How Bad is Orgo/Bio Together?

wildbuck
Sun, 17 Jun 2012 15:09:52 +0000

I would disagree with the post above. I graduated from NU in 2010 and I just finished my first year of medical school, so I have some background on this. I took the courses separately, doing the biology sequence over my sophomore year and then the orgo sequence that following summer. (This is actually out of order as orgo is a prerequisite for biology, but no professor or advisor ever caught it and I managed fine.) I knew quite a few people who also took them separately and were successful in getting into med school. I’ve never sat on an admissions committee, but from my interviews and other interactions I had while applying, the way in which you complete the science course requirements seems to matter very little. It certainly speaks well if you can take them both concurrently and do well (as the poster above did), but it’s not necessary.

On a related note, there were some kids that I met who took orgo or bio at another institution. Some took these courses at other prestigious universities, while others took them at nearby schools (e.g., Loyola, DePaul) that offered easier curves (based on what I’ve heard). I don’t know their admissions results, but I have heard that this can be viewed in a negative light. If anyone else with more background can speak to this, take their word over mine because my experience is limited. Still, based on conversations I’ve had with the pre-med advisor at NU, this practice does seem to be frowned upon.

In any case, these courses are tough. I would imagine that some things have changed since I took them (2008-9), but I’d guess that the difficulty level is still high. There really isn’t a reason to make it any tougher on yourself. Do the best you can, and try to keep a level head. Good luck!