Thread: any doctors about?

Honestly, to go CC or not depends on the school (my school has large courses only for the classes everyone regardless of discipline has to take like music/dance/art appreciation) and your financial situation. Not everyone can afford summer school if it's at a pricey place. That being said, before doing some courses at a CC, make sure that they transfer to where you want to go...

Originally Posted by K0nTANK3Rous

P.S. Big if you're interested in BioTech/Pharma and all (saw your other thread), look at Case Western Reserve in Ohio, my sister and youngest bro are getting their PHd's there, sis in Pharma/bro in BioMech/ChemEng. I can hook you up with either or pass info if you'd like.

I'm done with school in terms of science. If I do anything, it's law school or an MBA. I interviewed with Case Western, and got an offer to join their bioengineering program. But...their stipends and genetics program were much less than what UT was offering in Houston. Also wasn't clear if I'd have to TA while in grad school....which is a serious time away from research and study. But...case western was certainly on the table when I was going into gradschool. thanks for the offer.

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

I mostly agree...

However, I would argue that premed includes physics and layers of calculus that are normally not on a biology students plate for the BS level. A good scientist will of course take the physics sequence anyway just to be a good scientist...

what are you talking about?

A B.S. in biology requires Physics I and II, calculus, and likely biostatistics (it did for me). there is no such thing as a "pre-med" major. That's like saying "I'm pre law".

Get a B.S. in biology, and you're set. And choose to take classes that will make medschool easier for you. Take chordate anatomy instead of eukaryotic biology. Take molecular genetics instead of microbiology. take Immunology instead of ecology.

Originally Posted by DJ Mr. White

That being said, before doing some courses at a CC, make sure that they transfer to where you want to go...

they'll transfer.....but they won't count towards GPA, or as major core classes. So like I said...bite the bullet, take out loans, do what it takes to take them at your college.

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

In Oregon, I can take major related science courses at the CC and transfer it directly to the university to get my BS. Perhaps the rules are different in the Texas university system. In Oregon there is a minimum number of credits that must be taken at the university for a BS, and another minimum number of credits that must be taken in that specific major at the university. Usually this number reflects upper division courses only.

So for example, were I a Biology major, I could take my LD Bio sequence (251, 252, 253 and their labs) at the CC, plus all my english composition, health, etc. and transfer it to the university where I would transfer in as a Junior and continue on in the UD credit load. That is in fact what I did for Mathematics and Environemental science. Like I said, different states may have different rules.

Even within the state, different universities will have different rules. Usually, the private schools are going to be even more stickler about you taking your courses with them because they want to get your tuition money, AND they want to say you got 90% of your education with them. You can't take 60 hours in CC, transfer to harvard, and take the last 2 semesters. But....perhaps you could at a state school.

Even then, the catch with CC's is that, sure, you get your hours....but you don't get the GRADE. all you have to do in a CC course is get a C (usually), and you get credit for the course for transferring. Credit = hours. Not GPA points. So, when you get down to your last 60-70 hours that you will be required to take at the university conferring your degree......all of those courses are going to be 3000 and 4000 level courses. hard shit. real deal shit. Not cake walk bio 101 and english 101. And if your GPA is based on those 70 hours of that level of course work....you're simply setting yourself up to fail (get C's, ruin your GPA, and lose your competitive advantage for med school applications). If you had taken the first 60 hours at the university....then you'd have 60 hours of relatively easy classes that you SHOULD HAVE MADE A's in. foreign language intro's. English intro's. Science intro's. All cake walks compared to what you'll be taking when you become a junior and senior.

BD, A degree in bio? I had no idea... Oustanding, sir!

I have a Ph.D. sonny. It's Dr. BD.

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

Take chordate anatomy instead of eukaryotic biology. Take molecular genetics instead of microbiology. take Immunology instead of ecology.

oh, and I'd recommend taking biochemsitry in college if you can, HOWEVER, most medschools offer this as their first semester course. I know, because I had to take it with them in my first "semester" as a Ph.D.

if biochem looks to push you over the stress limit in your last semesters...you'd be better off brushing up on an anatomy or physiology class, and taking biochem in medschool (where you should get an A since you took enough bio and chem in college to do so).

The reasons BD has stated are the reasons I did summer school at my college and not at home...Phys 480 is making me its bitch. I truly am scared of the test, but at least I have those first 2 years to hold me up. Coincidentally, I hate binary stars now with a passion.

Originally Posted by DJ Mr. White

The reasons BD has stated are the reasons I did summer school at my college and not at home...Phys 480 is making me its bitch. I truly am scared of the test, but at least I have those first 2 years to hold me up. Coincidentally, I hate binary stars now with a passion.

exactly. If you got A's in phys I and II...then you can eat a C in phys IV or V. It sucks...but it's nice to know you have that cushion and won't have to punk out and drop the class (which WILL show up on your transcript and show you as a punk ass that drops classes for grades).

