<p>Hi everyone, first time poster here :)</p>
<p>I have a question about my Post-Bacc schedule. Long story short I was PreMed, bombed as a freshman, majored in Graphic Design and I am now graduating in May of 2012 HOWEVER...I have decided to go back to medicine because that is where my heart is at. I have taken Intro Bio, Anatomy and I'm currently in College Alg. for calc prep, but because I will no longer have liberal studies or my major classes to balance out science classes so I have what's called a Fast-Track PreMed Program, meaning I take 3 science classes each semester.</p>
<p>I'm 99% sure I'm sticking with this schedule because medical school won't get any easier so I might as well just buckle down and go with it right?</p>
<p>My question is does anyone have any studying advice on how to tackle this beast of a schedule for the different topics?</p>
<p>I do work part time about 15 hours a week (it's a desk job so I get to work on homework a lot too). I'm also wondering if I added a dance class 2-3 hours a week would be too much? I want to stay physically active some way and I think it would be a nice break from class. I also volunteer in an OR 3-4 hours a week.</p>
<p>ANY advice would be most appreciated :)</p>
<p>Summer:
General Chemistry I (First 6 weeks of Summer)
General Chemistry II (Second 6 weeks of Summer)</p>
<p>Fall:
Organic Chemistry I
College Physics I
Introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology</p>
<p>Winter 13':
Organic Chemistry II
College Physics II
Genetics (or drop down to part time to study for MCAT)</p>
<p>This is NOT recommended:
Summer:
General Chemistry I (First 6 weeks of Summer)
General Chemistry II (Seconde 6 weeks of Summer)</p>
<p>I’m not too worried about the Chemistry as I was the Fall/Winter courses…why wouldn’t you recommend it?</p>
<p>Not me, I do not have any experience as D. did not take any summer classes. Many others on CC did not advise to take pre-reqs in a summer. They say it does not look good on Med. School application.
BTW, didn’t you like Graphic Design? It is very exciting profession and good money and some positions might be very flexible. Both of my S. and his W. are graphic designers.</p>
<p>I’ve taken summer classes every year since I’ve been in school. I think I like them better because I focus only on that class and tend to learn more. I guess I will have to justify it on an application later because I don’t have the money to justify staying longer than 2 years. I need to get my pre-reqs done, get the MCAT done and be able to take upper level science classes my 2nd year. I can’t believe med schools frown on summer school, what a shame :(</p>
<p>I do like graphic design but it is not where my heart is at. I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember (mom was a nurse, sister was a nurse, moms mom was a nurse so medicine is in my family). I made some dumb mistakes as a freshman and I’ve really grown a lot since then and I just feel this pull to go into medicine.</p>
<p>I’m glad that this subject has come up because a friend and I were recently having this convo. </p>
<p>When I mentioned that pre-reqs shouldn’t be taken during the summer because SOMs do not like that, she wondered what the evidence of that was. What is the evidence of that?</p>
<p>(it makes sense that SOMs don’t like it, but what’s the “proof” behind that thinking?)</p>
<p>I just Googled some answers on that actually and I guess many med schools do not like the summer courses because they like to see students balance a heavier work load? Which to me a 6 week chemistry class is a heavy work load. They also think students don’t retain the information as well.</p>
<p>The only experience that is somewhat relevant in my life is that summer classes have been easier (I personally have taken many while working full time and getting my BS and MBA). But again, I am talking about Business school, classes like finance, accounting, Economics…etc. have been easier than in a winter. I made sure that I took at least couple every summer for that reason, studying primarily by the pool…fun times…long long ago</p>
<p>I know it has been said on here (CC) to avoid the summer classes for pre-reqs but our 1 data point, son, did take classes during the summer. His uni does not offer classes during the summer, so he took them elsewhere. Cell bio, physical chem, genetics, anatomy, biochem, micro…made no difference that he could tell. They did not ask about the summer classes during interviews, and he managed to get enough of them.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Anyone have any advice on how to handle the Fall classes?</p>
<p>kat,
“Cell bio, physical chem, genetics, anatomy, biochem, micro…made no difference that he could tell”</p>
<p>-Are any of these pre-reqs though? Some Med. Schools are adding Anatomy and Biochem, but most do not require them…
Additional point is, it is very nice to take summer to relax, while this opportunity lasts. It makes a diff. in general, removes lots of stress, we all need down time, do not push yourself too hard, it might back fire.</p>
<p>The physics, bio, genetics, chem, orgo, english, calc III and def eq, and biochem were all pre-reqs for Harvard’s HST program and some were pre-reqs for Penn, Cornell, Michigan, UNC and UW all where son had interviews. Some of the other med schools did not want as many, but since many of the basic pre-reqs were met with AP scores he used the upper division sciences and math courses (micro, genetics, biochem, physical chem) to meet those pre-reqs. </p>
