audelair

Thanks a lot for the response! Actually, I am glad to hear that these courses will help a lot towards showing my efforts. So far, I am getting excellent grades, so that is good. So my observations from looking at the websites of some of these PhD programs, prerequisite coursework really depends on the recommendation of the advisor I would be working under. The courses that I have taken or want to get into are cell biology, full sequence of anatomy and physiology, microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry. The big missing pieces would be the general biology courses that biology majors usually take. But the cell and A&P sequence (which I am halfway through) actually leads me to the higher level biology coursework at the college I am studying at anyway, so going back and getting general biology courses would be really going backwards just to fill in a few gaps. Would you foresee a situation where I should redirect my efforts to make up general biology or just continue to go down higher-level biology coursework in the area that I want to do research?

Hello! I had a few questions about my hope of going into a life science grad program with a mechanical engineering bachelor's degree. I have been in the work force for ten years and taking courses on the side. I am actually taking prerequisite coursework for going into a physical therapy program, but as I am taking chemistry and biology courses, I have been considering switching over to a grad program in the life sciences. What field exactly will depend on what kind of research experience I can gain over the next few years. My question in regards to planning is in regards to coursework. Will a PhD admissions office care at all about any additional coursework I take right now? For instance, I want to continue the courses relevant to clinical work (A&P, microbiology, for instance) instead of switching over to biology for bio majors. Plus, I have already gone the path of health occupations bio courses so I would have to go backwards to take the biology for bio majors. If PhD programs don't even care about courses taken on the side like I am doing now, then I can catch up with any gaps (that are not covered by cell, A&P, microbiology) on my own with the Campbell Biology textbook I have. My main goal for taking courses is to maintain the prerequisite path for physical therapy (in case I decide I actually want to do it) as well as build a better foundation for applying to grad school as well as get into research opportunities. Given that these are just classes I am taking on the side, does any of this matter AT ALL to grad admissions office, in terms of how I go about it? I figure they would rather see a GRE subject test result and research experience than worry about what courses I took to make up my biology foundation. I am interested in anyone's advice on this. Thanks!