Just to clarify, those are your old grades you listed there, correct?
Given the Cs and Ds, it may well pay to retake all those courses. Are you aware that (regardless of your school’s grade forgiveness program) you will still have to report all of your grades - old and new - to AMCAS? If you go the DO route, there is more forgiveness, but I do believe they’re at least aware of everything. FYI.
That shouldn’t stop you, of course, and it sounds like you’ve already got a good plan.
If I were on an AdCom, I’d want to see higher level science coursework. If you do well in everything you have here, you’ve shown me that you can do well on things after you’ve already seen them once. I want to see you do well on newer, harder material. Organic 2 and Physics 2 will be good opportunities for that, but you’ll want more.
I’d recommend taking anything high-level science that appeals to you. One of my favorite courses from my post-bacc was Molecular Neuroscience, which some folks would probably hate .
In general, I’d say the following courses are good to get exposure to:
Anatomy & Physiology
Genetics
Biochemistry
um… I’m sure there’s lots more. Just pursue your interests.
Again in general (not really calculating out your timeframe or anything), I’d say it may be best to plan to shoot for 2011. It’s another year, yeah, but it’s only another year. That gives you more time to take care of everything you have to take care of, somewhat less pressure in completing your courses, and more time to do life-type stuff that you may not be able to do as much once school starts.
Just to clarify, those are your old grades you listed there, correct?
Yes.
Are you aware that (regardless of your school's grade forgiveness program) you will still have to report all of your grades - old and new - to AMCAS?
I am now. Kinda wishing that I had switched over to communications a couple semesters earlier during undergrad. That way I wouldn't be haunted by those old grades. Live and learn...
If I were on an AdCom, I'd want to see higher level science coursework...In general, I'd say the following courses are good to get exposure to:
Anatomy & Physiology
Genetics
Biochemistry
That's what I was thinking. Including the courses you listed, along with Invert. Zoology, Botany and Cell Biology I would almost complete the requirements for a BS in Biology.
I'd say it may be best to plan to shoot for 2011. It's another year....somewhat less pressure in completing your courses, and more time to do life-type stuff that you may not be able to do as much once school starts.
Great point. It would give me time to take at least 2 of those higher level courses and possibly get some rresearch/volunteering done.
Regarding upper level science courses to take, my favorite so far has been Immunology. It integrated molecular bio, biochem, and genetics in a really fun and relevant manner.
As far as what I remember showing up on the MCAT outside of the core requirements, I would recommend any combination of cell bio, biochemistry, and genetics.
Again, those all sound like many of the courses I’d need to complete a BS in Biology. And since I’m not trying to enter med school until fall 2011, 2010 would have been pushing it, it seems like a very doable degree to work toward - especially since it will help on the MCAT.
If you go to the AAMC website (I think), there should be a pdf with a topic list of all the specific subjects the MCAT will cover (that is, particulars of what biology will be on the exam, etc).
It wasn’t hugely useful to me, but I did refer to it more than once. It may pay to check out, see if it gives you any ideas. Just don’t let it frighten ya
Funny you should mention that Adam, I just found those topic lists the other day. There are links to them under the Test Sections part of the website below.
Ok. So I was orginally going to go the 2nd bachelor’s route, but I’ve decided to get a Master’s instead.
I found some schools that offer a one-year master’s in either medical sciences/biology/immunolo gy, all designed to strengthen potential med school applicants. Which degree depends on the school. The few I’ve researched are Tulane, Loyola, and San Diego State’s and there are more out there (but I have Organic 1 this semester and haven’t had the time to surf and put a good list together).
But I’ll be applying to some programs next spring after the MCAT, since I’ll have a whole year free in btw the exam and entering med school(fingers crossed) it sounded perfect. I will still apply to med school next summer and if everything goes according to plan, I’ll do the master’s and be done in spring of 2011, take the summer off and then be in medical school that fall(woohoo!).
Buuuuuuuut…
If I don’t have any luck with my med school applications next summer then it will make me better prepared for the next year’s round of apps. That way, I wouldn’t have wasted a year doing nothing and I’ll at least have gotten an advanced degree out of the deal.
Other than worrying about how how I’m going to fund all of those applications, lol, does anyone see where I might run into any trouble??
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Kinda wishing that I had switched over to communications a couple semesters earlier during undergrad. That way I wouldn't be haunted by those old grades. Live and learn...
then it will make me better prepared for the next year’s round of apps. That way, I wouldn’t have wasted a year doing nothing and I’ll at least have gotten an advanced degree out of the deal.