What classes to take in the fall?

[BlueElmo]

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hey guys, so I have so far taken biochemistry, genetics (don't remember much), cell biology, human physiology, and human anatomy (no lab/dissections). I still need to take one or two more biology classes for my major. Which ones should I take that may prove to be useful for medical school?

 

[TexasPhysician]

If they have embryology, I'd take that.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Take something easy, even if it might not directly apply to med school. No use in busting your butt on something you're just going to go over later - have a little bit of fun with the classes you are taking!

 

[BlueElmo]

Should I take immunology or endocrinology? How about statistics?

 

[fizzle]

Should I take immunology or endocrinology? How about statistics?

Try introduction to neurobiology (I think MCB160 or something? Don't remember). Your school (won't divulge which in case you want anonymity) has some really good lecturers for that class, and the material is fascinating. Immunology was a bit more bleh--interesting topic, but the exams require way too much memorization of minute details that makes studying for them more tedious than educational.

 

[BlueElmo]

Try introduction to neurobiology (I think MCB160 or something? Don't remember). Your school (won't divulge which in case you want anonymity) has some really good lecturers for that class, and the material is fascinating. Immunology was a bit more bleh--interesting topic, but the exams require way too much memorization of minute details that makes studying for them more tedious than educational.

but i heard 160 is especially tough. I keep hearing how taking immunology is really helpful once(if?) you get into medical schools.

 

[Dannyw]

immunology

I'm doing cancer biology next semester. I'm stoked...

 

[AdmiralChz]

I was going to take Immunology - then I went to lecture. I dropped it immediately afterwards, horrible!

 

[ksmi117]

I'm in an Endocrinology class right now, and I love it. But I love the whole idea behind hormones and such, so maybe that's just me. Again, it is one of those things that we'll learn later anyway.

 

[fizzle]

but i heard 160 is especially tough. I keep hearing how taking immunology is really helpful once(if?) you get into medical schools.

In my experience, if the subject really interests you, then the class will seem easier than what everyone says. I personally enjoyed neurobiology more than immunology. Immunology was fun as an overall concept, but going into the minute details of the immune system really made the class boring for me. Neurobiology, on the other hand, deals with a wider variety of topics, including the five senses, and I found it much more fascinating (the class was also easier for me than immunology, but that might just have been a result of my enjoying the class a lot more). I can't say which would be more useful (probably both of them are), though.

Ideally, I'd like to say that you should pick courses by how interested you are in the subject rather than how easy it is, but I know that many others argue for the easier course most times because a high GPA is important, so I don't know what to say 😳

PS: My GPA suffered quite a bit because of my philosophy in signing up for courses regardless of difficulty, so if a high GPA is your main goal, then don't listen to me I did have a great time in most of my courses, but now that I'm going through the application cycle, I don't know how worth it everything was.

 

[TMP-SMX]

If they have embryology, I'd take that.

Are you serious? Worst subject of medical school followed by biochem then anatomy.

Either way, all of you should take what you'd enjoy and you can do well on. Though in general physiology is very helpful for the MCAT and understanding concepts for medical school phys. Micro is another very helpful subject along with biochemistry.

 

[BlueElmo]

Are you serious? Worst subject of medical school followed by biochem then anatomy.

Either way, all of you should take what you'd enjoy and you can do well on. Though in general physiology is very helpful for the MCAT and understanding concepts for medical school phys. Micro is another very helpful subject along with biochemistry.

why is embryology the worst subject? By the way, I'm hating physiology right now. And what do they call cell biology at medical schools?

 

[Bacchus]

I'd also proposition you take immuno if you can. I'm in the class right now and it really isn't that bad (granted I haven't gotten my midterm paper back yet). However, our class is small (15 people) and is more of a lecture/discussion type course than a lets watch the professor talk while I sit with 200 people kind of course.

 

[TMP-SMX]

why is embryology the worst subject? By the way, I'm hating physiology right now. And what do they call cell biology at medical schools?

Very little applicability to anything besides obscure diseases of development and it is just a pain. I took developmental biology in undergrad and it was probably my most difficult course. Of course we should all know about ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm, but you learn it all in medical school so what's the point of suffering through it? It doesn't help you for the MCAT so there isn't much benefit.

Cell Biology depends on the school. Normal cell biology is usually the first exam of histology.

As for phys, it isn't an easy subject either, but the concepts are very important for Step I (or at least in learning pathophysiology), medicine, and the MCAT especially.