online pre-req courses from U of Cal Berkeley

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
1

Hi All,
I would like to take MCAT in Aug 2006. I have masters in computer engg but I still need the pre-reqs in BioChem, Biology and Organic Chem. I checked the UC Berkeley online courses and they have everything I need, including “virtual” labs. Looks like they ship the chemicals to your home
I really would like to get started on this right away w/o waiting for course offerings to begin at local schools.
Will it be ok to do the pre-reqs online?

2

I only know 1 person who took classes from UCal and she is currently a 3rd year med student. According to her, the adcoms didn’t have a problem with her classes. In fact, I plan to take 3 or 4 of the classes myself over the next year or so.

3

Excellent!

4

Quote:

I only know 1 person who took classes from UCal and she is currently a 3rd year med student. According to her, the adcoms didn’t have a problem with her classes. In fact, I plan to take 3 or 4 of the classes myself over the next year or so.

pathdr2b: Do you know what BIOL classes you will be taking? I keep hearing that section of MCAT requires more than just a couple of classes. Do you know where I can find the material covered in MCAT?
Thanks!

5

ALL topics covered on the MCAT can be found at www.aamc.org under the MCAT heading. You will have to dig around a little and become familiar with the site but it is all there. Here is the specific link for biology topics covered
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/studentmanual/biologicalsciences/biology.pdf

6

Rianah -
Before dropping a lot of $$$ on these classes, you might want to talk to the admissions offices of a couple of schools you are interested in and make sure that they will accept the classes. You might also consider talking to a pre-med advisor at UC-Berkely and finding out what their take is on them.

7

I am taking biochem right now, and it seems more like an overview and I was a bit concerned that it would not work for some schools. I believe that my schools of choice accept the course, but I didn’t hear that from them directly. One school requires a semester (4 credit hrs.), but you can take only a quarter if you also have cell bio. So, I counted other upper-level bio classes as my bio req. and cell bio as my biochem req. If I don’t get into med school the first round, maybe I’ll take a more advanced class somewhere next year. Biochem is my favorite.

8

Quote:

pathdr2b: Do you know what BIOL classes you will be taking? I keep hearing that section of MCAT requires more than just a couple of classes.

I’m considering 3 of the following courses:
Genetics
Immunology
Biology of Cancer
Physiology

9

Quote:

I am taking biochem right now, and it seems more like an overview and I was a bit concerned that it would not work for some schools. I believe that my schools of choice accept the course, but I didn’t hear that from them directly. One school requires a semester (4 credit hrs.), but you can take only a quarter if you also have cell bio. So, I counted other upper-level bio classes as my bio req. and cell bio as my biochem req. If I don’t get into med school the first round, maybe I’ll take a more advanced class somewhere next year. Biochem is my favorite.






They state that the biochem course is more gearded toward allied health professionals, still I think some exposure to biochem before med school is better than none at all.





I also heard that this online biochem course offered through a DO school, is more on par with a biochem course a premed might take:





http://distance.une.edu/

10

In doing a random paging through the PreMedical Advisor’s Reference Manual (Eighth Edition, 2005), most medical schools do not accept on-line course work for the pre-reqs. If you choose this route, know that your med school choices will be limited.
Cheers,
Judy

11

For me, it was either take the course now, or wait a year to fit it into my schedule. So if I don’t get accepted this year because I don’t have the best biochem class, I can take it again next year while I reapply and I’m even (except for the $$). But if I do get in, then it is well worth it. So far the class is fine, but I am just starting. You might want to check out ratemyprofessors first.