Premed 2014

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
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<p>My dream came true, and now I am officially a Blue Devil.</p>

<p>PLEASE HELP ME OUT WITH DETAILED INFORMATION!!!</p>

<p>I need to know everything there is about Premed at Duke. I have checked out their bio department website and courses they recommend for the first year (for some reason they orgo in the first year- I thought most took that as a sophomore?)</p>

<p>But anyways, I love science and math and I WILL GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!! :)</p>

<p>I got a 5 in Calc BC, 5 in Physics B, and am taking AP Bio. No AP chemistry.</p>

<p>Please suggest a first year schedule please. I also read that Duke allows you to get credit for two APS. I was thinking of doing AP US History and AP Gopo because I don't like anything but science, math, and technology. Good plan or not? Also, when do people generally take physics and when does everything happen? They say you can't skip prereq for physics because it is so tough, but knowing my AP scores, when do people take orgo, physics, and bio and all that fun stuff exactly. If you are a premed, please list out your whole schedule of every year if you have the time. Also detail study tips are very much appreciated (but please don't say time management and the obvious stuff).</p>

<p>Please tell me everything you have learned from premed at Duke so I will be on top of it and if I can ever do a favor for you in the future, I would love to complete that task :) </p>

<p>Thank you</p>

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<p>Premed requirements usually consist of:</p>

<p>1) 1 year (2 semesters) Gen Chem w/ Lab
2) 1 year (2 semesters) O. Chem w/ Lab
3) 1 year (2 semesters) Biology w/ Lab
4) 1 year (2 semesters) Physics w/ Lab
5) 1-2 years (2-4 semesters) Humanities, where 2 semesters must be Writing/English/Lit</p>

<p>1 semester of biochem may substitute for the 2nd semester of Orgo, but since Duke’s biochem doesn’t have a lab component, you should jus take orgo 2 anyway. </p>

<p>If you don’t have AP Chem, the suggested chemistry sequence is:</p>

<p>Chem 31 –> Chem 151 –> Chem 152 –> Chem 32 –> BCH 227</p>

<p>That was what I was told as a chem 31 TA last semester. Chem 32 was supposed to be a special advanced topics overview class to be taken after orgo. Biochem 227 is usually suggested for premed, but if you’d like you can substitute with any inorganic/analytical chem. Alternatively, you can take the honors gen chem (chem 43) but it’s generally not suggested for those without AP and you’d need another chemistry after orgo besides biochem to fulfill requirement #1 above. </p>

<p>Some bio courses that are suggested:</p>

<p>Bio 26L: gives you a lab
Bio 103L: Microbiology, gives a lab
Bio 118: Mol Bio/Genetics (this course I hear might be going away, but no confirmation yet and there should be a replacement)
Bio 184: Pure molecular bio lab class
Bio 151: animal physiology or something like that (I hear it’s good?)
*Also some good anatomy overview classes in evolutionary anthropology department you might want to look into.
*Note for BMEs: the BME electrobiology course lab counted as a bio lab, however, I’m not sure if the new electrophysiology lab will do the same.</p>

<p>Physics: 53/54 I hear. I’m an engineer so I used AP and retook 61.</p>

<p>Humanities: your writing 20 will count for one writing course. Then you need another writing intensive course (courses labeled with a W). I would suggest you take a social science that has a W and then an easy english/lit course. A good course that I took was methods in social research (SOC132A), W designated SS course. This requirement is really vague because med schools tend to have wildly varying pre-requisites in this area. I would suggest going to the websites of some of the schools that you think you might want to apply to and look at their requirements. </p>

<p>Ok, that would general premed stuff.</p>

<p>A few things of note:</p>

<p>1) Many intro math/science courses at Duke are large lectures, stuffed with premeds, and are WEEDOUT classes. If you have APs for stuff like calc AB/BC, intro bio, intro chem, etc. USE IT. Getting a B in cell bio will look a lot better than a B in intro bio…</p>

