What to Expect from Online Classes

If your premed courses online are the first classes you've taken over the Internet, you will need to prepare yourself for the unique benefits and challenges of the online environment. We'll tell you what to expect from online coursework here.

Proactive Learning

Premed courses online require students to be proactive with their learning and take responsibility for learning the concepts. The learning in traditional courses is much more passive than in online classes. In the traditional classroom, students sit and listen to a long lecture from the instructor with little interaction and participation. By contrast, the online classroom does away with lectures altogether, relying instead on dialogue, reading materials, and relevant assignments as teaching tools. If you don't understand something, it is up to you to ask your facilitator or classmates for clarification.

Emphasis on Discussion

Even with premed courses online that are largely fact-based, discussion will still be an important part of the learning process. Your instructor will begin discussion threads on topics that pertain to the course material for the week. He/she may ask for your opinion on a particular issue that you've studied and/or require you to answer a question based on your readings. In either case, you will exchange ideas and feedback with your peers in order to cement the ideas you've learned. At times, the instructor will comment on the class discussion or ask follow-up questions to facilitate dialogue.

Demanding Schedule

Online classes tend not to be as long as traditional courses, so the pace is often fast and demanding. Science classes are already rigorous, and the online format can make them even more challenging. More than likely, you will have something to do every day in premed courses online. You might have reading to do, a paper to write, projects to complete, or participation requirements to fulfill. You should expect to have to log in to your classroom on the majority of the days of the week. Remember that the rule of thumb is that for every hour you spend in class, you should spend three hours studying.

More Group Work

Aside from the lab, group work is not as common in traditional science classes as it is with premed courses online. You will probably have to create presentations, papers, and other assignments with a virtual team to which your instructor assigns you. A virtual group will help you work on your cooperation and communication skills, both of which are essential in aspiring health professionals.

A list of required premed courses online is available through this site to help you know what to look forward to.