Is calculus (or any math) necessary for med school?

afan
Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:13:13 +0000

You do not need to KNOW anything about statistics to make it through medical school.Depending on where you are applying, you might need to take a course to satisfy their requirements.

It is certainly useful for a doctor to know some so that you can interpret the medical literature. However, as a medical student you will mainly be reading textbooks, rather than original reports that include statistics. When medical schools ask their students to bring, or learn, some stats, they are looking at very basic knowledge. This could be picked up in a one semester broad overview course. Therefore a stat course at the mathematical level of requiring multivariable calculus would be far beyond what they have in mind. Not only could it put you out of your depth if your multivariable calculus was at the high school level and years ago, but it would be too narrow, and far too detailed to be that helpful. If you are looking at medical schools that require some statistics just take a course that meets their requirements. I assure you it will not be a course at this level, very few doctors would have the background to take it.

From your description I would say “take the 100 level course”