<p>Hello all, I'm having some troubles planning out my premed schedule (by this I mean the premed coursework) up to the end of my junior year and would like to know how you all planned your schedules. If you could post what you did your Fall and Spring semesters as a freshman, sophomore, and junior that would be great! </p>
<p>To be more specific, I am looking to have essentially all my premed coursework completed (minus Stats and maybe something else minor) by the end of my sophomore year, ideally. I am having some troubles planning this out. I can be more specific if need be, but I would like to take a look at some of your schedules to help myself out.</p>
<p>Additionally, are both General Physics I and II needed for the MCAT or would Gen Physics I suffice? (I took Physics in high school as well)</p>
<p>Med schools REQUIRE 2 semesters of general physics with lab for admission. Topics from both semesters of general physics are included on the MCAT. (Some topics covered in physics 2 are not taught in high school physics–like optics, circuits and radioactivity.)</p>
<p>Yes, I know that medical schools require 2 semesters of general physics but I am trying to understand how students plan when to take each of these two semester without having too burdensome of a semester.</p>
<p>The third thread is 30 pages long and has so much scattered information. I was hoping to get a lot of answers and responses on here in a concise thread pertaining to just planning courses, not just coursework in general.</p>
<p>Standard practice is chem first year ochem second year. Bio either first year or second year, depending on your major. Physics whenever it works. I did it fourth and fifth semester. Some people do some pre reqs in the summer or winter if necessary.</p>
<p>In short, whenever you can in any order that accommodates your schedule. If you want double up chem and bio with ocher and physics, or switch physics and bio around if you aren’t a bio major and if you prefer.</p>
<p>Finally, they want you to post in course works, not just read it.</p>
<p>Came in with credit for intro bio, intro chem, foreign language, calc 1, calc 2</p>
<p>chem 2 + lab
leadership class
drug discovery and design
bioethics
psych</p>
<p>chem 3 + lab
leadership class
human identity in group settings (humanities)
research for credit
American government
pathobiology (cell/molecular electron microscopy)</p>
<p>genetics
English (writing intensive)
honors orgo
personal and family finance
cognitive science</p>
<p>cell bio
honors orgo + lab
research for credit
social inequalities</p>
<p>summer after soph year: study abroad for art credit</p>
<p>animal physiology + lab
research for credit (capstone)
grapes and wines of the world
public health service learning class (writing intensive)
physics + lab</p>
<p>research for credit (capstone)
global perspectives on influenza (writing intensive, capstone)
biochem
physics + lab</p>
<p>Italian Renaissance art history
developmental bio (capstone)
independent study (developing a nonprofit I started, writing intensive)
health care in the US
social welfare and social work</p>
<p>mammalogy
the Holocaust in contemporary history, art, and literature (writing intensive)
internship at State Capitol (1 day/week) (writing intensive)
public health principles and practices (writing intensive)
(didn’t know those 3 were writing intensive until class started!)</p>
<p>MCAT after junior year. Started med school a few months after graduation.</p>
<p>Kristin, did you feel like you were at a disadvantage in Chem 2 since you took credit for it in high school?</p>
<p>I took college physics, and Bio and am in AP Chem so I can technically get credit for all these generals in college if I wanted to, but did you feel you needed the extra time in the generals or you were ready for Chem 2?</p>
<p>So at my school, the chem track is something like this: </p>
<p>chem for non majors < chem 1 < chem 2 + lab < chem 3 + lab (generals)
orgo 1 < orgo 2 < honors orgo 1 < honors orgo 2 (orgo)
bio for non majors < gen bio < genetics = cell bio < animal physiology < capstones (bio)
algebra-based physics < calc-based physics</p>
<p>The “pre med” part recommends chem 2 and 3 to satisfy the general chem requirements, orgo, physics, and general bio + an upper level bio to satisfy bio requirements. </p>
<p>Long story short, I was fine in chem 2. But the class that’s called chem 2 here could be more equivalent to whatever the standard general chem for science majors class is where you are. </p>
<p>I took all those APs too. As bio was my strong suit and I planned to major in bio (which I ended up doing), I decided to use AP credit for intro bio so I could take cooler bio classes later. I opted not to use physics credit, and only sort of used chem credit (that is, I could have also APd out of chem 2 and chem 3 also, and gone straight into orgo, but that probably would have been a bad idea).</p>
<p>Taking the MCAT after your junior year isn’t the norm, is it? I think the ideal situation is to take it sometime right after sophomore year (either in the summer or first semester/end of first semester). Which is more commonly done? </p>
<p>Could I get comments on this potential course of action:</p>
<p>Year 1 - Fall
Biology
Chemistry
Calculus</p>
<p>Year 1 - Spring
Biology
Chemistry
Calculus
Biology lab </p>
<p>Summer - Chemistry lab</p>
<p>Year 2 - Fall
upper level Biology
Organic I
Physics I
Physics lab
upper level Biology lab</p>
<p>Year 2 - Spring
upper level Biology
Organic II
Physics II
Physics lab
Organic lab</p>
<p>Summer - MCAT prep along with ECs and take the MCAT some time sophomore year depending on how prepared.</p>
<p>My alternate course of action would be to take Physics I and Physics II during semester 4 and 5 like mmmcdowe did. My concern is the rigor of Physics, upper level Biology and Organic at the same time for two semesters in a row.</p>
<p>After junior year is the norm as far as I’ve ever seen. After sophomore year is “early” and after senior year would mean taking a year between undergrad and med school.</p>
<p>Yep, be cautious about taking the MCAT too early. Your score has a limited shelf life. Some schools require MCAT scores to be no more than 2 years old. If you delay your application until after graduation for any reason, you can end up SOL.</p>
<p>kristen: They still teach grapes & wines of the world? I took that class many, many moons ago… </p>
<p>DS has been looking at his first semester (and beyond) schedule and reading the “sticky” threads. They cover a wide span of years. If you were to start those threads today, do you feel the advice would be different? This entering class will be taking the new MCAT, correct? if you were an incoming freshman, would you do anything differently?</p>
<p>Just take one semester at a time and see how it feels. Others have different abilities and time management skills. You have to see fo yourself. Take it easy, prepare to work hard, so enjoy your free time as much as you could while you have it.</p>
<p>the only decision that one needs to think about early, is whether you want to apply at the end of Junior year or after graduation (four year+ plan). In the latter, you could stretch out the science courses.</p>
<p>Why two terms of calculus? Only a couple schools require that. I would take a semester of calculus and a semester of statistics or computer science as most schools that require a year of math will take either of those classes and some require a semester of one of those two (stats more common).</p>
<p>One semester of CS is a waste of time. Nobody can become programmer in one semester. Stats on the other hand are very useful in understanding some medically related facts and Med. Research procedures. Also, CS classes are usually very time consuming, while Stats is easy “A”, probably the easiest one of pre-reqs.</p>
<p>While it’s true one semester of CS won’t make you a programmer, you will know enough of the basics of program structure to be not a total newb if you end up in a lab that needs a someone to write/debug code or automate equipment w/ custom software. Once you understand the fundamental structural principles of program design, the rest is just …grammar. </p>
<p>Some med schools will reputedly consider being able to program/knowing a programming language equivalent to speaking a foreign language…or so I’ve heard.</p>
<p>I’ve also heard anecdotally that some schools are considering adding a computer basics class (for scientists/non-math or engineering majors) to their entrance requirements since medicine is becoming more and more computer dependent.</p>
<p>CS also teaches one how to think logically and in space and time. For an engineering/tech type, that comes naturally. Others may need more practice. :)</p>