I didn’t learn much chemistry in high school, so I thought that an introductory course would be perfect for me.  Many of my fellow classmates believed the same course of action would be more helpful, regardless of our varying chemistry backgrounds in high school.

But, in our second semester at this Ivy League institution, we are struck by a specific but far reaching crisis in the Brown University Chemistry Department.  Essentially, in order to take the courses one would need to apply to Medical school, four chemistry classes are needed, two general, and two organic. Furthermore, these cannot be taken in the same semester, as the content of one course supports the next.  There is also a fifth course, Chem 100, which serves as a solid background in chemistry for those who did not receive a strong chemistry education in high school, but does not count for medical school requirements.

The issue lies in the timing of these courses.  For students who did not require Chem 100, students who may have come from well funded public or private schools with strong AP and IB classes, the timing poses no difficulty.  They possess the knowledge to complete the chemistry requirement by the end of their Sophomore year, with more than enough time to study for the MCAT and begin the arduous medical school application process.  However, for those who were bereft of a chemistry education in high school, or simply wanted to gain a stronger background by taking Chem 100 at Brown, an entirely different path exists. These students must take their first organic chemistry class (Chem 350) in the spring of their sophomore year, and Chem 360 in the fall, as these are the only times at which these courses are offered. This means that the earliest these students can finish their chemistry requirement is in the spring of their Junior year, a full year after their classmates who were prepared in high school, and gives them little time to study for their MCATs, or apply to medical school. Also, the summer gap between Chem 350 and Chem 360 causes students to forget much of the prerequisite material.

Now, this is not to say that less prepared students who seek a medical education are without options. A common choice is to take the course in the summer semester, at a cost of $7,500, excluding books.  However, at a school where students pay nearly $70,000 for their education, we find it ridiculous and irresponsible that Brown University practically requires those who attended poorly funded high schools to pay an additional sum for their premedical education. Indeed, this increased financial burden deepens the dearth of impoverished students who apply to medical school each year. Also, taking a class over the summer prevents students from exploring internships and job experience that can be vital for a medical school application, an experience most students take advantage of in the summer before their junior year.  Finally, students who take Chem 100 are typically unable to travel abroad and explore new cultures, because of their chemistry requirements.

To us, the solution seems simple. In order to give our classmates the most diverse educational experiences possible at home and abroad, and in order to better accommodate and accept the diversity of educational backgrounds all premedical students come from at Brown, the University must provide a Chem 350 class taught in the fall, as well as in the spring, and a Chem 360 course in the spring, as well as the fall.  Should a new faculty member be required to teach theses courses we will be disappointed if the University does not follow its promise to hire more POCs, as laid out in the diversity action plan.  We must wait no longer to advance the dreams of future medical professionals, and lift the burden upon those who happened to require or want a better foundation in chemistry.

Hassiet Asberom, Hazem Abbas, Ben Potee, Kate Petitpas, Marlene Martinez, Abhey Sur, An Zhou