<p>Which would be the better major for an aspiring optometrist?</p>
<p>Here is a link to the admission requirements for every optometry program in the US:</p>
<p><a href=“ASCO – Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry”>ASCO – Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry;
<p>It appears that most schools require 1 semester of micro and many require 1 semester of biochem.</p>
<p>So whichever biology course of study includes those 2 classes would be best for optometry school. (My guess it would be microbiology rather than molecular bio–which is typically focuses on genetics and cellular function.)</p>
<p>I do not kn ow about optometry, but as far as Med. School goes, none of the UG academics is of any help at Med. School, except maybe Anatomy as far as learning lots of new vocabulary, a bit helpful, but not required, except for few schools.</p>
<p>False Miami. The following courses I took as an undergrad all presented material seen in medical school: biochemistry, cell biology, endocrinology, immunology, physiology</p>
<p>Also, some of the courses help with the MCAT, which in a sense helps to get INTO medical school. ;)</p>
<p>
The first two (and genetics) are required courses for the standard track students in molecular/cellular biology major at DS’s school.</p>
<p>It was often said here that physiology may help with the MCAT. DS did not take it as an UG but it did not hurt him on the MCAT (and at med school – he once said he received the highest grade on physiology tests in his class when he took physiology there.) I heard the physiology class is offered by the BME department (and a required class for that major) at DS’s school. Being a required class for an engineering student, unlike most biology classes, it might contain some math.</p>
<p>(DS said that even at med school, some of his classmates do not like mathematical way of presentation in classes. Maybe some of those “grade-efficient” students do not like anything that will not be tested on STEP-1. LOL.)</p>
<p>Re: Molecular vs General Biology: DS took a single biology class (in additional to the required gen bio II) on the other side of biology (evolution and ecology) for fun. (I heard the professor who taught that class is one of the experts in his field and is very good at teaching.) It is somewhat strange one interviewer at a med school asked why he took THAT class. He actually thinks some classes (he took 2 of them only) on the evolution and ecology biology are very interesting. I guess a part of the reason is there are fewer premeds on it. (Some premeds are really “joy killers”, especially when they try to raise a question along the line: “Will this be in the test?”)</p>
<p>It seems there is no microbiology class offered at DS’s school (at least not by the two biology departments.) He once looked up what classes are needed for applying to vet school and found that microbiology is required and if he needs to take it, he needs to take it at other school.</p>
<p>Cell bio, histology, and (something else I am too old to remember) were very helpful to my D in pre-clinical med school.</p>
<p>Some more I remembered</p>
<p>I also took a class called “emerging microbial diseases” that covered all the worms/parasites that I then later learned about in med school micro. In fact I learned about them in much more depth than we did in med school (e.g. molecular biology of the life cycles). There is also a microbiology course as well as a virology course at Brown but due to its scheduling I never got to take it.</p>
<p>“Intro to neuroscience” and “Perception” also taught me about stuff that I used in my Neurology course (e.g. the 5 senses, action potentials, aphasias, neuroanatomy).</p>
<p>The focus is of course slightly different in med school, but if you’ve heard about this stuff before in a different context, it’s better than never having heard about it at all.</p>
<p>People with various majors are doing fine as long as they are keeping up with material at Med. School. I guess, it depends on Med. School. D. indicated that even her Neuro minor in UG was no help with Neuro block material at Med. School, not even close, they exist in different universe so to speak (according to D.). Neuro block is to learn brand new language to begin with, they do not speak English, they speak “neuro”, LOL.
She never took histology. But she mentioned that since a lot of it is visual recognition, she has an advantage becuase of her private art lessons outside of k - 12 her eye recognition received a boost thru all this art training and, of course, she is not freaking out when something needs to be drawn. This all from my understanding and I have absolutely nothing to do with medicine, not even close. So, while trying to help, i might be incorect.</p>
<p>
I’m going to guess and say it was EEB122 taught by Stearns. My son took that class last year and I believe it was the last time he was teaching the class. If so, it is one of the few available Open Courses. If that is not the class it still might be the professor who is a leader in the field.</p>
<p>[EEB</a> 122 - Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior - VideoLectures - videolectures.net](<a href=“Videolectures”>Videolectures)</p>
<p>I would say that the most useful UG class and also one of the best that D. took at her UG was Spanish, by far also. Opened additional opportunities at Med. School and D. took advantage of it. No other class probably came close. She took only one semester of college Spanish, but it was 3rd year (based on to her placement test score)</p>
<p>ummm… y’all DID notice that the OP is asking about OPTOMETRY school, not med school. (Different curriculum. Different emphasis than medical school.)</p>
<p>You mean a thread ran off-topic? Gee. That’s a first. lol</p>