<p>Hey everyone, I'm a freshman pre-med (possibly MD/PhD) neuro major, and I recently met with my advisor and am beginning to think about my schedule for the spring. Currently, I am enrolled in Calculus I and so far it's been fairly easy. I am debating between taking MATH 123 (Statistics for Scientists) and MATH 122 (Calculus II) for the spring. Has anyone taken either class? Would Statistics for Scientists be significantly easier than Calculus II? Any Prof suggestions for either class? I'm not a huge math person, so I'd rather take both what will be easier, as well as more useful in my future. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Tulane14, if you look on the Pre-Med forum here on CC, the concensus is that Statistics is helpful for people going to Med School. One big contributor there (bluedevilmike) recommends through Calc II also. So much to take, so little time. Spend some time on that forum (esp. under coursework). There is a wealth of information there.</p>
<p>To add to that, I think if you are truly thinking MD/Ph.D., that implies to me you are strongly thinking of a career in research. If so, you will need a firm grounding in math, especially statistics. I would take 2 semesters calc, the stats course you mention, and consider a more advanced stats course after that. Of course, that is only if my assumption is correct.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’m going to go against the “advice” of the advisers. I was considering pre-med for a semester, until I realized I just didn’t like science that much to make a career out of it. (I was also doing it for the wrong reasons, and forgetting the old, ‘even if baking bread is more important, if you’re talented at shining jewels, you’re sinning if you bake bread’ proverb.) So here’s what I learned:</p>
<p>If you want to be pre-med, you need to adore science and math. It needs to be your passion, not just a smart choice. If you like something artsy, you’ll need to, eventually, sacrifice it. Don’t pad your transcript with liberal arts classes. The advisers insisted a major in Jewish Studies would make medical schools line my file with gold, but they don’t consider that taking an essential double major, one of which is outside science, or many non science/math classes, is making the MCAT more difficult for you.</p>
<p>There are kids from China and India that have been taking calculus since they were fifteen. (Really.) At Tulane, they’re probably majoring in biomedical engineering and math and completing all the medical requirements by default. You’ll be competing with these people.</p>
<p>It’s great you are a neuroscience major. Please take only science classes, aside from the silly requirements Tulane makes you take. (I’m an advocate for the European/UK system.) Take as many math classes as you can.</p>
<p>If you can’t handle it, it’s great, because you know sooner than later you’d hate medical school.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input!</p>
<p>tulane child- “if you want to be pre-med, you need to adore science and math. It needs to be your passion, not just a smart choice”</p>
<p>I LOVE science and can’t imagine majoring in ANYTHING else. I’m already working in a neuro lab and am really enjoying my chemistry and biology. It’s not that I “can’t handle” calculus, I just don’t enjoy it and would rather not take more than the required amount of math for my major. I took BC Calculus in High School and it was my least favorite class. I’ve also heard that math isn’t even on the MCAT so I’m really not worried about taking extra math to prepare for medical school. I was really just hoping a student who has taken Statistics for Scientists could comment on the course difficulty and if they found it useful.</p>
<p>I’ve taken the course. Difficulty wise I’d say about average… I don’t think it’s an easy A, but it’s not hard either… For me, I didn’t do so well on the first two tests (I think I got a C and B on the 1st two) but then I did very well on the last two tests and ended up with an A in the course. But yea, I’ve heard Calc 2 is very hard, and I wouldn’t take it if you don’t need to for your major… go with Stats.</p>