Pre-med requisites and high school courses.?

Question

I want to major in Psych. and be able to take the MCAT. However there are many science courses i need to take as prerequisites for med-school. So do I choose my courses in high school according to psychology or all the other sciences too? Because they require different prerequisites.

Answer 1

Just take what science courses you can. Med school cares about what you took in college, not high school. Psych is one of the easier majors to get into at pretty much every college so just take all the science courses you can to build up a good science base if you want to do medicine.

Here's Harvard Med School's requirement. Use it as an example of what to take in college:

General Comments Regarding Course Requirements

The Committee on Admissions considers the level of courses when evaluating academic performance and determining a candidates suitability for medicine. We require a strong preparation in the sciences and mathematics basic to medical school studies. Candidates should take courses that are comparable to courses taken by students majoring in these subjects.

In the final analysis, however, it is not the number of years in college or hours in a course, but the quality of education and the maturity of the student which determine readiness for medical school. At least three years of college work and a baccalaureate degree are required prior to matriculation in medical school.

# Required Course 1. Biology: one year with laboratory experience. Courses taken should deal with the cellular and molecular aspects as well as the structure and function of living organisms. Advanced placement credits cannot be used to satisfy this requirement; upper level courses should be taken if granted advanced placement credits.
# 2. Chemistry: two years with laboratory experience. Full year courses in general (or inorganic) and organic chemistry generally meet this requirement. A one semester course in organic chemistry which covers the relevant material supplemented by a semester course in biochemistry may substitute for the traditional year of organic chemistry. We will consider other options that adequately prepare students for the study of biochemistry and molecular biology in medical school. Advanced placement credits which enable a student to take an upper level course may be used to meet one semester of this requirement.
# 3. Physics: one year. Advanced placement credits which enable a student to take an upper level course may be used to meet one semester of this requirement.
# 4. Mathematics: one year of calculus. Advanced placement credits may satisfy this requirement (Calculus AB - 1 semester, Calculus BC - 2 semesters). A course in statistics does not meet this requirement.
# 5. Expository Writing: one year. Writing skills are important for the study and practice of medicine. This requirement may be met with any non-science courses that involve substantial experience in expository writing. Advanced placement credits cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
# 6. Additional requirements for the HST Program: Requirements are the same as above except that calculus including differential equations and one year of calculus-based physics in college are required. A course in biochemistry is strongly encouraged before matriculation.

We will consider other course formats or combinations that are sponsored by the undergraduate institution attended and provide equivalent preparation. When advanced placement credits used to satisfy portions of the chemistry, physics, or mathematics requirements noted above, scores from the AP examination must be submitted prior to matriculation. If these credits are not shown on the college transcript, either the scores from the placement examination or a letter from the chairperson of the respective department certifying that the student has met the requirement in question must be submitted. If there is doubt about the suitability of advanced placement credits, you should contact the Faculty Associate Dean for Admissions for approval before final admissions decisions are made in February.

Recommended Courses

We encourage candidates to complete at least 16 hours in literature, languages, the arts, humanities, and the social sciences and become familiar with computers. We also recommend honors courses and independent study or research, as they offer in-depth exploration of an area of knowledge.

Answer 2

Colleges generally admit you based on your overall grades, ACT/SAT scores, and how many AP or Honors classes you have taken. If you want to major in psych, you should probably take a psych class, but don't worry about any more than that. Which high school classes you took doesn't really count for anything when you get to college. I would make sure you take at least 2 years of a single foreign language so that you can skip that college requirement, but other than that just take as many AP and Honors classes as you can and get the best grades you can. What might really make the difference in getting into the school that you want would be to add some social service type volunteer work. Colleges love to see well rounded good citizens so adding volunteer work to your application can definitely help you.

Answer 3

You need to concentrate on math and science class in high school. When you get into college, those pre-med classes will be available. The MCAT is important now like the SAT. When you get into college there are basic courses all students must take, as they take the core classes required for their chosen (if they have chosen) major.

So take it one step at a time. Deal with high school and graduate with the highest grades possible. Then once you get into a college you have to get a bachelors, long before you start on a phD or MD.

Answer 4

Take foreign language and do well (you'll need 3 years worth, at least). You can then bypass the foreign language requirement in college. Huge time saver. Take math classes, as much as you can.

Other than that, I wouldn't suggest anything else. No real need to take psych in high school. Take sciences as required but no need to go overboard, as med schools will only accept pre-med coursework at the college level.

Answer 5

Well high school might offer one psych course, so concentrate on math and science, esp. chemistry. Running start might offer you more choices at your jc.You may want to take german classes.