Ask Jinobi & MrSpam: UCLA Pre-Medical or Pre-Health Students

<p>Hey, so I'm starting this thread in an attempt to consolidate all the pre-med and pre-health type questions that are on this board. Feel free to ask about classes, professors, research, extracurricular activities (some clinical), etc. </p>

<p>As always, common sense, the UCLA CC Search function, and Google should be your first options when you have a question. Then, if you can't find it, do ask. </p>

<p>Also, it's not just me and MrSpam. Anyone else (mrMOO, MrPink, qipao) is free to answer too. </p>

<p>Good luck,</p>

<p>Jinobi.</p>

<p>To start off, here's a useful post from Pink about general major requirements for all of the health related majors. </p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-los-angeles/521140-hey-incoming-bruins-understanding-different-tracks-math-chem-physics.html?highlight=physiological%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-los-angeles/521140-hey-incoming-bruins-understanding-different-tracks-math-chem-physics.html?highlight=physiological&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I wouLd start a prelaw but the only thing you need is an LSAT score.</p>

<p>I deserve an honorary mention too! It was my idea to start this thread after all.</p>

<p>Tell that to the US Patent Office. =D</p>

<p>Sorry about that, I just noticed Pink's post. There ya go.</p>

<p>since u said to ask about teachers, any feedback on levelle for chem14a or dia from math 3a? heard levelle is more or less self taught, hence the "optional" hw. havent heard anything about dia</p>

<p>Do freshmen usually start there extracurricular activities this year, or should I wait till next year? What are some specific pre-health EC's?</p>

<p>Just do it now. Save yourself some stress in the future.</p>

<p>
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Do freshmen usually start there extracurricular activities this year, or should I wait till next year? What are some specific pre-health EC's?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Why don't you get into EC's you care about, instead of wasting people's time?</p>

<p>I think you should just shop around and see what you like most -- premed or not but start a foundation with a few pre-medy activities like AMSA to get your feet wet . . .</p>

<p>I don't know why you are asking this team of 'experts'. We should have just assigned the all knowing premed guru: dawritingmachine!</p>

<p>Well she has to ask permission to ask the questions firstly.</p>

<p>gmarcos: I've taken Scerri for Chem 14A & 14B. Generally, people do say that Lavelle is a bit harder than Scerri, but it also depends on how helpful your tutoring and TA is. A lot of stuff you learn won't be from the lectures directly but from the questions you ask in office hours and the problems that you keep doing. I don't know whether Lavelle has a reader, but if he does, then that's where most of the stuff you learn will be. </p>

<p>calitennisgirl55: You don't NEED to go into pre-health EC's if you're worried about building a resume for medical school. Whatever you do, don't look into joining a club just because you'd think it look good for medical school. Besides, its not like joining every health-related EC will impress the adcoms. If you genuinely like a club, and like what they stand for or what they do, by all means, join it. Otherwise, it's going to show during personal statements/interviews that you're not passionate about what you were involved in. That rule applies for classes, for your major, etc.</p>

<p>Anyways, I'm Health Fair Co-Director for the Asian Pacific Health Corps (APHC) at UCLA. We train volunteers go out to underserved Asian and Pacific Islander populations and provide screenings for hypertension and BMI/body fat. APHC also organizes three big health fairs in Monterey Park, North Hills, and LA Chinatown. At these health fairs, participants can partake in screenings for hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, BMI/body fat, dental, mammograms, pap smears, bone density, and hepatitis B. APHC volunteers help staff the event to direct foot traffic, translate, play with kids in the Children's Area, and other services. We also have various socials and panels where you can ask questions to medical/dentist/MPH students. </p>

<p>We'll be out advertising during the Enormous Activities Fair in the IM Field, Monday Sept. 22 from 9AM - 1PM. You'll also see many other clubs, health-related or not, so come out and see what interests you. Other groups that come to mind:</p>

<p>Care Extenders: Volunteer at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center (not very helpful when compared to UCLA Medical Center's volunteer program, but it's worth it if you can become one of those CE supervisors. There's a thread on this on this forum)</p>

<p>APA Health Care (act as case-workers when escorting patients to various services at APAHC health sites)</p>

<p>Pilipinos for Community Health (PCH), Latino Student Health Project (LSHP), Black Hypertention Project (BHP): they're generally the same as APHC, but may provide different screenings or target different populations</p>

<p>Global Medical Training: goes out to sites in Costa Rica (and other Southern American countries) to provide medical services</p>

<p>Generally, all organizations at UCLA will have an introductory meeting in the first weeks of Fall Quarter. I highly encourage you to go out and see what you like. (If you happen to like APHC, well, do join. <em>shameless plug</em>)</p>

<p>I also recommend Operation Smiles...which is raising awareness for cleft palate surgeries in third world countries. Also at the activities fair.</p>

<p>Is the Chem 14A coursereader and workbook worth it? It costs $50.51 this year... I have Lavelle too btw. Thanks.</p>

<p>No and no. Aced 14A without AP Chem or course reader or ... I don't think he had workbooks last year. </p>

<p>14B was way harder for me, would have sprung for reader for that class.</p>

<p>Wait, what is this? I leave for like a week and a half and this comes up?</p>

<p>do you feel special?</p>

<p>Yes...yes I do</p>

<p>I took chem 14a with lavelle before. It was basically a rehash of AP chem. But if you haven't taken ap chem, I think that you'll either have to do a lot of self-teaching or have a good TA.</p>