Should I retake Biology I? Need Advise!

[Confused 20]

I am a nontraditional student who is returning to school to take the necessary prerequisites for medical school. While doing my undergraduate studies the only science class I took was Biology I and I did absolutely terrible with a B-. Should I retake this course? Any advise will be appreciated. Thank you.

[wcb22]

maybe, it's good to have a foundation in biology (especially with the recent additions of molecular biology questions on step 1). but to fill the 2 course biology requirement, microbiology is an excellent choice. also, if you can review your biology, and touch up, a molecular biology class would help you as well, although this might be pretty challenging.

[jameslynton]

Originally Posted by Confused 20

I am a nontraditional student who is returning to school to take the necessary prerequisites for medical school. While doing my undergraduate studies the only science class I took was Biology I and I did absolutely terrible with a B-. Should I retake this course? Any advise will be appreciated. Thank you.

The queston you have to ask yourself was why the B-. Were you in a lecture hall with guess lecturers with 700 students and the test was from left field or a question bank? Or did you have a nutty professor who wrote impossible tests not related to reading material? The Basic Biology class is the building block for the rest of the biology courses. If you are starting over - I suggest you take the basic biology classes and make sure you "ACE" them. Then take the upper level courses from the best teachers and avoid the hack teacher's (every school has them - find out who they are and avoid them). The basic biology, Physiology and organic chemistry will make up the major part of the MCAT Biology sciences. You are doing the MCAT and attempting to get into a US school first I hope.

I would steer clear of molcular biology (any way you cut molcular biology is a bear) until you have done well in organic and basic chemistry. Otherwise wait till medical school for it. What you don't want to do is have low grades because you jumped the gun.

[Compassion MD]

B- is Biology is okay but it would look really nice if you could get A's in immunology, human anatomy, microbiology... etc. its not necessary that you must retake biology over.

[Dr.Azimi]

i got a D+ in Biology I and C+ in biology 2. But in microbiology with lab i got an A and in molecular genetics with lab i got an A. i could use these to satisfy the state requirment and admission right

[MDorbust2006]

Originally Posted by Dr.Azimi

i got a D+ in Biology I and C+ in biology 2. But in microbiology with lab i got an A and in molecular genetics with lab i got an A. i could use these to satisfy the state requirment and admission right

I would think so, it should all be science GPA anyway but anything less than a B- is viewed as not having a strong aptitude in science. brutal, i know, but that is US med admissions for you. check on the forum on C's on transcript, it might or might not be a deal breaker for your app. i'm in the same boat altho i know that isnt really comforting.

[oogi]

Originally Posted by MDorbust2006

I would think so, it should all be science GPA anyway but anything less than a B- is viewed as not having a strong aptitude in science. brutal, i know, but that is US med admissions for you. check on the forum on C's on transcript, it might or might not be a deal breaker for your app. i'm in the same boat altho i know that isnt really comforting.

What grade is a B- in the states, i come from Montreal, Canada and here its around a 70 to 74

[bckwood]

Originally Posted by Confused 20

I am a nontraditional student who is returning to school to take the necessary prerequisites for medical school. While doing my undergraduate studies the only science class I took was Biology I and I did absolutely terrible with a B-. Should I retake this course? Any advise will be appreciated. Thank you.

Don't stress it, I got 2.0 in my first bio class. I wasn't ready for college. I left came back a couple of years later and did not retake it. I got a 3.9 in bio II, and a 3.7 in bio III. So if your like me and were just out having fun the first time around in college and are serious the second time youll do fine. If you got a b- because you didn't understand then you might want to rethink what your going to do.

[HocusPocus]

I would say definitely retake the class if you have the money and the time. It couldn't possibly hurt. Especially if you took the class a long time ago, you probably don't remember anything and you will need a good biology background when you get into medical school. It will also prepare you well for the MCAT if you plan to take that. Plus if you are really looking to increase your chances of getting into medical school, then retaking the class and getting an A in it is probably your best option, again given you have the time and sufficient funds.

[bckwood]

Originally Posted by Lasko

I would say definitely retake the class if you have the money and the time. It couldn't possibly hurt. Especially if you took the class a long time ago, you probably don't remember anything and you will need a good biology background when you get into medical school. It will also prepare you well for the MCAT if you plan to take that. Plus if you are really looking to increase your chances of getting into medical school, then retaking the class and getting an A in it is probably your best option, again given you have the time and sufficient funds.

If you have the time and money I agree. I have had to look stuff up many times because I didn't remember it from bio I.