When Do I start taking the med school prerequisite courses?

[Mirc™]

I'm going to be starting college in less than 2 months and my major is going to be non science related, my school picks your schedule for you and they say you're supposed to meet with a pre med advisor to figure what you need to take and when. That's got me kind of worried cause what if they leave all my med prereqs till like my junior and senior year. Does anybody know the ideal schedule to take the required classes and still have enough time to study for the Mcat?

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[Dov]

Normally -

Freshman - General Biology and General Chemistry
Sophomore - Organic Chemistry (Maybe Physics)
Junior - Physics and MCAT in April
Senior - Apply and interview

If your takinf reqs senior year you will likely have to take a year off before applying which isn't a bad thing.

 

[Mirc™]

double post.

 

[Mirc™]

Normally -

Freshman - General Biology and General Chemistry
Sophomore - Organic Chemistry (Maybe Physics)
Junior - Physics and MCAT in April
Senior - Apply and interview

If your takinf reqs senior year you will likely have to take a year off before applying which isn't a bad thing.

that's it?, it makes it look a lot easier spaced out like that. But what about calc and Inorganic chem( if it's the same thing as gen chem).

Taking a year off isn't an option for me, unless I somehow make it into the NBA

 

[Robizzle]

yes, it's gen chem.

you plan on goin to the NBA??

 

[sponge]

I'm going to be starting college in less than 2 months and my major is going to be non science related, my school picks your schedule for you

Whoa. How do can your school pick your schedule for you. What if your interests change based on the classes you take? Sorry, I went to a school with a shopping period, so that makes no sense to me.

and they say you're supposed to meet with a pre med advisor to figure what you need to take and when. That's got me kind of worried cause what if they leave all my med prereqs till like my junior and senior year.

Chill out.

Your premed advisor might know its a bad idea to wait till junior and senior year to start taking premed courses. If you want to go straight to med school, you should have your bio, chem and physics done by junior year so you can take the MCAT that April. (Dov's schedule is the normal route). But I think you should take a year off to chill out. It'll be good for you.

 

[MollyMalone]

that's it?, it makes it look a lot easier spaced out like that. But what about calc and Inorganic chem( if it's the same thing as gen chem).

Taking a year off isn't an option for me, unless I somehow make it into the NBA

Calc is only required by a few schools. You can add it in at any point... including your senior year. Med schools require the prereqs to be done by matriculation, not by application, and since calc isn't on the MCAT it's not crucial to get it done early.

If you want to take calc-based physics for some reason, then of course you'd want to slot it in earlier. But calc-based physics isn't required.

 

[Dov]

I forgot about Calc; it is required for some schools... so is biochemistry. you can work those in whenever you want if you want. The courses i are the absolute minimum requirements. If you're really serious about medicine it is better to take more science/math courses. You should also factor in time for science/clinical research and commuity service stuff.

 

[Mirc™]

yes, it's gen chem.

you plan on goin to the NBA??

It's a dream that I've been thinking about a lot lately. It's not completley unrealistic, it's just going to take a lot of hardwork and a little growth spurt. I haven't grown an inch since I was 13/14 and back then I was the same height as almost everybody I knew, so just maybe.

Whoa. How do can your school pick your schedule for you. What if your interests change based on the classes you take? Sorry, I went to a school with a shopping period, so that makes no sense to me.

Yeah that was weird to me too but I think that they meant they just pick your freshman schedule for you or maybe even only first semester. But that still ruins things a little bit cause I'm supposed to be taking atleast one or two prereqs freshman year

Chill out.

Your premed advisor might know its a bad idea to wait till junior and senior year to start taking premed courses. If you want to go straight to med school, you should have your bio, chem and physics done by junior year so you can take the MCAT that April. (Dov's schedule is the normal route). But I think you should take a year off to chill out. It'll be good for you.

A year off isn't really an option for me, my degree is very unmarketable and I'd rather just finish as soon as I can.

 

[Robizzle]

doesn't matter how marketable your degree is. during your year off, you don't have to work that field. you can do volunteering, research, a masters program etc.

AS FOR having your own schedule picked out for you, my school does the same thing with engineers. i've known every class i was gonna take since i was a freshman. i think i only got to choose maybe 4 total.

 

[Mirc™]

doesn't matter how marketable your degree is. during your year off, you don't have to work that field. you can do volunteering, research, a masters program etc.

AS FOR having your own schedule picked out for you, my school does the same thing with engineers. i've known every class i was gonna take since i was a freshman. i think i only got to choose maybe 4 total.

Then I'd have to keep living off of my dad for an extra year and I really don't want that.

 

[CTtarheel]

if you can handle doing physics with organic it gives you the chance to take the MCAT in august after your sophomore year, which gives you the whole summer to study, instead of having to study for MCATs and do school. Although the computerized MCAT may change all that i guess . . .

