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Med school(was Physics first)



Michael Edmiston wrote:




Here is an interesting point about medical schools. Virtually all medical
schools require a year of college physics. Calculus-based physics is
preferred by many, but some will accept trig physics. On the other hand,
medical schools require very little biology at the college level (they
figure the students will learn most of their anatomy/physiology etc. in
medical school). So you can get into medical school with only a general
biology course in college, but you need a full year of physics and two years
of chemistry. However, this message is not filtering down to the high
schools. Pre-med students in high school assume biology is much more
important than physics (and chemistry). This is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Thank you! I have been telling advising students for the past 6 or 7
years that the two most important classes they can take in high school
for medical school are AP Chemistry and AP Calculus. Of course, this
does not make the AP Biology or the physiology/anatomy teachers happy,
but it is true. I have had many students tell me they do not like
chemistry or physics because of the math, but want to be doctors. They
are always surprised and disappointed when I tell them what the
requirements are for admission.

It is funny how little our students research into requirements for
careers. Back in the 80's I taught in a college prep private school in
Dallas. Most of the time when I asked students what the wanted to study
in college, their response was" I don't know, but I want to make a lot
of money." I quit doing this survey years ago, but I bet the answers
would not be much different today.

Vern Dewees