Duke Office of Health Professions Advising



Sample SchedulesThe first five example schedules are for Trinity students who are planning courses for medical, dental, veterinary schools and other health professions programs. The last schedule is for a Pratt BME student.Note:Most courses are taught every semester, so you may want to shift them around to suit your needs. Some are also taught in the summer or at the Duke University Marine Lab. Remember that it is usually easier to spread courses out over 4 years—taking a gap year is a common choice that we highly recommend.We included space for semester study abroad. Avoid taking prehealth courses outside of the US, so plan to take other types of courses: major, Trinity/Pratt requirements, foreign language, etc. Study abroad is not required, but can be a high impact experience and build cultural and other competencies. We included possible times for the MCAT; exams for dental, veterinary and other health professions schools will be similar. You will need to include time to review, study, and take practice tests for these exams.For complete pre-requisite course information, see the Course Requirements webpage on the HPA websiteExample 1: Basic Schedule, No AP CreditFall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 101DLChem 201LMath 111L*Writing 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar**Sophomore YearChem 202LChem 210LBiology 201LBiology 202L****Junior Year*Study AbroadPhysics 141L*Statistics****Senior YearPhysics 142LPhysiologyBiochem 301Psychology 101****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology and English where you canThis is a common schedule. It keeps all three summers free for Duke Engage, enrichment programs, research, jobs, and other interests and the fall of the junior year is open for study abroad. You begin with Math and Chemistry, then add Biology, and then add Physics. Note that you have three elective courses in your first year and two elective courses in your second year. For electives, choose courses that you are interested in or curious about (usually a non-science area for balance), that introduce you to a potential major or that deal with secondary interests.An alternative schedule might be this:Fall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 101DLBiology 202LMath 111L*Writing 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar**Sophomore YearChem 201DLChem 202DLBiology 201LPsychology 101****Junior Year*Study AbroadChem 210DLPhysics 141L*Statistics****Senior YearPhysics 142LPhysiologyBiochem 301*****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology and English where you canThis schedule allows you to take Biology earlier (and postpone Chem 201DL to your sophomore year); this might be useful if you are going to major in Biology.Other options for scheduling: Move Study Abroad to a summer or don't go abroad during the academic year.Move a course or two into the summer (at Duke, the Duke University Marine Lab, or other university; Physics is a typical choice).Enroll in 5 credits/semester if/when you are able to. Note that 18 of the 34 courses required for graduation will be prehealth or required courses, leaving you with 16 courses for your major, other interests, and any remaining curriculum requirements. A double major is challenging and not recommended, but you can often work in courses for a minor or a secondary interest.Example 2: Basic Schedule, AP Credit in Chemistry (Chem 20)Fall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 110DLChem 201DLMath 111LPsychology 101Writing 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar**Sophomore YearChem 202DL*Biology 201LBiology 202L****Junior Year*Study AbroadPhysics 141L*Statistics** ***Senior YearPhysics 142LPhysiologyBiochem 301*****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology and English where you canNote: A score of 4 on the AP Chem Exam will give you Chem 20 credit and allow you to place into Chem 110DL. Chem 110DL substitutes for Chem 101DL and 210DL. All three summers are free and the fall of your junior year is open for study away. An alternative schedule might be:Fall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 110DLBiology 202L*Math 111LWriting 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar**Sophomore YearChem 201DLChem 202DLBiology 201LStatistics****Junior Year*Study AbroadPhysics 141L******Senior YearPhysics 142LPhysiologyBiochem 301Psychology****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology and English where you canExample 3: Schedule with AP Credit of Chem 21, Math 21, Physics 25 or 26, (and 5 on the AP Bio exam)Fall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 201DLChem 202DL*Biology 203LWriting 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar**Sophomore YearBiochem 301PhysiologyPsychology 101*****Junior Year*Study AbroadPhysics 141L or 142L*Statistics****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June; or MCAT Aug Senior Year*******MCAT Jan - April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology and English where you can; if you need an additional Chemistry course for a medical school that restricts the use of AP chemistry, you can add Chem 210DL or Biochem 302 senior year.A score of 5 on the AP exam gives you Chem 21 credit.A score of 5 on the Calculus AB exam or a 4/5 on the Calculus BC exam gives you Math 21 credit.A score of 4/5 on the Physics C Mechanics and the Physics C, E & M Exams gives you credit for Physics 25 and 26.A score of 5 on the AP Biology exam allows you to enroll in Biology 203L.In this schedule, you enroll directly in Organic Chemistry (Chem 201DL) in