<p>Most taken during the summers which he also did research at Harvard (public health/cancer) and Yale (business school). Which later was the basis for his junior and senior thesis. </p>
<p>Those summer classes are also what allowed son to complete 2 more degrees in 2 additional semesters, at no additional cost to him since he was TAing and finishing up his research.</p>
<p>He thinks taking those additional courses are what are allowing him to more readily enjoy med school now. His economics degree will be applicable for when he completes his MBA.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>D. has applied to Michigan, while another of Med. School that she has applied added some requirements, Mich had only Biochem last year, none of other “unusual” ones, like Cell Bio or Anatomy. This could have changed from last year.<br>
Well, if top Med. Schools do not care about pre-reqs taken in a summer, then it should be OK. However, I still say that summer during UG should be more for R&R, they will not have chances like these for the rest of their lives, might as well use them before plunging into hard grind. But it is my opinion and others will disagree. I know that I had 2 weeks of vacation for couple decades, I really appreciate my 3 weeks. I am glad that D. did not take a single summer class and had very few EC’s in a summer, doing everything during school year. Looking back, I believe that she needed it that and it has helped her a lot. She is a very hard working person, who puts tremendous effort in everything she does. But again, others have success with different type of schedule.</p>
<p>This is all hear-say (I’m in pharmacy, not medicine), but I’ve heard these repeated over and over:</p>
<p>I think the general stigma is that summer classes are easier than their fall/spring counterparts. If you are concerned with this, call the med schools you are interested in and ask them what their take on it is. It’s nice to be able to go to the internet for advice, but the med schools themselves will 100% give you the best advice for admission to their schools. Use them!</p>
<p>Absolutely keep up the “tougher” schedule. Med schools want to know that you can handle a heavy work-load and still succeed. Somebody that completes a degree with all of the prereqs in four years is generally speaking looked on more favorably than someone that did it in five or six.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that med schools look at more than academics. What is your experience and knowledge of the field? Shadowing? Volunteering? ECs? Leadership? LORs? Generally being “well-rounded”? These are all things that you will need to consider when preparing to apply to med school. If you haven’t already, start working on some of these now.</p>
<p>Look up the selection criteria for different med schools. You will have to be able to communicate that you have these qualities both on paper and in an interview. Here’s an example of one school’s selection criteria:</p>
<p>"In addition to being academically qualified, you must demonstrate other skills and knowledge needed by health care professionals:</p>
<pre><code>Commitment to delivering compassionate and quality patient care
A high degree of personal integrity
Skill in communicating with diverse groups
</code></pre>
<p>Qualifications are assessed through the following means:</p>
<pre><code>Recommendation letters
Scope and nature of post-secondary experiences
Breadth of undergraduate education
Responses to the supplemental application
On-site interview"
</code></pre>
<p>^But they will not look at these unless you absolutely “academically qualified”. There are too many applications, if yours did not get thru “being academically qualified” cut, then forget it.<br>
So, how this “being academically qualified” is determined? Is it strictly numbers and rigor or taking summer classes is palying role? I simply do not know as I lack experience in this area except knowing the fact from my own BS/MBA in business that summer classes are definitely easier, but again it is just my experience and it is in business from many years ago, so it might not be applicable to Med. School’s pre-reqs.</p>
<p>The first round of cuts is strictly “by the numbers” since it’s done by a computer program. (I know this for a fact since I know a person who writes the software that does this.) Parameters can and do vary from school to school with some factors (URM status, state residency) tweaking the number results. Some schools use their software to recalculate GPA–for example, devaluing freshman year grades so they only are worth only .85 or .90 of their actual credit value–though how common this recalculation is I don’t know.</p>
<p>Once an applicant makes it thru the first round of cuts, then and only then does an actual human being look at the application packet.</p>
<p>Most med school adcomms have a scoring rubric they use for the next round of cuts/preference ordering of applicants. The exact rubric varies from program to program, and possibly even from year to year at the same program. But the rubric takes into consideration both the hard numbers and the all the soft factors (like rigor of schedule).</p>
<p>Good points, Miami and WOWM. I’ve heard those points as well and they totally escaped my mind when writing my post!</p>