<p>I'm an incoming freshman in college and have AP credit for physics C. UCSD won't let me retake the class for credit, although for the E&M portion I self studied. I heard some medical schools require 1 year of physics not counting AP. Does this mean I have to take upper division physics classes?</p>
<p>Yep. Or you could see about taking the calculus-based intro course if they counted your Physics C as taking the place of trig-based. I’d probably choose the calc-based intro course myself if they’ll let you.</p>
<p>Retake it elsewhere if you must. Easier A, easier introduction to college.</p>
<p>If you want to apply to those schools for which it is a requirement, then yeah.</p>
<p>I’m a big proponent of coving your bases as far as pre-reqs are concerned. If you take a year each of General Chemistry (w/lab), Organic Chemistry (w/lab), Physics (w/lab), Calculus, and English (or writing-intensive courses), you will have covered the prereqs for almost every medical school (some also suggest Biochem, and for a few it is required)</p>
<p>^ i think you forgot bio+lab :X</p>
<p>Bugger, you’re right I did - add Bio (+lab) to my list and there ya go :)</p>
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Good suggestions, if only my child will be willing to do that eventually.</p>
<p>After he had a not so pleasant experience with a class taken at a school that is not his home school (BTW, it is not because it is hard there, and it happened in the summer after his sophomore year in high school), he promised to himself that he would never want to take a class out of his home school, unless it is a class related to his hobby.</p>
<p>I think he has taken all the pre-reqs except one semester of general chemistry.</p>
<p>If he takes an upper division chemistry, even biochem in most places, he will most likely be fine. At the worst, he could always take it the summer before medical school.</p>
<p>^ Again, a good suggestion. Maybe, just maybe, at that time, he will be considered as an alumni so his home school may even allow him to take that beginning general chemistry in the summer, as the usual rule does not apply to alumni. (He does not need that class before he can graduate. And he will apply with a gap year.) If this happens, he may be the oldest student who takes that beginning class.</p>
<p>What about statistics? Isn’t that required for most?</p>
<p>According to the MSAR, College mathematics is required at some (35 I think…). Statistics is good to have to fill that req, but now that I think of it I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen it explicitly required. I’ll check the MSAR tomorrow.</p>
<p>Ok, so it looks like I’ll have to take upper div physics which really sucks.</p>
<p>One more question - will 2 quarters of English count as a year? The writing program I will be in is 2 quarters long and I don’t really want to take more English, unless it’s required.</p>
<p>I think 2 semesters is a year, while 3 quarters count as a year. So if a med school asks for a year of English, you’ll need 3 quarters.</p>
<p>Do three quarters count as a year? I was under the impression that it had to be a full academic years worth.</p>
<p>Well, 3 quarters last as long as 2 semesters, so yes, it’s an academic year. The fourth quarter is summer break, basically.</p>
<p>Ah, interesting.</p>
<p>I have to take calc-based physics next semester but I was thinking of just taking trig based physics since it was easier. Do med schools care if you take calc-based or trig based or is there no difference in terms of evaluation?</p>
<p>bump bump bump…</p>
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<p>Medical schools don’t expect you to be really proficient with mathematics or physics, so I think you’ll be okay.</p>
<p>So then it won’t matter if I choose to take trig based physics?</p>