Which Physics Classes satisfy requirements?!

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poshdoctor

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Forgive me if this is a dumb question but my pre-med advisor is on vacation 😕

Will Physics 1A Mechanics with Lab
and
Physics 1B Electricity and Magnetism with Lab

satisfy the year of physics requirement for most med schools??

THANKS MUCH 🙂
 
you need a full year, with lab. the course descriptions ought to include something like "for life science majors" or "for pre-health professions" "pre-medical" whatever.
 
A lot of schools have physics "survey" courses which are kind of like "fun with physics" i.e. expectations are lower, less material is covered and the math is more manageable for the non-mathematically inclined.

Most pre-health students end up taking the required credits in college physics with lab (synonym for algebra-based physics usually, if you haven't had calculus this is the physics to take for sure) or university physics with lab (synonym for calculus-based physics, this is sometimes taken by pre-health but definitely taken by engineering types).
 
does it matter if the 8 credits are in an algebra based physics or should I take calculus then calc based physics?
 
you need a full year, with lab. the course descriptions ought to include something like "for life science majors" or "for pre-health professions" "pre-medical" whatever.
No, it shouldn't.
 
Generally "physics 1" is mechanics, kinetics, etc and "physics 2" is electricity and magnetism so yes you should be OK as long as there are accompanying labs to each class. It won't matter if the classes are algebra or calculus based.

My school is umm different in that they offer something like 5 or 6 variations of Physics 1 and 2. At the end of the day, the content is at least 85% the same.
 
you need a full year, with lab. the course descriptions ought to include something like "for life science majors" or "for pre-health professions" "pre-medical" whatever.
Most schools just have General Physics which is for all science majors (physics, chem, bio, etc) rather than specific sections for life science majors.

As a math major, I took physics with a bunch of chemistry, physics, math, bio, etc majors. It was calc based, and we also had a non calc based one. Interestingly, engineers didn't take this physics, they had their own integrated physics course within the engineering department.

All three would have been adequate preparation. Only thing you want to avoid are courses like "Physics for non science majors" and things like that.
 
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