Hey, I’m trying to plan my classes for the next couple semesters, and I just thought I’d check to see if anyone had any recommendations about particular classes they really liked, found useful during med school or for the MCAT…or just think are a good idea.
Here’s my situation: I’ve finished all the standard science pre-reqs except for Physics 2. So I’ve gotta take that, and I’ll also take biochemistry and one psychology class. But up until now I’ve been attending a community college as a post-bacc student. A number of medical schools have recommended I switch to a four year school and also take some additional, upper level classes there. That’s what I’m trying to decide on.
I’ve already taken genetics, a year of calc, and statistics. I was thinking of taking p-chem in the fall, until one med school advisor told me that would make me look more like one of those “chemistry geeks” than a person whose focus is truly pre-med. Strange, since this particular med school recommends p-chem on its “applying to medical school timetable”. I thought that would be a GOOD way to validate my community college grades, so if anyone’s heard other views on the subject, please let me know! Anyway, I’m thinking maybe I should focus on bio from now on.
Possible classes I’ve come up with so far are cell bio, population genetics, physiology, microbiology, and molecular biology. Has anyone taken any of these and if so, any comments about them? I’m torn between animal and human physiology. I think it would be interesting to compare different animal physiologies, but maybe it’s more common to stick to the human stuff? (And at this point I think the more traditional I make my application, the better.) Is animal phys a common bio major course?
Any suggestions about especially useful classes, including some I could add to my list? Are there any upper level chem classes you’d recommend?
Thanks in advance!
Hey,
I took (and eventually dropped due to work conflicts) a class called molecular cell physiology which was as you might geuss a combo of molecular phys and cell bio. It was an outstanding class while I was able to attend. I think having a basic understanding of this stuff will be a tremendous help in med school especially if you are interested in research. I also took a mammalian pysiology course which was set up as a comparative phys class. Also really cool (even though the instructor was a dips@!$). This class would also be of help in med school. During physiology a lot of stuff would be review. All the classes you listed will be of help in med school. I gave my thoughts on the classes that I have taken but I think it's pretty much 6 of one and a half dozen of the other as to which you choose. Good Luck!
I would take the cell bio and the human physiology before I took pchem they will be good for the MCAT…
Well I can't advise on what will be the most useful for the MCAT or med school since I'm not yet to that point, but I can tell you a little bit about the bio major at our school. A class in animals or plants is required, as such I'm going to take mammology which is a comparative anatomy/physiology course. Cell bio is required for all majors at my school. Out of the others you are thinking about I'll be taking all of them except population genetics and a separate course in physiology (I took A&P instead). Also, if your school offers a higher level microbio class such as bacteriology you may find that more useful. We have a lower division micro that is geared toward nursing students, and then an upper division geared more toward med students. I would think any of your choices would be good ones but I'd probably start with the cell bio class.
Good luck!
–Jessica, UCCS
I took all these chem & bio courses as an undergraduate and also the bio courses again at the grad level and all those that you mentioned are good. I loved molecular and cell biology and think these are especially useful. And these areas are where alot of changes are always happening due to new research. Have you thought about trying to do some research for one of your professors in these subjects?
If you actually like 'hardcore' chemistry and think they would like you to show you can do well in an especially demanding course then PChemistry might be good to take. But I wouldn't take it if you don't genuinely like PChem that much. Even though I was a chem major I found PChem pretty tough and I sure didn't enjoy it much (except for quantum chemistry - I thought this was so strange that it was fun, but it's the least relevant I suppose for med school).
What about Biochemistry? This is definitely useful.
LM
human physio is good and would be helpful on MCAT (esp if your year of bio did not inculde alot of physio like CV, renal, digestive, neuro, etc). cell bio, molecular biology, microbiology are all interesting as well. USC requires both biochmem & molec. bio for their program so they think they are good for pre-meds . All of the course are great and i've taken them all excep pop genetics (had some of that in regular genetics and other course of course).
as far as human vs. comparative courses - I took comparative physiology of exercise - and it was one of the best classes - we studied all that you would expect (muscle physio, cardiovascular, pulmonary systems, factors that contribute to VO2 max, etc) - and 99% is the same for humans -
and we were able to study all the BEST athletes in the animal kingdom -
like birds: how do they fly (very demanding exercise) over the Alps (very very high altitude) where we cannot even walk without supplementary O2 ?
like tuna - amazing endurance athletes
like the giraffe - how the heck does he ventilate with all that anatomical dead space in his long trachea ?
so - don't disregard comparative courses - they are not necessarily less interesting or less applicable if you have good teachers like I did.
Lisa
Thanks for all these replies! They're very helpful. Especially since I'm not enrolled in a formal major or program–it's nice to get these suggestions. I'm leaning more and more toward physiology and molecular.