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

In Oregon, I can take major related science courses at the CC and transfer it directly to the university to get my BS. Perhaps the rules are different in the Texas university system. In Oregon there is a minimum number of credits that must be taken at the university for a BS, and another minimum number of credits that must be taken in that specific major at the university. Usually this number reflects upper division courses only.

So for example, were I a Biology major, I could take my LD Bio sequence (251, 252, 253 and their labs) at the CC, plus all my english composition, health, etc. and transfer it to the university where I would transfer in as a Junior and continue on in the UD credit load. That is in fact what I did for Mathematics and Environemental science. Like I said, different states may have different rules.

Even within the state, different universities will have different rules. Usually, the private schools are going to be even more stickler about you taking your courses with them because they want to get your tuition money, AND they want to say you got 90% of your education with them. You can't take 60 hours in CC, transfer to harvard, and take the last 2 semesters. But....perhaps you could at a state school.

Even then, the catch with CC's is that, sure, you get your hours....but you don't get the GRADE. all you have to do in a CC course is get a C (usually), and you get credit for the course for transferring. Credit = hours. Not GPA points. So, when you get down to your last 60-70 hours that you will be required to take at the university conferring your degree......all of those courses are going to be 3000 and 4000 level courses. hard shit. real deal shit. Not cake walk bio 101 and english 101. And if your GPA is based on those 70 hours of that level of course work....you're simply setting yourself up to fail (get C's, ruin your GPA, and lose your competitive advantage for med school applications). If you had taken the first 60 hours at the university....then you'd have 60 hours of relatively easy classes that you SHOULD HAVE MADE A's in. foreign language intro's. English intro's. Science intro's. All cake walks compared to what you'll be taking when you become a junior and senior.

BD, A degree in bio? I had no idea... Oustanding, sir!

I have a Ph.D. sonny. It's Dr. BD.

Hmmm... Things must vary considerably by state.

To be a Bio major for example, you need to take the general Bio sequence (before you can take UD Bio) and it is 251 through 253 at the CC and Universities (in Oregon). There is 100 level stuff, but that is for non-science majors. If you are getting a science degree, you have to take the 200 stuff to start with. And like I said previously, the 200 level courses I repeated at both the University and the CC (I had hit my maximum transferable credits) were far more difficult at the CC. Same designation, same number of credits, but it was much more challenging and the instruction was better at the CC. Now had I taken that course at OHSU...it would have been a little different I am sure.

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

I mostly agree...

However, I would argue that premed includes physics and layers of calculus that are normally not on a biology students plate for the BS level. A good scientist will of course take the physics sequence anyway just to be a good scientist...

what are you talking about?

A B.S. in biology requires Physics I and II, calculus, and likely biostatistics (it did for me). there is no such thing as a "pre-med" major. That's like saying "I'm pre law".

Get a B.S. in biology, and you're set. And choose to take classes that will make medschool easier for you. Take chordate anatomy instead of eukaryotic biology. Take molecular genetics instead of microbiology. take Immunology instead of ecology.

A BS in Bio in the Oregon University curriculum does not require physics, you can take physics as a (200 level) science elective, and it really depends on your focus in Bio. Again, things vary by state.

Also, I am well aware that premed is not a program, it is a selection of courses to help someone do well on the MCAT...like I said, I considered medical school but I am cut out for professordom.



All I am saying is, in Oregon, the CC is a huge boon. And since my transcripts from both the University and the CC show a 4.0, it does not matter that the grade specifically did not transfer to the university. When I apply to a grad school they will look at all my transcripts (including the CC) and see what those grades were.

I think Oregon has done something unique in that the Oregon University System has been very well coordinated to allow students to transfer easily between four year programs, including the two year programs at the CCs. All courses, at all public (and most private, such as OIT, OSU and UO) colleges and universities in the state use the exact same number designation, and have the same course expectations guidelines. Further, the UD requirements are almost identical from school to school.

I would imagine some other states have a similar system, while others do not (perhaps Texas is one that does not?). Grad school is different though, it is specific as it gets...I am looking to NYU. After 270+ LD credits I am ready to go narrow my focus...I will have around 300 when I finish my BS degrees.


Is your grad work also in a Bio field?


heh..."Doctor Dog."

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

Is your grad work also in a Bio field?


heh..."Doctor Dog."

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

I'm a scientist. Specifically an oncology/immunology/gene therapy/genetics kind of scientist. Ph.D. and all. Got out of grad school in 2006, and worked at a local big pharma company in Houston since then. Genetic research, animal disease modeling, pre-clinical and transitional new drug type stuff. Small molecules, usually, however my grad school experience was in viruses, specifically oncolytic adenovirus, apoptotic retrovirus, and bacteriophage display.