1 Year of Organic Chemistry?

[JerryAf]

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I'm rather confused about the requirements of certain medical schools - they all list ONE year of organic chemistry, however my school offers Organic Chemistry 1 & 2, both half courses... My assumption is they want both?

Also, what makes organic so hard? I have it next year and I'm considering studying in the summer so that next year I can maximize my mark in that course. I don't know how much time I will have considering I have 5 bios (cellular, molecular, ecology, evolution, and zoology). Any advice on doing well? Early prep useful or no?

 

[GopherMD]

Yes, if they require one year, that means two semesters worth (with lab in a lot of cases).

As for advice for studying. LEARN THE MECHANISMS. Don't try to memorize, you will just be shooting yourself in the foot if you do.

Also, don't waste your summer studying if you don't have any classes during it.

 

[JerryAf]

Why are the marks so low for this course? Every school has this being used as a weed course.

Some of the best students I know have failed this course (30% averages)...
Is everyone memorizing or is there something else to it?

 

[Goobs]

There's a lot of stuff to remember and at least to me it was more boring than botany.


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[GopherMD]

Why are the marks so low for this course? Every school has this being used as a weed course.

Some of the best students I know have failed this course (30% averages)...
Is everyone memorizing or is there something else to it?

It's because studying ochem is not the same as studying another science course. Brute-force memorization will NOT work with ochem, and a lot of students fail to realize that. That's why the averages tend to be low, students fail to adjust their studying habits to the course.

 

[Spinach Dip]

A. Yes, either 2 semesters or 3 quarters of Ochem is required.

B. Ochem wasn't hard. It was fun.

 

[Microglia]

This course is the first challenge for "pre-meds." Which means the average "I don't care" person will fail. Personally, I love organic chem because I still live in the dream of making medicine through research and possibly establishing my own laboratories lawl

Sounds like you're interested in MD/PhD! 🙂

 

[loltopsy]

There's also a creative problem solving component of organic chemistry. You're given tools to solve a problem (reactions used to create a molecule), and you have to be creative to put it together like a puzzle. It's really a different way of thinking, and a lot have trouble with it.

 

[PinknGreenMD]

... You're given tools to solve a problem .... you have to be creative to put it together like a puzzle...

I loved Organic.. I got an A in organic 1 and B in Organic 2 .. For both classes I was a Lab Assistant. I loved learning about the mechanisms and the reactions and actually seeing my formulas come to life in the lab.. So awesome .. You will love it 🙂


If something interests you, then you will have an easier time learning about it. Pick something out that interests you about Organic and relate all other things you learn about in Organic to that one thing that intersts you and you will become more apt to loving it too 🙂

 

[HopefulSlav]

I loved Organic.. I got an A in organic 1 and B in Organic 2 .. For both classes I was a Lab Assistant. I loved learning about the mechanisms and the reactions and actually seeing my formulas come to life in the lab.. So awesome .. You will love it 🙂


If something interests you, then you will have an easier time learning about it. Pick something out that interests you about Organic and relate all other things you learn about in Organic to that one thing that intersts you and you will become more apt to loving it too 🙂

Ah, another follower of 48 Laws.

 

[wiloghby]

I disagree with the advice "not to memorize" for Organic Chem. I think it should be modified to "Don't only memorize."

Having survivied organic chem I&II with top grades (and I'm sure many people on this forum have, so take my advice with a grain of salt), I can tell you that I absolutely did understand curved arrow notation and did understand all the major classes of mechanisms. But once I had that understanding, I memorized a butt ton of specific reactions.

I liken it to algebra... you could solve every algebra problem using only the basic axioms of algebra every time and with a good understanding you could do it. But to get things done quickly for an exam, you also want to be able to memorize a few basic problem types (if the problem looks like this, I can do these steps to solve it quickly).

So you wanna know the basic mechanisms for nucleophilic addition/substitution and elimination. But you also want to memorize which functional group transformations can be done to each major class of functional groups by memorizing some common reactions :]

 

[loltopsy]

I disagree with the advice "not to memorize" for Organic Chem. I think it should be modified to "Don't only memorize."

Having survivied organic chem I&II with top grades (and I'm sure many people on this forum have, so take my advice with a grain of salt), I can tell you that I absolutely did understand curved arrow notation and did understand all the major classes of mechanisms. But once I had that understanding, I memorized a butt ton of specific reactions.

I liken it to algebra... you could solve every algebra problem using only the basic axioms of algebra every time and with a good understanding you could do it. But to get things done quickly for an exam, you also want to be able to memorize a few basic problem types (if the problem looks like this, I can do these steps to solve it quickly).

So you wanna know the basic mechanisms for nucleophilic addition/substitution and elimination. But you also want to memorize which functional group transformations can be done to each major class of functional groups by memorizing some common reactions :]

You really need to memorize very little. Each mechanism can be thought of as "then the positive charge attracts the electrons on this atom and so they combine" and "there is now room on the atom to make/break a new bond." One thing they liked to do on exams from orgo 1 all the way through grad level was ask you for a mechanism that you did not even learn. What you had to realize was that it was the same minus one step to one that you already know, the only difference is the elements used would be different.

Beyond that, especially in organic 2, many, many of the reactions were old ones repeated over again in slightly different situations. Once you memorized one, you could do the next one simply by reapplying what you already learned to a new molecule.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

People struggle with Ochem mostly because they don't understand the basics of organic chemistry, I.e electron pushing and the like, and because they only know how to memorize things, not acts understand and utilize them.

Generally if you keep up with the class and enjoy puzzles then Organic chemistry will not only be not difficult, it'll be relatively fun.

 

[beethousand]

You really need to memorize very little. Each mechanism can be thought of as "then the positive charge attracts the electrons on this atom and so they combine" and "there is now room on the atom to make/break a new bond." One thing they liked to do on exams from orgo 1 all the way through grad level was ask you for a mechanism that you did not even learn. What you had to realize was that it was the same minus one step to one that you already know, the only difference is the elements used would be different.

Beyond that, especially in organic 2, many, many of the reactions were old ones repeated over again in slightly different situations. Once you memorized one, you could do the next one simply by reapplying what you already learned to a new molecule.

I agree that you don't necessarily need to memorize mechanisms, but I do think you have to memorize plenty of reactions and their reagents as well as different common names and nomenclature rules. The hard part is complex synthesis in my opinion, you have to draw upon a large bank of reactions that you have memorized and apply them creatively. Getting from point a to point b may involve 10 steps. Challenging, but doable.

 

[JerryAf]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I'm going to buy the organic chemistry book and start studying it now (summer) so that when school starts I can be a bit more relaxed with my 5 biology courses 😴 !

 

[PinknGreenMD]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I'm going to buy the organic chemistry book and start studying it now (summer) so that when school starts I can be a bit more relaxed with my 5 biology courses 😴 !

Excellent Idea!! I am actually doing the same for my Biochemistry I class I am taking the first part of this summer! 🙂

Good Luck! You can also probably just study your MCAT subject book on Organic.. two birds one stone.

 

[JerryAf]

Tell me how bchem goes 🙂 good luck man!

 

[milski]

There's a lot of stuff to remember and at least to me it was more boring than botany.


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Now that's just impossible. 😀

 

[Iso4ane]

As my professor always said "Make a Bond; Break A Bond." and a few select words that should not be mentioned in a public forum.