your first semester; there is a special section just for first-year students in the fall. Your first two summers are open and there is space for Study Abroad in your junior year. You could gain additional space by not studying abroad, or moving Study Abroad to the summer, moving some courses into summer school, or overloading to 5 credits if/when you are able to.If you have AP credit for Physics 25, enroll in Physics 142L. If you have AP credit for Physics 26, enroll in Physics 141L. If you have AP credit for both Physics 25 and 26, we recommend you repeat either Physics 141L or 142L. This meets the requirement of many schools that accept AP credit for Physics but ask for one additional course. You have two options for the MCAT and application. You can take the MCAT in April or early May and apply in June after your junior year. If admitted, you would go directly into medical school the summer after graduation. Or you can take the MCAT in August before your senior year or in January of your senior year, when you have more time to study, and then apply in June after you graduate. This plan allows you to show medical schools all four years of courses and experiences, and you have the benefit of taking a gap year. Example 4: Adding Chem 99D, Math 105L and Math 106LFall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 99DChem 101DLMath 105LMath 106LWriting 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar**Sophomore YearChem 201DLChem 202DL*Biology 202LStudy Abroad****Junior YearChem 210DLBiology 201L*Physics 141L***Senior YearPhysics 142LPhysiologyBiochem 301Statistics****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology, English and Psychology 101 where you canIf you have not had much background in Chemistry and Calculus, then you might begin with Chem 99 and Math 105L and 106L (see the Chemistry and Math websites for more information and placement recommendations). The combination of Math 105L and 106L covers Calculus I in two semesters. This should be sufficient to allow you to enroll in Physics 141L and 142L. If you need to go on to Calculus II because of your choice of major, your next course after Math 105L and 106L would be Math 112L.When you complete Chem 99D, your next course will be Chem 101DL.In the example above, all three summers are free. Study Abroad might best be placed in the summer, so that fall/spring courses are more manageable. Example 5: Beginning Pre-Med Courses Sophomore YearFall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearWriting 101/SeminarWriting 101/Seminar******Sophomore YearChem 101DLChem 201DLMath 111LBiology 202L****Junior YearChem 202DLChem 210LPhysics 141LBiology 201LPsychology 101****Senior YearPhysics 142LPhysiologyBiochem 301Statistics****MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology and English where you canIf you are unsure of your prehealth interests or have other plans for your first year, then beginning prehealth courses in your sophomore year (or even later) is fine. The example above has no prehealth courses in the first year. Two summers are free. Physics 141L has been placed in one summer term to allow for easier sequencing during the academic year. Other scenarios are also possible. Study abroad would best fit in a summer. Example 6: Pratt Student Majoring in BMEFall SemesterSpring SemesterSummerFirst YearChem 101DL OR Writing 101Physics 151LEGR 101LMath 112LMath 111LBiology 201LEGR 103LChem 101DL OR Writing 101Sophomore YearBME 244LChem 210DLMath 212LMath 216Physics 152LChem 202DLChem 201DLEGR 201LME 221LECE 110LJunior YearBiochem 301*******MCAT, apply?MCAT?Senior Year********MCAT in early April or early May, apply June, gap yearAdd Sociology, English (W-coded is better) and Psychology 101 where you can as BME SS/H electivesFor the first two years, we have listed prehealth courses as well as the BME courses that are required, so you can see what a full schedule looks like. Things to consider:If you have AP credit in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Math, your schedule may require fewer courses than the one above; refer to appropriate Trinity example schedules with various combinations of AP credits.If you do not have many AP credits, then moving organic chemistry (Chem 201DL and 202L) into the summer, either at Duke or at home, will make scheduling easier in your sophomore year. While we recommend that most students complete organic chemistry at Duke, Pratt students can be an exception because of the rigorous schedules.If you have AP credit for Physics 25, enroll in Physics 152L. If you have AP credit for Physics 26, enroll in Physics 151L. If you have AP credit for both Physics 25 and 26, we recommend you follow Pratt guidelines and enroll in Physics 153L. This recommendation meets the requirement of many schools that accept AP credit for Physics but ask for one additional course.BME 244L and Biology 201L serve as the two biology-lab courses required for medical school. BME 244L also covers physiology and statistics for the MCAT. Biology 202L is recommended but optional; if this course is not taken, a student should self-study genetics for the MCAT. Add a course in Sociology, English (W-coded is better) and Psychology 101 wherever you can fit them in, e.g. BME SS/H electives.Schedule the MCAT when you have finished recommended prehealth pre-requisite courses and have the most time to prepare for it. A common choice is to review during the summer between your junior and senior years, take the MCAT in August, and then apply the following June, planning for a gap year. ................
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