I didn’t know where to post this so I apoligize if I am in the wrong section. I am just curious to know if people continued to take undergrad classes after they were accepted. I can take classes next semester but I was considering not and working on some personal endeavors (i.e. brushing up on a foreign language and losing a few pounds).
Do schools frown on those who don’t continue to take classwork up until med school matriculation?
Hey obesedude,
First congratulations…when I saw this post I thought dancing around the clock would have been an option…it must be exciting as heck!
Have you already registered for classes? Have you taken biochemistry…that might be one class to consider. But I don’t think that you need to take a full-load. As long as you have your bachelors degree, I don’t think that you have to continue with school. I’m sure that there are many accepted students that are going to use this year (especially nontrads) to get their finances in order.
Kris
I’m still in the process with ya, dude, but I’m planning on doing a bit of both. I’ll likely only take one class next semester, so I can get back to work full time, and still have time for extracurriculars and R&R. I figure that after August, I won’t have much time to relax for a while :P.
As long as you have completed the pre-requisites, medical schools don’t care if you are taking classes during the application year or not. As Kris mentioned, if you haven’t already taken biochemistry, I would strongly recommend you take it. Other than that though, don’t kill yourself taking classes. If there’s anything you WANT to take that you feel will help make your life a little easier in med school (genetics, immuno, micro), it certainly wouldn’t hurt. But, if you don’t want to, relax and and enjoy the free time that you won’t have again for quite a while. 
I was done with pre-reqs in May and I am taking this time to work and enjoy myself before school takes my life away!
Hey,
Since, I needed my undergrad degree… I took a full course load BUT unlike previously I took some “sightseer” courses of interest… History of Christianity, Popular culture of the 1940’s, my last Western Civ, I took Biochem “lite” and of course I taught THREE sections of physiology lab…
I took time to watch some B-Ball, I lived across the street from the “Phog” in “Allen Fieldhouse”
Richard
I don’t wanna hijack this thread, but it does bring up a point that’s been a little itchy in the back of my head. I think the very topic of the thread answers my question, but just wanna verify this:
So let’s say I take the MCAT in May of 2009. To do well, I will have needed to basically take all of my pre-requisites. When I get my 43 on the MCAT (har-de-har-har), I begin applying – this is like June/July of 2009. By some miracle I get accepted somewhere, but this acceptance is for (generally) September of 2010, right? I mean, it’s like almost a full year between acceptance and classes beginning?
Cheers,
brian
- Seacuke Said:
So let's say I take the MCAT in May of 2009. To do well, I will have needed to basically take all of my pre-requisites. When I get my 43 on the MCAT (har-de-har-har), I begin applying -- this is like June/July of 2009. By some miracle I get accepted somewhere, but this acceptance is for (generally) September of 2010, right? I mean, it's like almost a full year between acceptance and classes beginning?
Brian, you are correct. This is commonly called the "lag year". For traditional students, this usually isn't an issue, as they have taken all of their pre-reqs and the MCAT by the end of their junior year. They then take other courses needed to complete their degree during the application year.
If you are able, I would recommend that you take a few non-prereq science courses during this year. You can mark on your application that you plan to take them. In particular, biochemistry is a course that you don't need prior to the MCAT but many med schools now require. As mentioned in other posts, genetics, immunology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology are all courses that will help you prepare for medical school. And, in case you don't get accepted the first time around, you can continue to improve your GPA and academic record during this time for reapplication.
- obesedude Said:
I didn't know where to post this so I apoligize if I am in the wrong section. I am just curious to know if people continued to take undergrad classes after they were accepted. I can take classes next semester but I was considering not and working on some personal endeavors (i.e. brushing up on a foreign language and losing a few pounds).
Do schools frown on those who don't continue to take classwork up until med school matriculation?
Do schools frown on those who don't continue to take classwork up until med school matriculation?
As long as you have met all the pre-med coure requirements and meet the degree requirement that the med school has, you can do anything you want between acceptance and matriculation. Relax and enjoy the time off. It will be a long time before you have that kind of time again. :-)
Cheers,
Judy
Thank you for the replies everyone. Yes, I was looking into auditing BioChem before I asked this question but because of scheduling (I got a new job and don’t think I can attend the class since its during the day) I was wondering how hard should I work to make it happen. I talked w/ an advisor and he said, you don’t need to but what I probably will end up doing is buying the texts and study along w/ the class if I can’t register and attend it like any other student.
<<
but this acceptance is for (generally) September of 2010, right? I mean, it’s like almost a full year between acceptance and classes beginning?
>>
I think you may have mistyped by accident, but just to be clear-- it’s a full year between submitting AMCAS (summer of 2009) and starting class (summer of 2010). Acceptances can happen in the fall, but the lion’s share (and all acceptances from non-rolling admissions institutions) come between March and August. I was accepted about midway through May, and MAN I needed the time between then and the golden date of August 5 to get my shit together for the move. It went by FAST.
