What areas of chemistry are relevant for a career in medicine?

[V781]

I greatly dislike quantum theory related topics and any chemistry that relates heavily to physics. Studying takes me a while for these topics because the information does not interest me whatsoever and my mind simply does not work like an engineer's. I feel like this particular area of study doesn't relate to medicine and I probably won't come across it again.

I know chemistry and physics are required courses for the field, but do those who go into the medical field need to have an easy time with these? If I don't have an easy time with this type of work, am I pursuing the wrong field?

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[New_Slang]

In a very simplified way: you need to understand quantum to understand bonding to understand interactions of organic molecules to understand how chemical structure, function, and even arrangement in space is vital to protein folding, drug binding, immune system signaling, apoptosis... While you might not be tested on straight up chemistry, it's always the underlying subject.

Additionally: pH, ions, radiation/decay, bicarbonate exchange... the list goes on forever.

 

[trev5150]

Well, you have to take Gen chem 1 & 2, OChem 1 & 2 and biochem (and all the labs) to satisfy most schools' prereq lists and be competitive amongst applicants, but...

... unless you're a chem major you won't have to take analytical, inorganic or p-chem (thermodynamics or quantum). Funny thing is those last four are all that's left for a chem B.S.

So, you might take a good look at course descriptions and see if you're game or not.

 

[futuremdforme]

You have to be able to learn it and understand it at a basic level, but you don't have to like it to use it at the doctor level. And I can't think of quantum mechanics being relevant at all in the vast, vast majority of cases.

 

[eteshoe]

Think of it as the necessary evil to get to get to where you ultimately want to be (e.g. a practicing doctor)

 

[Law2Doc]

You need the prereqs to get into med school. After that you will take have to get through a biochem and a pharm course in med school. And you'll need to know a little acid - base stuff. But beyond that you'll probably never think about chemistry again.

 

[QofQuimica]

You need the prereqs to get into med school. After that you will take have to get through a biochem and a pharm course in med school. And you'll need to know a little acid - base stuff. But beyond that you'll probably never think about chemistry again.

Speak for yourself.

OP, I have a PhD in organic chemistry, and I took a year of physical chemistry in grad school. The quantum chemistry stuff wasn't even relevant to my PhD, let alone to the practice of medicine. I think you'll be fine if you don't like quantum mechanics. Even Einstein said no one really understands it.

That being said, physics is the underlying science that explains how the entire world works, including all of biology. Any time you order an X-ray, use an ultrasound to examine a fetus, or listen to a patient's heart with a stethoscope, you are using your knowledge of physics. So while you don't need to be able to actually be a physicist, you do need to have a basic understanding of physics principles. Ditto for basic chemistry principles. Your abilities as a physician will be much richer if you actually understand why you are doing things instead of just memorizing a bunch of disjointed facts.

 

[Law2Doc]

Speak for yourself.

OP, I have a PhD in organic chemistry, and I took a year of physical chemistry in grad school. The quantum chemistry stuff wasn't even relevant to my PhD, let alone to the practice of medicine. I think you'll be fine if you don't like quantum mechanics. Even Einstein said no one really understands it.

That being said, physics is the underlying science that explains how the entire world works, including all of biology. Any time you order an X-ray, use an ultrasound to examine a fetus, or listen to a patient's heart with a stethoscope, you are using your knowledge of physics. So while you don't need to be able to actually be a physicist, you do need to have a basic understanding of physics principles. Ditto for basic chemistry principles. Your abilities as a physician will be much richer if you actually understand why you are doing things instead of just memorizing a bunch of disjointed facts.

Most people don't understand how a car, a tv or a telephone work, and yet they use these daily without difficulty. Similarly I am sure plenty of doctors use their stethoscope or order imaging with only rudimentary knowledge of the science behind it.

 

[clausewitz2]

Most people don't understand how a car, a tv or a telephone work, and yet they use these daily without difficulty. Similarly I am sure plenty of doctors use their stethoscope or order imaging with only rudimentary knowledge of the science behind it.

To quote Blackadder: "I am one of those people who are perfectly happy to wear cotton, but have no idea how it works."

 

[QofQuimica]

Most people don't understand how a car, a tv or a telephone work, and yet they use these daily without difficulty. Similarly I am sure plenty of doctors use their stethoscope or order imaging with only rudimentary knowledge of the science behind it.

Which is a shame. Not that we can or should all be rugged individualists, single-handedly forging our way across the hospital universe. Specialization is necessary simply because of the vastness of our current biomedical knowledge. But don't you think it's helpful for, say, an internist to know when and why they should order their CT with contrast, versus when an US or MRI would be a more effective study? We shouldn't just go ignorant on the basics and assume someone else will understand them for us simply because we have super specialists available to consult.