Medical What class should I keep/drop?

[TheBoneDoctah]

So I am taking Physics 2, Biochem, Health Psychology, and Pathophysiology and/or Medical Microbiology, it shows as a complete 18 hours which is something I do not want as it's something I can't handle. Now I can either take Patho or Med Micro, but I am unsure which one will be more helpful. I'm in a stuggle with my gpa, trying my best to pick it up, especially because I have to make all A's if I want to get above a 3.0. Following, these classes do not have lab, they're just regular courses with Patho being a 4 credit course and Medical Micro a 3 hour course, though these classes do require a lot of knowledge. I am unsure which will be a big help, and taking it next semester won't be an option as they're both only offered in the Fall. Though the next fall will be my last semester. I have to decide until August 11th as that's when tuition fees are due and if I decide after, then my financial aid will be affected. I have also been unable to get in contact with my Advisor. Although last time we spoke she recommended to choose between Physic 2 or Patho, but because I want to take the MCAT next semester, I decided to keep Physics 2 so I don't have to worry about it then. Though, before I was going to drop patho, I realized the stress of how much the class of med mirco will also be. I could really use some help with this decision, I know that it will be up to me in the end, but to help make it easier will be a big help as I just want to choose and focus on passing this semester. If you'd like me to also clarify some things from the courses themselves, I will happily be able to explain. Following, they're just regular courses, not really towards nursing per-se, no labs, just the classes themselves.

What do you mean by “helpful?” Are you meaning helpful for medical school? Helpful for the MCAT? Helpful because you think it looks better to ADCOM?

My opinions after going through the MCAT and medical school:

Medical school: Medical micro probably more helpful in medical school because you will see microbiology in most of your systems (resp, cardio, MSK) and having seen it already will make it easier than learning it the first time. Also, pathopys most likely will be at a superficial level and won’t be much help.

MCAT: Med micro would be helpful for the MCAT as there are micro basics on it. Physiology would be helpful for MCAT...but pathophys not so much.

For admission: Probably no difference but I will wait for @Goro to answer this.

 

[Goro]

Take what interests you

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I presume you couldn't take Medical Microbiology without having first taken a fundamentals in microbiology class. I'm guessing you took a physiology fundamentals class before taking pathophysiology. You mention you have been trying to raise your GPA, so you should know which class you had trouble with. If you don't have a fundamentals class, you probably should be careful taking the appropriate advanced course.

 

[lord999]

Yeah, I already took Microbiology and Physiology, I sort of had trouble with both classes as I took them both at the same time along with Pre-Cal and Organic Chemistry and I had a huge burnout that semester which I am experiencing again and which is why I can't decide between these classes. I really do want to raise my gpa, but I just am unsure which I had the most trouble with as I was struggling during that time. And although both of these classes are interesting, it's hard to identify which one I will do okay in.

Have you considered taking a gap year/leave of absence and recuperating? Strength of schedule does not get any easier in medical school, and at least the Physics requires the laboratory component for a number of schools. It's hard to identify what you will do ok in, but if your math scores for Precal are bad, Physics will not work out well as it depends on you knowing Trig as well as a facility for word problem reduction to equations. And if you are in the Calculus based Physics, I generally advise non-engineering majors to NOT take a Cal-based Physics class simultaneously with Calculus (at the very least, you need to have the Chain rule down and be somewhere in series when taking Physics I), it usually does not work out well.

 

[tantacles]

Just take whatever you think you will get A’s in.