Pre-Med in the US

[Guest]

If I'm not wrong, for the majority of US universities, you can't do medicine straight out of high school. Of course, your principal will know better about that, and if there are any universities that allow undergraduate courses. If you're going to apply to some school in the US that doesn't allow you to do medicine straight out of high school, I very much doubt your subjects will impact your ability to get into medicine - you'll just want the highest score possible and to impress universities, so in that case go with what you feel you can do.

It really depends on whether or not you have a degree of certainty as to whether you can make it to an American university. With either of the subject choices you've put down, you're closing doors to India. Technically, if you want to remain on the safe side, you can do an irregular diploma and all three sciences at HL, but that would be a pain in itself, and as you said, you don't think you'd be comfortable with it. It is, however, something to consider. Are you applying to any other country or just the US?

In terms of if Physics is better than Biology, I wouldn't say so. I haven't started medicine yet, but I would say that Biology is more important but that doesn't mean Physics isn't important too, particularly for areas of medicine such as radiology. While you've specified you'd prefer psychiatry, remember, you still have a bunch of time to try all the areas. In the case of the second science, go with what you think will work better for you. What you like, what you're better at, etc. However, I would keep in mind where you're planning to apply, and if you want to apply to any other country what their requirements may be.

[Befuddled]

9 hours ago, apoello said:

If I'm not wrong, for the majority of US universities, you can't do medicine straight out of high school. Of course, your principal will know better about that, and if there are any universities that allow undergraduate courses. If you're going to apply to some school in the US that doesn't allow you to do medicine straight out of high school, I very much doubt your subjects will impact your ability to get into medicine - you'll just want the highest score possible and to impress universities, so in that case go with what you feel you can do.

It really depends on whether or not you have a degree of certainty as to whether you can make it to an American university. With either of the subject choices you've put down, you're closing doors to India. Technically, if you want to remain on the safe side, you can do an irregular diploma and all three sciences at HL, but that would be a pain in itself, and as you said, you don't think you'd be comfortable with it. It is, however, something to consider. Are you applying to any other country or just the US?

In terms of if Physics is better than Biology, I wouldn't say so. I haven't started medicine yet, but I would say that Biology is more important but that doesn't mean Physics isn't important too, particularly for areas of medicine such as radiology. While you've specified you'd prefer psychiatry, remember, you still have a bunch of time to try all the areas. In the case of the second science, go with what you think will work better for you. What you like, what you're better at, etc. However, I would keep in mind where you're planning to apply, and if you want to apply to any other country what their requirements may be.

I want to pursue Medicine as well - in either the USA/Canada/UK for different reasons in each choice.

I was just trying to find more information about which other external exams I'd need and I either need the SAT or ACT.

I also heard the SAT changed - so do unis still require the SAT as well as 2 subject tests if I do that?

Could you tell me which one is easier? (In terms of knowledge required that matches with the IB curriculum) 

And is it absolutely necessary that I need to buy books and study off them separately? 

Thanks xx

[Guest]

For the UK, you'll need to sit the UKCAT and/or the BMAT depending on the universities which you decide to apply to. Unfortunately, you'll have to ask someone else about the US information as I haven't applied there, and have only really gotten an idea from this forum. However, there are many people who have posted on this topic, so I'd recommend skimming through and trying to find some info if no one can advise you.

Which is easier in terms of Biology and Physics? There isn't an answer. It really depends on what you're better at, if you're more of an equation type of person or memorisation, etc. Only you can really know by doing them. Or, if you mean SAT and ACT, I believe ACT is more science based and SAT is now just reading comprehension and maths. Again, it depends on you. I think with SAT you may have to focus a bit more on grammar in a way that IB doesn't, and with ACT you may have to do a bit of the science you don't already do. Again though, I didn't take them so it might be better to ask other people.

I think it's a good idea to try and find a 'syllabus' or something, and see what's on them if that's possible online. There's also the PSAT which should give you a good idea of whether you need help from books or not. I don't know if ACT has a similar thing.

[IB`NOT`ez]

4 hours ago, apoello said:

For the UK, you'll need to sit the UKCAT and/or the BMAT depending on the universities which you decide to apply to. Unfortunately, you'll have to ask someone else about the US information as I haven't applied there, and have only really gotten an idea from this forum. However, there are many people who have posted on this topic, so I'd recommend skimming through and trying to find some info if no one can advise you.

Which is easier in terms of Biology and Physics? There isn't an answer. It really depends on what you're better at, if you're more of an equation type of person or memorisation, etc. Only you can really know by doing them. Or, if you mean SAT and ACT, I believe ACT is more science based and SAT is now just reading comprehension and maths. Again, it depends on you. I think with SAT you may have to focus a bit more on grammar in a way that IB doesn't, and with ACT you may have to do a bit of the science you don't already do. Again though, I didn't take them so it might be better to ask other people.

I think it's a good idea to try and find a 'syllabus' or something, and see what's on them if that's possible online. There's also the PSAT which should give you a good idea of whether you need help from books or not. I don't know if ACT has a similar thing.

I'm really confused about this thread – is the OP an explanation or question o.O

In any case I'll try answering Befuddled:

15 hours ago, Befuddled said:

I want to pursue Medicine as well - in either the USA/Canada/UK for different reasons in each choice.

I was just trying to find more information about which other external exams I'd need and I either need the SAT or ACT.

I also heard the SAT changed - so do unis still require the SAT as well as 2 subject tests if I do that?

Could you tell me which one is easier? (In terms of knowledge required that matches with the IB curriculum) 

And is it absolutely necessary that I need to buy books and study off them separately? 

Thanks xx

The new SAT is much more similar to the ACT now, although I find the reading + writing in the ACT slightly easier and the maths slightly harder than the SAT. Universities don't care whichever one you take though, so try doing both and see which one you prefer.

If you want to do pre-med in the U.S., it's strongly recommended that you do SAT Subject Tests. You'll be strongly recommend to take, if not required to, SAT Chemistry, and then either SAT Biology or SAT Math II will put you in good stead.

I got 750 & 740 out of 800 for SAT Biology and SAT Chemistry, without purchasing any test prep material. It's not the greatest scores by any means, but it's on the average for the schools I'd like to go to and I'm content with that. A lot of the IB content overlaps with what's on the SAT test – you just gotta be aware of their test format e.g. each wrong answer deducts your overall score by 0.25, so I wouldn't say purchasing test prep materials are necessary.

It's actually really annoying to do SAT subject tests once you're in senior year though – nearly screwed up my mock exams since my subject tests were on the Saturday before my mocks  

Edited December 31, 2016 by IB`ez

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, IB`ez said:

I'm really confused about this thread – is the OP an explanation or question o.O

I'm equally confused as this was me answering a question to another individual. I don't know why it says I started a thread. I'm so confused.