Studying Abroad

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>I’m a sophomore planning on studying abroad for a semester next year. To avoid having to take physics I and II w/ lab senior year and to be able to take the MCAT the summer between my junior and senior year, I plan on taking physics over the summer at SUNY Stony Brook. </p>

<li><p>Is studying abroad a good enough excuse for taking prereqs in the summer?</p></li>
<li><p>I’ve heard that physics on the MCAT is pretty easy and not stressed as much; is it not as bad MCAT-preparedness-wise to take physics over the summer than chem or bio?</p></li>
<li><p>Also, Stonybrook is my top choice for med school, would it have any positive effect whatsoever if I took physics there? Can/should I get a LOR from a professor of a summer course?</p></li>
<li><p>How important is it to get health related experience in another country? I’m going to try my best to find opportunities, but I’m not completely sure I’ll be able to find any. (btw this is in a third world country, not Europe)</p></li>
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2

<ol>
<li><p>You could get a letter of rec from your Stonybrook professor, but unless he's with the medical school, I doubt it'll hold any extra weight. Summer courses are short to begin with, so I doubt he'll really know you well enough to give you a great letter of recommendation.</p></li>
<li><p>Not important at all. Make sure you have some experience in the US before you apply.</p></li>
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3

<p>Study Abroad does help on applications to Med schools etc so if your going into medicine its a good idea=]</p>

4

<p>Physics is pretty important for the MCAT. It comprises about 1/2 of the physical sciences section, so about 1/6 of your overall score (the chem:physics ratio is much more even than the bio:orgo ratio...which skews heavily to bio passages on the Biology section). The physics on the MCAT probably requires a much less deep understanding as you'll have to know for your actual course over the summer, but it requires just as much studying.</p>