2 Semester of Organic Chemistry?

[StefBall]

I have been going through the MSAR for the schools that I want to apply to, and I have found that most ask that you have 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry PLUS Laboratory. What does this mean? Here's what I have taken

Elementary Organic Chemistry I (4 hours)
Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab I (2 hours)
Elementary Organic Chemistry II (4 hours)
Biochemistry and Physical Basis of Life (3 hours)

Do I still have to take Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab II? Or can I somehow substitute it with either Organic Chemistry II or Biochemistry?

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[EnginrTheFuture]

I have been going through the MSAR for the schools that I want to apply to, and I have found that most ask that you have 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry PLUS Laboratory. What does this mean? Here's what I have taken

Elementary Organic Chemistry I (4 hours)
Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab I (2 hours)
Elementary Organic Chemistry II (4 hours)
Biochemistry and Physical Basis of Life (3 hours)

Do I still have to take Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab II? Or can I somehow substitute it with either Organic Chemistry II or Biochemistry?

It depends on the school and it depends on what was included in that lab. If that first lab covered both Orgo and Orgo II material, then a handful of schools will waive the second lab because you have two hours (one for each class).

If you haven't taken a lab with any Orgo II material in it, you have to take that lab. Some schools will sub in a biochem lab for the orgo II lab.

 

[survivordo]

How did you take an Ochem class without taking the lab that goes along with it? I didn't even know you could do that. You should have taken Elementary OChem II lab while you did the class. You should look into the pre-reqs for the other classes, I would bet they require you to have taken the corresponding class.

Survivor DO

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Don't many schools now have the option of substituting Biochem for Ochem 2? I have noticed at least a few that have this option, which makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[EnginrTheFuture]

Don't many schools now have the option of substituting Biochem for Ochem 2? I have noticed at least a few that have this option, which makes a lot of sense to me.

Yes, this is true. Although you may still need a lab component of that biochem class to cover for the Ochem II lab

 

[StefBall]

The organic chemistry classes at my school are 4 credit hours, unlike most schools which is 3 credit hours for just organic chemistry. Btw -- what does Orgo Lab II consist of? I'm assuming organometallics and that sort of thing.

 

[ScienceNerdUofU]

The organic chemistry classes at my school are 4 credit hours, unlike most schools which is 3 credit hours for just organic chemistry. Btw -- what does Orgo Lab II consist of? I'm assuming organometallics and that sort of thing.

Actually most schools have an organic chemistry series that is 4 credits for lecture and 1 credit for each lab. Also, this should be the same for general chemistry. Note that the General bioorganic chemistry series it's usually much easier than the general chem series. As a chem major I took all three of these series. But I would try to keep the classes you take in a commonly recognized format so that med schools will easily know what it is.

 

[pathologyDO]

You're probably going to have to ask each school you're applying to whether or not they will consider you without OchemII lab. My organic chemistry courses were 5 credit hours each semester, and included lab and lectures. Lab for the second semester was optional (I believe) but I remember my pre-med advisor saying it was necessary to take the lab if applying to medical school. Why did you decide not to take the lab? Seems a bit risky

I will say that I agree with the above poster in that the 5 credit hours usually include 4 hrs lecture, 1 hr lab. Since you got in the same amount of total credits (8 lecture, 2 lab) it may be permissible?

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

My school, which is a big pre-med school with a med school, only has one 2 credit organic chem lab that covers it all. I haven't heard from any past applicants that it was a problem at all.

 

[StefBall]

My problem is that I am graduating a semester early, and this laboratory is only offered in the spring of each year -- I will have already graduated. Only recently has this new class even been offered (past year). Should I take an inorganic chemistry lab or something? I am also going to give the medical schools a call.

 

[weezynation]

My problem is that I am graduating a semester early, and this laboratory is only offered in the spring of each year -- I will have already graduated. Only recently has this new class even been offered (past year). Should I take an inorganic chemistry lab or something? I am also going to give the medical schools a call.

Yes definitely give them a call. By your last question though, does that mean you did not take inorganic chemistry lab also? That would not be good.

 

[MrChance2]

I had one school (low tier state school) not even look at my application because I took college algebra CLEP test and passed out of it (12 on PS MCAT as well) instead of sat through the course which would have bored the crap out of me. I was missing a prereq for a school I was accepted to and it never came up at any time and I was given an acceptance without conditions.

So there's probably a few schools, I would guess mainly state schools that don't give a ****, where it will be a problem but if you have an otherwise strong app then most schools won't care.

 

[Silverflash]

My school, which is a big pre-med school with a med school, only has one 2 credit organic chem lab that covers it all. I haven't heard from any past applicants that it was a problem at all.

Same here. This thread was making me worried, but I haven't heard of there being any problems. The lab, which is taken concurrently with Ochem2, is a 2 hour course.

 

[ScienceNerdUofU]

Yes definitely give them a call. By your last question though, does that mean you did not take inorganic chemistry lab also? That would not be good.

Maybe you're talking about General chemistry lab because no school would care about inorganic chemistry lab. You would only take inorganic chem as a chem major and there often is not a specified lab to go along with it.

 

[TriagePreMed]

This is actually very variable depending on the school. First off, I will assume elementary organic chemistry is regular organic chemistry. I mention this because I know one school that has both elementary biochemistry and biochemistry. Only one of those classes is a real biochem class for prerequisites. Second, the lab you've taken may be enough. I've read of applicants on this board that were accepted with a 2 unit o-chem lab instead of having to take both o-chem labs as the total units is 8 (with lecture), but also the opposite is true. Some schools will need a lab for each class. I suggest contacting schools individually..

 

[weezynation]

Maybe you're talking about General chemistry lab because no school would care about inorganic chemistry lab. You would only take inorganic chem as a chem major and there often is not a specified lab to go along with it.

My understanding was that Gen Chem and Inorganic Chem are the same thing, but I guess that is not true for all schools.

 

[weezynation]

Same here. This thread was making me worried, but I haven't heard of there being any problems. The lab, which is taken concurrently with Ochem2, is a 2 hour course.

Ok yea maybe that one lab covered both Organic 1 and 2 labs because now that I think back, at my undergrad each lab was only one credit. So I also ended up with 2 lab credits by the time I finished Orgo.

 

[ScienceNerdUofU]

My understanding was that Gen Chem and Inorganic Chem are the same thing, but I guess that is not true for all schools.

Inorganic chem is usually upper division and quite a bit more involved than inorganic. But yes, most people would say that gen chem has some of the basic aspects of inorganic. Some schools might call gen chem inorganic but it's probably usually informally because the American Chemical Society distinguishes them.

 

[DrBtobe]

As most have said--this varies school to school.

Honestly, if you can take it, you should. I had to ask each individual school to approve my sequence. Which was a pain in the rear.
Plus, there were a few schools who said - no exceptions.
Save yourself the heartache and just take it at a community college or something.

 

[StefBall]

Ok, I will contact each school. In the meantime, what would be better to take (aesthetically speaking)? Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory (upper-level class, 3 hours) or Physical Chemistry Laboratory (also an upper-level class, 3 hours)?