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Don't forget physiology and biochemistry. Some are requirements, both help with the MCAT.

 

[CptCrunch]

if you can handle doing physics with organic it gives you the chance to take the MCAT in august after your sophomore year, which gives you the whole summer to study, instead of having to study for MCATs and do school. Although the computerized MCAT may change all that i guess . . .

It'll be offered 19 times a year so I don't think that should be a crucial consideration.

 

[Mirc™]

What's this about the new Mcat? 19 times a year?

 

[CptCrunch]

What's this about the new Mcat? 19 times a year?

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/cbt.htm

I was off, they say 22 times per year.

 

[Dov]

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/cbt.htm

I was off, they say 22 times per year.

I dont know how i feel about that... it'll be an end to mass school wide after-MCAT
parties. my physics princeton review instructor came to mine and ended up licking a former student of his on the face. craziest night of my life.

 

[Mirc™]

I just spoke with the school and they said that everybodies 1st semester schedule is determined by the school based on your major, then after that you can pick what you want. But I want if I would be badly affected by not getting to take a prereq my 1st semester?, would it hurt me

 

[SoCuteMD]

that's it?, it makes it look a lot easier spaced out like that. But what about calc and Inorganic chem( if it's the same thing as gen chem).

Taking a year off isn't an option for me, unless I somehow make it into the NBA

As someone who took "a year off" (actually 2!) and loved it, please don't rule it out so early. I worked (full time) so it wasn't actually "off" but it was seriously the best two years of my life!!

 

[Mirc™]

I just spoke with the school and they said that everybodies 1st semester schedule is determined by the school based on your major, then after that you can pick what you want. But I want if I would be badly affected by not getting to take a prereq my 1st semester?, would it hurt me

Someone?

 

[MJB]

If I had known then what I know now....I would have done the following....

FR: G. Chem I&II, Bio(General, Micro, Genetics, etc.)
SO: Physics I&II, Org. I&II (maybe move Genetics here?)

Mix in your English and some tough philosophy or other type reading/reasoning courses..

Study for MCAT after SO year...take it that august...

Then, you finish off whatever else you need and spend the summer after your Jr. year applying..Sr. year interviewing, etc...

In other words..take the classes, then review it and study for MCAT while it's all fairly fresh in your mind...

Just my .02

 

[mvenus929]

I just spoke with the school and they said that everybodies 1st semester schedule is determined by the school based on your major, then after that you can pick what you want. But I want if I would be badly affected by not getting to take a prereq my 1st semester?, would it hurt me

Ok, take a deep breath. It's ok if you're a semester, or even a year behind. I'm graduating in 3 years and had started a chemistry degree from scratch, so I'll be taking the MCATs right after I finish Ochem. If you're that worried about being a semester behind, call up your school and request that they put you in gen chem and gen bio. However, this may be a difficult course load based on your major, since (at my school, at least) those classes are 9 credit hours together. Others are most like 8, but that's still a lot of your schedule already filled. What is your major?

 

[vtucci]

Okay- I would tell your school that you want to be a chemistry or biology major (it does not have to be true). In fact, you are better off if you are not a science major.

Ideally,
F: General Chem 1&2 (with labs), Bio 1&2 (with labs), English 1&2 (many schools now require this)
S: OChem 1&2 (with labs), Genetics, Cell & Molecular Bio
J: Physics 1&2 (with labs)
S: Biochem 1&2, Anatomy and physio (not required but highly useful)

MCAT in Spring of senior year. I agree-- take a year off. It will make you a much more interesting candidate for medical school. You can apply for a fulbright, marshall or rhodes scholarship and go to England to study at Cambridge or Oxford. Or go learn a language at University of Milan, Barcelona, Toyko etc.

 

[Mirc™]

Ok, take a deep breath. It's ok if you're a semester, or even a year behind. I'm graduating in 3 years and had started a chemistry degree from scratch, so I'll be taking the MCATs right after I finish Ochem. If you're that worried about being a semester behind, call up your school and request that they put you in gen chem and gen bio. However, this may be a difficult course load based on your major, since (at my school, at least) those classes are 9 credit hours together. Others are most like 8, but that's still a lot of your schedule already filled. What is your major?

History, which comes really easy to me unlike science. Do you have to take 2 semesters of each Gen Chem and Gen bio or just one?

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

History, which comes really easy to me unlike science. Do you have to take 2 semesters of each Gen Chem and Gen bio or just one?

You'll need a full year of G Chem, O Chem, Intro Bio, and Physics. 8 semesters total.

 

[mvenus929]

History, which comes really easy to me unlike science. Do you have to take 2 semesters of each Gen Chem and Gen bio or just one?

Hmm... Since those majors are so much different, I'd suggest just calling up the school and telling them you have a premed intent. Sometimes it's just a program and other times it's a major, so see how your school defines it.