<p>Just got done with a lengthy conversation with D's GC where we "agree to disagree" - our school is small, and requires that our students take Regents Bio and Chemistry (NY parents you know the drill) before AP's of the same. So if my right-now-wanting-to-major-in-pre-med D wants to also take AP Chem and AP Bio before she graduates, she cannot fit in any Physics without either dropping Latin and not taking AP Vergil or dropping her music, both of which she loves. I am of the opinion though that you risk disaster taking Physics for the first time at the college level, and that she should take at least the Regents Physics, not necessarily the AP, before college, which will be a tough decision. The GC thinks that not having Physics in HS is not important for a Pre-Med major. So we disagree. Anyone with similar experiences or thoughts???</p>
<p>I suppose it depends on where your daughter would like to go to college, but in most cases you can major in whatever you like and still go on to medical school. No matter what your major, though, you must complete specific coursework in preparation (including math, physics, biology, and chemistry).</p>
<p>I suppose that physics in high school could be preparation for the physics in college, but I do not think that it is necessary.</p>
<p>As for getting into an undergraduate institution, I do not know if it is a consensus that applicants need to have taken physics already.</p>
<p>But as far as taking physics in high school in preparation for being premed, I vote for "not a priority".</p>
<p>It's preferable that she takes some sort of physics in HS to provide her with a background in physics for college (I agree with you on that) but it's not absolutely necessary.</p>
<p>My own personal situation: I didn't take a single hour of physics in high school. Ended up with an A and a A+ in two semesters of physics at Cornell. Ended up with a 15 on the physical sciences section of the MCAT. It can be done :)</p>
<p>I have a rather drawn out and complicated answer coming...</p>
<p>Two caveats before sharing my thoughts.</p>
<p>1.) This varies largely from HS to HS and University to University, and so I can only answer if your daughter were, for example, to go to a similar college to mine.</p>
<p>2.) I don't know anything about college admissions anymore. All I can speak to is her eventual pre-medical career.</p>
<p>My advice:
I would personally advocate taking "Regents" (whatever that means) Physics over AP Bio.</p>
<p>Reasons, from most to least important:
1.) Physics on the MCAT is ridiculously easy, and therefore:
A.) Taking Physics in HS will allow her to take the MCAT before actually taking physics in college. (She will still have to take physics eventually.)
B.) This allows her to take the MCAT early without having to triple up during her sophomore year.
a.) Tripling up is awful -- organic chemistry, genetics/cell biology are a tough enough twosome without having to take physics (with a lab!) all at the same time.
b.) Taking the MCAT early is helpful. It allows you to come fresher off of the crucial courses of Organic and Cell Bio, it gives you the summer to study instead of having to study during the school year, and it gives you a better idea earlier of what kind of schools to apply to.</p>
<p>2.) I think Physics is the harder college course, and extra preparation will come in handy.</p>
<p>3.) I think an understanding is more important to understanding the other sciences. For example, Chemistry relies heavily on Physics. And Physiology, a useful biology course, is named Physiology for a reason. A good background in physics will help her better understand the core concepts involved in the other science courses. Physics is what underlies science, first. "Chemistry is just very small physics. Biology is just very complicated chemistry." Trying to take college chemistry or biology without physics is certainly possible -- most kids do it -- but I think it's a little harder.</p>
<p>4.) Physics is the more important course in medical school, surprisingly enough. BRM once correctly pointed out that actually doing physics problems isn't particularly important, but the concepts matter a great deal. Having had the extra round of exposure to physics might potentially help a great deal.</p>
<p>5.) I think Physics is harder in college than Biology is and the extra preparation will be helpful.</p>
<p>I have a smart question and a stupid question.</p>
<ol>
<li>Smart Q: Since previous poster mentioned that physics is part of MCAT, then will it be OK for student to major in physics in college? </li>
</ol>
<p>I haven't taken physics yet but I really loved physical science and didn't like biology or chemistry to equal length (I'm in second year for both of latter ones) so I was wondering if majoring in physics will be still OK.</p>
<ol>
<li>Stupid Q: People say that physics is the most fundamental branch of science, and as previous poster stated, it's really hard in college. By "really hard," what does this exactly mean? I know it differs from school to school but like hard in fathoming the concept or receiving a high A. Which one? </li>
</ol>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>P.S. As for the original poster's question, I've seen a pre-med program where they REQUIRE you to take one year of physics in the high school. Of course, it differs from school to school but I remember seeing one program that stated this.</p>
<p>... it's okay for students to major in whatever they want. So yes.</p>
<p>I guess I can't really give very helpful advice, but I grew up in NY and had to deal with the whole "regents" thing.</p>
<p>I took Physics, and it was one of the most boring, easiest classes I've ever taken in my entire life. I slept through most of class and got a 96 on the Regents exam. Regents Physics is all just such logical, easy stuff.
