Hi Vivian!
I transferred to UM in the fall of 2019 as a sophomore! It was a great experience but scheduling classes cam definitely be a bit tricky. Physics 135/136 usually go at the same pace, and the lectures often help with the labs. Physics 135 consists of 1-hour lectures 4 days a week, and Physics 136 is a 2-hour lab once a week. You will need to put time into Physics 135; the best way to study is to do as many practice problems as you can. For Physics 236, reading and understanding the lab manuals prior to the lab is a huge help with the quizzes and the labs themselves. I would say Biology 192 is a good class to take along Physics, as it’s a pre-requisite for many upper level biology courses, and may also tie into Physics. As for Pharmacy 200, I don’t have much experience with this course, however I would suggest possibly swapping it out for a distribution course. We generally advise that students keep their enrollment to 2 STEM courses at a time as these courses are work-heavy. Especially with this being your first semester at Michigan, it can be a little challenging getting adjusted. I personally took 3 STEM classes my first semester, and while it was doable, I wish I had given myself a lighter workload to be able to get adjusted to living in Ann Arbor and explore more. You also want to consider extracurricular commitments when thinking about which classes to take. As for Stats 250, although this is a STEM class, if you are already familiar with statistics and confident about your abilities to handle a math class, it seems like a reasonable course. Just be aware that Stats 250 is historically a challenging intro course. 
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Sara, PMH Advisor 

Hello Sara,
Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it! I do have a follow-up question/concern. As a transfer student, I do feel that I am behind in my pre-requisites which also doesn’t allow me to enroll in many distribution courses. I have taken my general biology, general chemistry, and math sequences already and hope to finish organic chemistry and physics by the end of my 1st semester of junior year. I was wondering if this is a typical track of a pre-health student and how I could better tie in some more distribution requirements without being overwhelmed by trying to complete the pre-requisite courses? I’m hoping to major in biochemistry and have noticed that there are a few additional course requirements, therefore I am a little worried if I will be able to finish my pre-requisites on time to take the upper-level courses. 
In addition, I am a little unfamiliar with the schedule in terms of when to take the MCAT/PCAT in order to apply at the right time. I would in the future like to enroll in graduate school right after my undergrad, therefore would it be the spring of my junior year that I would need to take the national standardized test? 
Thank you very much for your time!
Vivian Le 
 

Hi Vivian! I definitely understand feeling behind on pre-requisites as a transfer student, however you’re on the right track as a pre-health student! Many students take physics and organic chemistry their sophomore and junior year. Biology 192 is an introductory biology course, so if you’ve already completed a biology sequence, you shouldn’t need to take this class. You could replace biology with Pharmacy 200. I would suggest taking  Chem 210 (organic chemistry 1) and the corresponding lab, Chem 211 instead of Physics 135/136 in the fall. Organic chemistry is a more important course for the MCAT/PCAT, so the earlier you take it, the better. This suggested fall schedule would look like: Chem 210/211 Pharmacy 200 A distribution course  Stats 250, if comfortable – otherwise another distribution  In the winter semester, you could take Chem 215 (organic chemistry 2), with Chem 216 (organic chemistry 2 lab), Physics 135/136 and 2 distribution courses. Then, your first semester of junior year, you can take physics 235/236, and then start adding in upper-level courses for the biochemistry major. This would complete all your pre-requisites. In terms of medical/pharmacy school, their application cycle opens one year before you’d be matriculating. So, for example, to start in the fall of 2021, you’d need to apply the summer of 2020. In terms of MCAT/PCAT, you’d need to take it before the summer you’re applying. Many students take it around springtime of their junior year to be able to apply on time. Please let me know if you need clarifications on anything, I know this is all a lot of information! Sara, PMH Advisor 

Hello Sara, 
Thank you so much again, this really helped me! I am, however, required to take Biology 192 because my sequence of biology at UM-Dearborn does not fully fulfill the requirements at Ann Arbor, so would the workload be fair in terms of having organic chemistry and biology in the same semester? In addition, do you have an email that I would be able to contact you with for additional questions? I am feeling a little lost right now in terms of registering for the right classes.
Thank you very much for your time!
Vivian Le 

Hello Sara, 
Thank you so much again, this really helped me! I am, however, required to take Biology 192 because my sequence of biology at UM-Dearborn does not fully fulfill the requirements at Ann Arbor, so would the workload be fair in terms of having organic chemistry and biology in the same semester? In addition, do you have an email that I would be able to contact you with for additional questions? I am feeling a little lost right now in terms of registering for the right classes.
Thank you very much for your time!
Vivian Le 

Hi Vivian! 
I’m glad this information could help! I was in the same boat with biology – I took it at my previous institution but it didn’t fulfill the UM requirement. You could take biology instead of pharmacy 200, I believe this would be a reasonable workload.
My email is strumza@umich.edu. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions! 
Sara, PMH Advisor