Admission to medical school is a goal that requires years of preparation and planning. Before applying to medical school, a series of questions and concerns might pop on a student’s mind.
These include questions like which medical schools require calculus? Is math required for nursing? And which math courses should they take in high school?
Although there isn’t a general pre-medical degree requirement for high school, students must successfully pass SAT test questions if their high school requires that. Focusing on science instead of humanities is a prerequisite, subjects like Biology, Physics, and Chemistry are compulsory.
With that being said let us address a few concerns students might have.
Which Medical Schools Require Calculus?
Calculus is not a math subject required by medical colleges, generally speaking taking calculus can strengthen your application, bearing in mind that medical school applications are competitive. In order to take calculus, you have to pass advanced math courses like Algebra and Trigonometry. Granted, these topics might seem challenging but students can seek math help online with a virtual math tutor to reduce their math phobia.
A few Medical College Admission tests require high grades in the four major areas of application i.e. Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and English. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) does not cover math but some colleges require it as a prerequisite for Physics classes.
Is Math Required for Nursing School?
Nursing is a field that provides diverse care for families, patients, and communities. Many nursing programs require basic math while most nursing schools require students to take specific math classes. Although nursing programs differ, each program covers one math class in its syllabus such as college Algebra, Statistics, and Finite Math.
A nurse’s knowledge of statistics will help him/her organize and use formulas and numbers effectively into useable expressions that use healthcare scenarios. Finite Math on the other hand, is a course that covers areas of math like Geometry, Algebra, Statistics, and Pre-Calculus. The course is useful for calculating medicine dosage or calorie consumption.
Which Math Courses Should You Take in High School?
In order to qualify for medical school, you have to take a certain amount of math in high school. Courses like Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus and Statistics are essentially useful.
A study of Algebra will qualify you for medical school. It aids your understanding of how various molecules with numerical bases interact with each other in the body. It also helps you understand the relationship of medical devices such as pacemakers to the body.
Geometry is the study of shapes in relation to space, it helps students learn about the shape and size of various cells, organs, and body parts. Students should take a year of Geometry in high school to progress to Trigonometry and Calculus. Such courses aid the student’s understanding of radiation waves, X-ray waves, and ultraviolet waves all of which affect the body.
Calculus is another important subject; it enhances your understanding of various reactions in the body over time along with the body’s evolving relationship to medical devices. Most medical schools require students to have at least a year of calculus.
A Statistics course will strengthen your ability to collect and analyze data to make decisions and predictions, it also enhances your ability to read reports, charts and graphs.
Conclusion
While in high school take advantage of the available resources you have. Such resources include collaborating with your guidance counselor on which classes to take. With a clear goal in mind, you can assess whether your course load and GPA will qualify you for medical school.
Taking classes like Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus and Statistics is imperative.
Although the course load and assignments might seem daunting, the Online Math Center tutors can help you master each subject with a tailor-made approach that fits your needs.
