Please excuse my ineptitude in discerning the answer to the following topic, ‘premed requirements,’ but I am a bit confused, thus far.
I know that it basically amounts to:
Biology w/lab 1yr.(two sem.)
Physics w/lab 1yr. (two sem.)
Chem inorganic w/lab 1yr. (two sem.)
Chem organic w/lab 1yr. (two sem)
dependent upon specific school requirements:
English 1yr. (two sem.)
Math 1yr. (two sem.) – Algebra, Calculus, Statistics?
Humanities (one sem.)
Behaviorial Science (one sem.)
My question relates to “Biology.” Can I take Gen. Biology I, II (science majors) to fulfill the biology requirement? The reason I ask this is because I have seen references made by OPMers to courses such as Biochemistry, Microbiology, Zoology, etc., as premed requirements they are taking.
Can someone please clarify for me what the deal is?
Thanks,
Jack
| QUOTE (jpatter916 @ Oct 25 2002, 12:33 PM) |
| Please excuse my ineptitude in discerning the answer to the following topic, 'premed requirements,' but I am a bit confused, thus far. I know that it basically amounts to: Biology w/lab 1yr.(two sem.) Physics w/lab 1yr. (two sem.) Chem inorganic w/lab 1yr. (two sem.) Chem organic w/lab 1yr. (two sem) dependent upon specific school requirements: English 1yr. (two sem.) Math 1yr. (two sem.) -- Algebra, Calculus, Statistics? Humanities (one sem.) Behaviorial Science (one sem.) My question relates to "Biology." Can I take Gen. Biology I, II (science majors) to fulfill the biology requirement? The reason I ask this is because I have seen references made by OPMers to courses such as Biochemistry, Microbiology, Zoology, etc., as premed requirements they are taking. Can someone please clarify for me what the deal is? Thanks, Jack |
Jack,
You are right on the money with your understanding of the basic "Pre-Med" classes. These are the classes that cover the material that the MCAT tests. Specific schools may have requirements above and beyond the basic pre-med classes. Some folks may be taking other classes for those reasons.
Biochemistry is a particularly difficult course for most medical students. I can tell you that more people fail Biochem than any other medical school course. If you have a chance and your science background is weak, Biochem is a good choice just for understanding. If you are a science major, you are probably not going to feel as lost in the medschool Biochem.
Since some OPMers are working on baccalaureate degrees, they may be taking things like Zoology as requirements for those degrees. If you already have a baccaulaureate degree, you only need to take the pre-med courses and those courses that are specifically required by the medical schools that you are applying to. Beware that some schools are starting to require Genetics or Molecular Biology so look at what the individual schools want.
General Biology with lab is the course that traditionally fulfills the 1 year of Biology pre-med requirement. General Chemistry with lab is the course that traditionally fulfulls the Inorganic Chemistry requirement. Believe me, if anyone had to take the Inorganic Chemistry (graduate course) that I took as a pre-grad chemistry major, they would have given up on medical school. It was a world apart from freshman General Chemistry.
Natalie
as Nat said, Gen Bio I&II w/lab is what the schools are looking for when they specify “1 yr Bio w/lab”.
However, with regard to Biochem, there are a few schools that have this on either their required list or their highly recommended list (e.g. USC).
I've taken Bio 1, Cell bio, Anatomy, P-chem (biochem), genetics, and Histology for my bio stuff…
At my school, I took Bio I over summer. I found that much significant material was left out as far as the MCAT is concerned. For example, we did not cover any of the body’s systems, viruses, among others. As a Bio major, I have taken Physiology, Microbiology and Genetics, and am currently taking Biochemistry I. If I had to rely on just two semesters of Intro Bio to be prepared enough for the MCAT, I’d be in big trouble! But then again, my Chem major friends will be more prepared for the Phys Sci section of the MCAT than I will! After taking the required 2 semesters of Bio, try taking one or two more Bio courses that are based on topics that you found interesting in your intro courses, e.g. Genetics, Molecular Bio, etc. And I agree with previous posters-- check with the individual schools and see what they require. Some schools are pretty explicit about this, e.g. “at least one advanced level biological sciences” or “at least one semester of biochemistry is recommended”, etc.
Good luck!
JuJu
Lisa, you’re right.
I just scratched four medical schools off my list because they have either 1 semester or a year of Biochemistry as an admission requirement:
Mayo, Minnesota/Twin Cities, Minnesota/Duluth, Nebraska
It’s not that I don’t want to take it, but between job requirements etc, I simply don’t have the space on my schedule open to do it.
Can I just add, that for the MCAT, Molecular Bio/Genetics will be invaluable. I took it after the MCAT, and had quite a few, “OH, Yeah!” moments during the class.
DRD
U of MN requires BioChem - but I didn’t realize that it’s not required for understanding on the MCAT - that gives me a much better plan!!! Thank you!
I took 2 freshman/sophomore-level courses that were more specific than general bio: intro cell biology and intro genetics. These were both accepted by all med schools as fulfulling the bio requirement, but they were much more useful for med school and extremely useful for the MCAT.
The general bio courses would have covered a bunch of stuff that I didn’t need (ecology, botany, etc.); instead, the cell bio course included a lot of general cell biology (great for first semester med school) and a bit of physiology and anatomy (kidney, heart, lungs) which was very helpful on the MCAT, and the genetics was fantastic preparation for med school.
sorry, i’m still confused. so does that mean for the schools that do not require any other bio except for 1 year, i am allowed to substitute molecular biology for gen bio 1? (i am currently taking gen bio 2)
Most med schools would probably accept your molecular biology for gen bio 1, especially since you are taking gen bio 2. HOWEVER, be sure to check with the individual schools you are planning to apply to. Each school may address the issue differently.
Best of luck!
for some reason Gen Bio 1 seems improtant to some schools?
I don’t understand why though? Check with the schools you are intrested with thats the best way. Some people think cause they took Anatomy and Physio in undergrad it is the same as med school it is not. Useful Bio for med school is genetics, micro ect. so much happens at the cell level!
So… check with the school, avoid eccology and ect unless you need them to graduate. Good Luck, Good grades 