Last fall, dd took “Physics for Science and Engineering Majors 1”, thinking this was the course for premeds. She got an A in that course. She started the 2nd course in that series in the spring, but dropped it.
She was told there is an easier physics - General Physics 2 that meets her biochem degree requirements and states in the course description that it meets the requirements for premedical students.
Would it look fine on med school apps for her to register for that course instead of retaking the more difficult course she attempted in the spring?
This is a conversation to have with her academic advisor, not a bunch a strangers on the internet. Much too important a decision to leave up to the crowd. I’ve seen kids dig themselves a hole with taking the wrong version of the right class… and it’s never pretty.
She gets different information from advising each time she goes. Advising initially placed her in the more difficult class. She was later advised she could do the easier one.
Physics for Science and Engineers is calc based
General Physics is trig based
I have been looking at medical school websites, and it appears calculus is not a premed requirement, so it appears trig based would be correct???
If you aren’t getting an answer from the advisor, I’d have your student call the admissions office of a medical school of interest to see what they say. This board could easily give you the wrong option.
My daughter for some strange reason ended up taking both, and said that she preferred the calculus based physics. However, she is quite good at math and did well in both classes (two A’s). These might have helped to offset her B- in organic chemistry when applying to DVM programs.
I do agree with the suggestion of discussing this with an academic advisor. I also wonder whether anyone in medical school admissions would be willing to give you a recommendation.
Generally true. However, there are about a dozen med schools that absolutely do require calculus and another 25 or so that strongly recommend it.
As for the general physics 2 class–I don’t think she’ll get dinged over taking it. If asked, she can simply explain she was poorly advised by her university and she enrolled in the wrong class for her major. No Big Deal.
My daughter for some strange reason ended up taking both, and said that she preferred the calculus based physics.
That’s because calculus was specifically invented to solve certain classes of physics problems. Every physicist/physics student/engineer I know -and I know a bunch-- say physics is easier to understand using calculus.
Both Ds took calc-based physics. One because she was a physics major; one because her undergrad required all pre-meds and other science majors to take calc-based physics. Both said physics just “made more sense” when taught using calculus.
No one will care one way or another about calc vs trig based physics.
TMDSAS says for med school:
8 semester hours or 12 quarter hours of Physics, including the corresponding laboratory experience. (8 semester hours = 6 hours of lecture & 2 hours of lab; 12 quarter hours = 9 hours of lecture & 3 hours of lab)
However, to be on the safe side, she should check the requirements of individual schools. (Individual school requirements will supersede TMDSAS requirements)
Don 't have her call any med school admission office right now. The 2024-25 application cycle is underway and med schools received their first file dump of applications this morning . Office staff will be neck deep in processing applications and very, very busy.
She can look on the school’s website or check MSAR to see the specifics of course requirements.
The only TX program I know of off hand that might require calc-based physics is Texas Tech’s Engineers Into Medicine program which has a very long list of very specific requirements.
I’m unsure why there’s so many wishy washy responses being given. Physics with calc is for students who will actually use physics with calc - engineers, physicists, astrophysicists. Physics 1 is basic straightforward mechanics. With calc or without calc, it’s basically the same. Although calc is useful, but not essential, for the problems
Physics 2 is Electricity and Magnetism and some other topics that vary by university. The gap between the calc and not calc versions is huge and it’s also a huge step up from either physics 1 course. And Physics 2 with calc almost universally requires MVC
Other than a very small number of specialized programs, there is no preference for calculus based physics.
I’ve taught a lot of premeds (and was a premed advisor for a brief period of time). Though it’s been about 5 years since then, I’ve not heard of any med schools caring about algebra vs calc based physics.
Often universities offer 3 physics tracks:
General Physics (algebra-based)
Physics (standard calc-based)
Physics for scientists and engineers (more in-depth calc-based)
In my experience, any of those can fulfill the med school requirements. This is separate from any calc requirements.
When I was an undergrad bio major, the bio majors all had to take calc 1&2. But most took algebra-based physics because that instructor was wonderful.
I think your daughter can safely take whichever physics class she feels she’ll be most successful in (after verifying requirements of her potential med schools).
There is only one medical speciality where having calculus and calc-based physics is helpful–radiation oncology. Residents and fellows in radiation oncology need to know a lot of physics to be successful in the specialty.
(The radiation onc group at D1’s med school tried oh so very hard to recruit her into the specialty, telling her it’s so much easier to teach a physics major enough biology to be doctor than to teach a biology major enough physics to be a radiation oncologist.)