend a medical terminology course if they offer one. They keep on throwing all these medical terms at us and I have no idea what they are talking about unless I ask. Health care professionals should know these things.

 

[kidkay]

I think immunology and endocrinology will be useful. I think we have an immunology block coming up and I keep learning about receptors and hormones and other things you will get in endocrinology.

I'd also recommend a medical terminology course if they offer one. They keep on throwing all these medical terms at us and I have no idea what they are talking about unless I ask. Health care professionals should know these things.

Taking coures in Medical terminology (2 credits) and Pharmacology (3 credits) really helpful for admissions purposes? I would assume it would be beneficial to accepted Pharm students taken pharm courses already. Are they considered "other sciences" courses? Or, Non-Science?

 

[desmoulins45179]

Taking coures in Medical terminology (2 credits) and Pharmacology (3 credits) really helpful for admissions purposes? I would assume it would be beneficial to accepted Pharm students taken pharm courses already. Are they considered "other sciences" courses? Or, Non-Science?

Medical terminology is considered an english course by pharmcas. pharmacology is "other science."

as for courses to recommend - i'd recommend economics. Both macro and micro are really easy and one is required for a bunch of schools. Even if it is not required, I think it is looked favorably on.

 

[kidkay]

Medical terminology is considered an english course by pharmcas. pharmacology is "other science."

as for courses to recommend - i'd recommend economics. Both macro and micro are really easy and one is required for a bunch of schools. Even if it is not required, I think it is looked favorably on.

Okay, thanks for the reply....

 

[rxlea]

Bioethics or History of Medicine (or equivalent). Those were two of the most interesting and enjoyable classes I ever took. Psychopharmacology was awesome, too....if you need a "social science", health psychology is great as well.