GOOD LUCK! Study hard in your prereqs and MCAT prep will be a much less harried affair.
I think studying Biochem on your own will be fine. Most people who studied undergrad Biochem got do to a bit less studying in the first few weeks of med school biochem, but there wasn’t a huge difference.
The first thing - I don’t recall, it was quite the blur. However, I do recall gethering up all of my pre-med books & gifting them to one of my classmates at UTDallas for good luck. He is a member of OPM, although he does not post as much recently, he is EagleEye. Then, I went out & purchased a copy of Kenneth Iserson’s book: Getting Into a Residency. I had read it 2x prior to ever starting med school.
But, I did not study a single blasted thing. I, of course, completed my coursework at UTD & graduated. The rest of my time was invested spedning time with Wendy (my wife) family & friends. We moved to Kirksville 3 mos prior to starting med school - Wendy interviewed at the hospital there in K’ville, was hired & they wanted her to start ASAP. So, we moved within 2 weeks of my college graduation.
Just prior to starting med school, I drove “home”, to Little Rock, to spend some time w/ family & friends…and I was driving Wendy nuts because I did not have enough to do; so she ran me off! 
I was able to pull off a “fishing trip” with several of my long-time friends who also happen to be my hunting buddies. We did not do any actual fishing…LOL…the ONLY time the poles made itout of the bed of the truck was to go get the keg (we did not want to screw up our fishing poles) to have a big party at the lakehouse one my friends was living in.
Ahhhh, those were the carefree days of old! Days of our youth. Days of our glory!
After getting the call that morning, I was bursting to tell my wife, but waited until lunchtime. I took her to lunch and sprung it on her.
Then, I went and bought a nice cigar (CAO Gold, I believe) and lit it with the rolled up rejection letters from U of Pitt and U of Rochester.
- racerx Said:
After getting the call that morning, I was bursting to tell my wife, but waited until lunchtime. I took her to lunch and sprung it on her.
Then, I went and bought a nice cigar (CAO Gold, I believe) and lit it with the rolled up rejection letters from U of Pitt and U of Rochester.
Then, I went and bought a nice cigar (CAO Gold, I believe) and lit it with the rolled up rejection letters from U of Pitt and U of Rochester.
Nice. Very, very nice
.
- OldManDave Said:
...Then, I went out & purchased a copy of Kenneth Iserson's book: Getting Into a Residency. I had read it 2x prior to ever starting med school.
Dave brings up an important point. Begin planning for your residency applications the minute you get accepted into medical school. Those of you who have attended various OPM conferences have learned how useful this is.
Cheers,
Judy
As tough as this game is, once you clear ANY hurdle, you MUST refocus on the next one. Sure, you can & should take some time to revel in your successes - you damned well deserve to do so. However, do not waste too much time patting yourself on the back or the pack will leave you behind.
I will tell you something that I found extremely valuable - once you are “IN”, do not waste your time trying to pre-study for med school. Nothing you have done in grad school will have nearly the depth nor will it have the same focus as the coursework in Ugrad school. So, do yourself & your loved ones a favor & INVEST your precious time by spending quantity & quality time with your friends & family. You will not have the same magnitude of opportunity for many years.
- OldManDave Said:
.... once you are "IN", do not waste your time trying to pre-study for med school. ..... So, do yourself & your loved ones a favor & INVEST your precious time by spending quantity & quality time with your friends & family. You will not have the same magnitude of opportunity for many years.
Agreed. I did a LOT of family things, read books I had been wanting to enjoy, went out with friends... med school is a different animal from any other schooling and honestly, working yourself to death prior to starting is not constructive. Enjoy yourself.
Mary
- obesedude Said:
I didn't know where to post this so I apoligize if I am in the wrong section. I am just curious to know if people continued to take undergrad classes after they were accepted. I can take classes next semester but I was considering not and working on some personal endeavors (i.e. brushing up on a foreign language and losing a few pounds).
Do schools frown on those who don't continue to take classwork up until med school matriculation?
Do schools frown on those who don't continue to take classwork up until med school matriculation?
Are you done with your degree and the pre-reqs? If so, there's no need to take classes. I can't imagine that any school would expect you to still take classes if you have already completed all of your matriculation requirements.
I spent the time after I was accepted finishing my dissertation and then a month in the lab completing a project that I didn't have time to get done before I graduated. But I still got a month off to hang out at the beach and do nothing before moving for med school.
- OldManDave Said:
So, do yourself & your loved ones a favor & INVEST your precious time by spending quantity & quality time with your friends & family. You will not have the same magnitude of opportunity for many years.
Read this, Digest this, and make it so. Dave hit it exactly.
I will cherish the "Summer of miniature golf" my wife, kids, and I had before med school.