<p>2) People take physics generally starting spring of freshmen year (for engineers at least). But I’ve also seen many do it sophomore/junior year. The key is that you’ll want to take the MCAT by spring junior year if you plan to go straight to med school after college. You can do it that summer, but trust me, you want to get it out of the way first. </p>

<p>check pm for my schedule. It’s heavily BME unfortunately.</p>

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<p>SBR covered a great deal of information in regards to pre-med at Duke. Let me give you the general schedule most of my friends (and I, for a short period of time) stuck to.</p>

<p>Freshman year:</p>

<p>General Chemistry (back when I was a student it was two semesters with two labs)- generally considered a “weed-out” class at most schools, but I found it was relatively easy to do well.</p>

<p>Bio 25 or Bio 26, depending on your AP Bio background - tough classes, and a lot of work to do. The bio department is really nitpicky about how you answer questions on tests, so as long as you sort of “figure out” how to take the tests you’ll be completely fine. Both will knock off your first semester of Biology for pre-med.</p>

<p>A math class- if you don’t have the necessary AP credits. I remember it being usually SUGGESTED that you have one college math class under your belt, and a lot of my classes avoided Math 32/103 because they’re hard to do well in, and you don’t want your GPA to take a hit. Stick to something like a Statistics class like Biostats, if you want, since you already have that calculus credit. </p>

<p>Sophomore year:</p>

<p>Organic Chemistry- The key to orgo is having the right professor AND understanding that you can’t get through organic by memorizing. Maybe 151, but not 152. It’s a tough class, but I’ve heard my medical school friends refer to orgo as “the good old days.”</p>

<p>Bio 118- Notoriously tough as well, but also apparently might be going away. Of course, they’ll HAVE to replace it. It’s pretty useful on the MCAT from what I’ve heard.</p>

<p>Junior Year:</p>

<p>Physics- If you don’t “get” physics these classes are incredibly challenging, as they were for me. This was my “weed-out.” Of course, with your 5 you’ll do fine! To be honest, I’d suggest not using your AP credit for placement here (although I have no clue how the policy works…). You’ll want to take 2 physics classes with the lab, and you’ll be a step ahead in terms of getting that A that you want. Additionally, while 53 and 54 is the pre-med sequence, the MCAT only covers material from 53. (SBR mentioned most people starting this the spring of their freshman year, but yes, it’s usually just engineers. My class during my junior year was almost exclusively other juniors. Although I did do the summer/fall route and took it on an off semester, most of the friends I had in there went straight to med school)</p>

<p>Bio 103L- a great little pre-med class which I hear is interesting, useful, and gives you that lab. Can be tough to get into, but by junior year you’ll be fine.</p>

<p>Biochem 227- Study with friends, figure out the testing style, and I hear it’s manageable.</p>

<p>Stuff in your humanities, classes here and there, when you need something a little easier! But that’s generally what most people in my class decided on.</p>

<p>General advice:</p>

<p>1) Be mindful of what semesters you have tough classes and don’t burden yourself with other tough classes unless necessary. For instance, try to get in that Bio 25/26 freshman year. For instance, you DON’T want to take Bio 118 at the same time as Chem 152 unless it’s absolutely necessary.</p>

<p>3) Utilize summers to your advantage! A popular route now seems to be taking Chem 31 in the fall of your freshman year, Chem 151 in the spring, then finishing organic with Chem 152 in the first summer session. I think this is a GREAT idea because organic really builds on itself, and everything will be fresh in your head. Plus classes are smaller, it’s oftentimes easier to do well, and you get it over with. Also, I did Physics 53 over the summer. Again, small class and easier to do well. Most of the students in my class finished 53 and 54 that summer, but others just did 54 in the fall and started their MCAT studying the summer before their junior year. This will leave your fall/spring semesters clear for a lot of those Bio classes you’ll want to do well in.</p>

<p>Sorry for what may be a really confusing post…you’ll find that your classes will sort of fall into place once you get to campus! Talk to an advisor and see what works for you…by the end of your first semester you’ll know what you can handle and have a general timeline worked out.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

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<p>bump…</p>