When to take OChem

[Smilescali]

Hey Everybody!

For those of you in pharmacy school, do you think applicants should take Ochem in the beginning of their pre req journey or wait until the last 2 semesters before admission? Is Ochem used much in Pharm school or is it mainly human biology and A&P stuff? I am just wondering if I should take A&P classes now and wait for Ochem until a little later or visa versa.

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[dgroulx]

Ochem II is hard, so I would take it whenever you schedule is the lightest.


We use some Ochem in medicinal chemistry, but there are no synthesis problems. You need to know mechanisms and lots of acid/base stuff.

Out of my science prereqs the only one that has not been used in school is calculus. We don't do physics problems either, but there are physics concepts dealing with flow and electrical currents.

 

[pharmd-08]

In the tips section for my school, they say the admissions committee looks closely to your score in hard classes i.e Ochem & Physics, so I think it would be a good idea to have those classes under your belt (especially if you can do well in those).
Let's say you are being compared with someone with similar GPA, but he/she only has easy classes relative to your classes, your application will look stronger then.

 

[PMart]

definitly get all your chem courses out of the way, I ended up taking O chem II during my second to last semester of pre-req's and I really wished I had taken it earlier.
PMart

 

[kwakster928]

as you guys all know by now pharmacy is a fancier version of super upper level chemistry. I think as applicant you should ahve all chem classes all finished before you apply. especially organic chem since it is considered as toughest undergrad course, if you do well on ochem, you will look very good upon. plus if you master it, it will make your life a lot easier at the pharmacy school.

 

[Smilescali]

I agree that admission reps. would look at exceptional organic chem grades favorably, however, I was thinking that if I were to take Ochem last then they would be "fresh" in my head for pharmacy school.
It depends on who you talk to in regards to the difficultly of Ochem I and II. Some people thought it was easier than the gen chems. Personally, I think it has everything to do with the professor teaching it. I wish there was a public database for students to comment on professors! That way students can make an educated decision on which professors to take rather than "chancing it".

 

[J Lucas]

There is.. its called http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/index.jsp
ITS AN EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE SITE...

I agree that admission reps. would look at exceptional organic chem grades favorably, however, I was thinking that if I were to take Ochem last then they would be "fresh" in my head for pharmacy school.
It depends on who you talk to in regards to the difficultly of Ochem I and II. Some people thought it was easier than the gen chems. Personally, I think it has everything to do with the professor teaching it. I wish there was a public database for students to comment on professors! That way students can make an educated decision on which professors to take rather than "chancing it".

 

[kwakster928]

very interesting link.. i have to agree on the comment about professors. most of college professors do not have education degree like HS or MS teachers. that's why you will find better teachers in HS and MS. I amo not saying all of them are bad professors in college but just want to point out that they are not train to teach. they just know a lot about their own decipline. colleges that hire professors who doesn't even speak english well is just mind baggling to me. as far as organic goes i wouldn't say it is easier than gen chem. gen chem usually involves with theory and lots of mathematicl calculations, organic chem is about learning reactions and how to apply them in the reaction sequence more like solving a puzzle. if you are good at math you will find gen chem lil easier, but if you are creative thinker who rather apply the theories to the test, then you will do well in organic. def take finish gen chem before taking PCAT though. not much organic chemistry is on PCAT as per my experience.

 

[r_salis]

Another advantage to making room to take orgo early on is that you can find out through the grapevine which instructors are the best and take it when they are teaching it -- and if you don't think you're going to do well, you can still drop and have time to take it a different semester.

 

[Smilescali]

GREAT SITE! Thanks so much. I found out that all of the Ochem and GChem professors at my college are "the worst professors ever" on this site! Ouch! I hope these are just jaded students venting.... I hope