How much math do I need for medical school?

[Dooh]

What is the highest level of math one would recommend for a person who wants to get into a med school and become a doctor one day? The reason I am asking this is because I'm horrible in math and I am afraid it might get in my way.

 

[gravenewworld]

calc 1&2 should be plenty

 

[kdinser]

While there's not any calculus on the MCAT, your score may benefit from taking the calculus based physics classes instead of the algebra ones. It saved me a lot of time and made some of the questions much easier by knowing Calculus. I'm sure it improved my physical science score by at least a point if not 2.

You also need to figure out if your actually bad at math or just don't like it. When I was in high school, I used the "I suck at math" excuse extensively to stay in easier math classes and just take the bare minimum to graduate. Once I got into college, I found that I was not, in fact, incapable of doing math, I just had to actually put in some effort and study it. Once I did I found that I actually enjoyed it.

If your truly unable to learn and understand mathematics, and I doubt that, then it could be a huge obstacle for you to over come. At a minimum, your going to have to take College algebra and trigonometry. For the MCAT you will need, college physics I and II with labs, general chemistry I and II with labs, organic chemistry I and II with lab. All of these classes require college algebra and trig to understand and do well in.

 

[neurocomp2003]

isn't calc I & II & III required to enter medschool? or is that just in Canada?

 

[gravenewworld]

calc 1&2 in america

 

[BobG]

If your truly unable to learn and understand mathematics, and I doubt that, ...

If the average person weren't capable of solving triple integrals for torque due to an external force in their head without the aid of any calculating device in less than .2 of a second, how could they possibly get across a parking lot to their car on a windy day? Especially women wearing those spike high heels!

One look at woman walking across a parking lot on a windy day in those spike high heels and you've just got to think, "Man, she's gota be great at calculus!"

Maybe it's the pencil and paper that make calculus seem so hard.

 

[jtbell]

calc 1&2 in america

My college puts several graduates in medical school every year, and few of them have taken calculus. Our General Physics course (which they have to take) doesn't use calculus. Of course, med schools in South Carolina and Georgia may be different from med schools elsewhere..

(hmmm, now that I think of it, we do have a special one-semester calculus course called "Calculus for the Social and Biological Sciences", but it's not required for our pre-med program.)

 

[kdinser]

When I was planning to go to go to med school, none of the schools I was interested in required calculus.

Having said that, IMO it would be a good idea for any premed student to take at least calculus I. It will help you on whatever pre med test you have to take and will help you understand your physics and chemistry classes better. Getting into medical school is very competitive, you should take whatever classes can give you an advantage over your competition.

 

[Andromeda321]

At my school the premeds take Calc I and II, the idea being if they're going to take physics they need to understand it somehow.

 

[Dooh]

So I'm assuming calc 2 will be the highest level that i need? If the highest level of math that i complete during high school is math analysis (Trig/Pre-Cal). What would be the next math class that i have to take in college, Calc 1? Then Calc 2 right after that?

 

[whozum]

Youcan go right onto calc from trig pre cal. Many med schools 'recommend' calculus, a few require one semester. Eitherway, first semester calculus isn't hard.