Anyhue, I took AP Bio and wasn't able to take AP Physics, which is what I regret, but I feel I got much more out of AP Bio than I did out of Regents Bio, and value AP Bio much more than Regents Physics.</p>
<p>Best of luck, though.</p>
<p>=)</p>
<p>well physics regents is a pretty easy class and the regents is a joke. I'm horrible at physics and i took AP physics. Although i struggled through the class, i did decently on the AP and now have somewhat of a background in physics before college. If she can, I would suggest she'd at least try physics, maybe she'll enjoy it. I know i didn't, but it was worth taking.</p>
<p>It depends. The physics on the MCAT is extremly basic and many that i've known who have taken said the physics they learned in high school was sufficient. Depending on your major, you may or may not have to take calc based physics, which is an entirely different animal. You DO NOT NEED calc based physics for the mcat, in fact, many take the MCAT without having had taken physics period and do well. You don't really need physics for medical school or as a practicing physician. Essentially, if you don't need to take CALC based physics, don't. Also, you do not have to be a science major to get into medical school. At my school, a student who graduated last year and is now at Harvard medical school was an English major. A lot of pre med's are science major's because the pre med requirements would be fulfilled by being a science major so they don't have to take anything extra. I was originally a philosophy major, but decided to double major in philosophy and biology because i realized i'd only be 2 or 3 classes short of the major anyway.
Essentially, all of the pre med requriements are summed up as follows.
1year of general chemistry w lab
1 year of organic chemistry w lab
1 year of biology
1 year of physics(doesn't have to be calc based)
some schools want 1 sem or (very, very, few, harvard, washu, duke, and 1 or 2 others), require 1 full year of calculus
1 sem of english, but any degree probably requires this.</p>
<p>A lot of pre med's take more science courses, such as animal physiology, neurobiology, medicinal chemistry, etc, but they aren't really neccessary. </p>
<p>The bottom line: Do what you want and what makes you happy. I'm a philosophy major with a minor in creative writing, plus i play in two different jazz bands and do marching/pep band. Explore your interests as that is what college is about. Don't just arbitrarily pick a major because you think it will look good a med school application.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You don't really need physics for medical school
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Just wanted to register my strong disagreement.</p>
<p>Let me clarify, besides the classical mechanics you should have learned in high school, you don't need advanced physics in the medical profession. Biomedical engineering yes, but not as a practicing physician or medical student. Ask any physician or medical student the last time they used quantum mechanics or specicial relativity in the treatment of a patient. In fact, there is current a loud debate about revising the current pre med requirements so that there is more of an emphasis on ethics, social issues, and problems facing health care then the pure sciences. Although the point of the current med school reqs imho is just to see if you can hack tacking hard courses that often have steep curves as a means of weeding people out. After all, no matter what anyone says, it is much harder to be a 3.5 engineering or chemistry major then it is to be a 3.5 english or psych major. Believe me, as someone who is talented and interested in the humanities and sciences, it is much harder to do well in science courses then in the humanities.</p>
<p>Actually bluedevilmike, as a medical student/resident, how much of the science you learned as an undergrad, such as say, the geometry of organic molecules, have you found relevant? I'm not saying such things aren't important, especially if you want to go into pharmaceuaticlal R&D, but I just don't believe such things are high on list of the information that a capable physician should know. Though I do feel the current system, however flawed, works and has been working for quite some time.</p>
<p>All I said was that "You don't need physics for medical school" was an inaccurate statement.</p>
<p>I certainly didn't argue that you needed quantum mechanics. I most CERTAINLY did not argue in favor of organic chemistry, engineering, or relativity. There's no need to broaden the argument beyond what I stated.</p>
<p>I just think that the basic principles of mechanics *and *electricity and magnetism come up several times in medical school and a strong familiarity with the subject is very much demanded of medical students.</p>
<p>Physics, organic, biology, calculus and chemistry are needed to master medical material easily.</p>
<p>For example, radiology and nuclear medicine make much more sense with a solid knowledge of E and M. Clearance rates (depending on the model) of drugs make more sense with an understanding of exponential functions. Almost all pharmacology is simplified by understanding organic chemistry.</p>
<p>You could earn adequate grades in medical school by memorizing material without deep understanding, but with a solid background in "pre-med" material you'll learn more quickly and effectively.</p>
<p>how important is physics for premed? Well, you have to take one full year of physics in college with labs. If your daughter can survive one year of physics, which im almost positive that she can, then she will be fine.</p>
<p>to weigh in on the relevance of pre-med science debate.</p>
<p>The best way to put it, is that there are assumptions made by professors that you know what they are talking about when they say things like, "bioavailability of this drug is affected by it's hydrophilic nature and due it's status as a weak base, it will undergo ion trapping in more acidic tissues. Because of this, it is contraindicated in pregnancy, due to increased concentrations in the fetus."</p>
<p>Do you need mastery of all portions of organic chemistry? Hell no. Same with Physics, but the expectation is there that "big" concepts are understood.</p>