First-Year Premed Course Selection

Hi guys!

I’ll be a freshmen at Duke next fall on the premed track and I’m having trouble selecting a fourth course for my first semester schedule. I’m taking a first-year seminar, Chemistry 110DL, and Global Health 101 so far. Although I’m fluent in Mandarin Chinese, I also want to learn Spanish because of its regard and value in the medical field. But sadly, all sections of Spanish 101 are already filled except two spots in a section that meets four times a week early in the morning… So my foreign language requirements will have to wait until later.

What other courses are recommended for a freshmen (specifically interested in prehealth)?

I was also wondering if it is possible/common for first year students to take Chemistry 110DL and Physics 141L or Biology 202L at the same time? I know most students wait to take Biology 202L during their spring semester or sophomore year, but wouldn’t it be even harder because they would be taking orgo then as well?

Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated and valued. Thanks!

Hi! Fellow incoming premed freshman here. From what I gathered with advising and my own scheduling antics so far is the genetics-based Bio course doesn’t have Chemistry as a prereq, and so you could probably take that in Fall if you wanted, since it’s probably more charts and pictures than careful calculations like labs in molecular bio.
As for Physics and Chemistry, you certainly can take them the same semester, barring scheduling conflicts of both the lecture and lab slots. It seems that you already have a 3 courses planned for Fall, so adding Physics will complete your cap class count. I’m sure if you swapped Bio 202 with one of your other classes then you could do all 3, but really, 2 standard STEM classes a semester seems like a heavy enough workload, especially for getting situated at Duke. Plus Bio 202 seems like the easier of the 2 gateway bio classes, so saving it for a heavy semester like orgo (urgh) would probably make things easier.
Regarding other classes for premed, remember to take a sociology and psych requirement sometime, and depending on your credits a math one as well. And while those are the minimums, med schools generally like it when students dive a little deeper into different subjects than required, even the non-STEM ones, so don’t be afraid to take a random class that appeals to you if you want this year. Good luck and see you around this coming Fall.

What about Writing 101? All first year students have to take it. You can wait until 2nd semester, but why not take it early and get it overwith?