Am I ****ed because I have to take organic chemistry with biology?

[unsavedhero]

I am a biology major and incoming freshman. My friend who is a junior and is planning on going to medical school said that half the people failed or dropped out of organic chemistry (he got an A in it). when I told him my premed advisor is making me take biology sophomore year along with organic chemistry he laughed out loud and said im screwed cause that is so much work im probably gonna get a terrible grade. is that true? :'( idk why brooklyn college makes general chemistry a prerequisite for biology when almost everyone else takes biology with general chemistry freshman year. im really scared now and planning on going back to yell at that ****** for sabotaging my undergrad career. even in highschool you took biology freshman year and then chem sophomore year. I asked him if i could wait till junior year to take biology with physics he said that'll be too late since im a bio major :'(. im so afraid of taking bio with organic chemistry

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[mehc012]

So...either don't be a bio major or take them together. You're not screwed; most people will have taken far harder combos than 2 INTRODUCTORY science courses at once. Think of it this way: if you can't succeed in 2 sci courses at once, you're not going to enjoy med school very much.

People talk these things up a lot. Just do what fits your schedule, what you think you'll enjoy, and relax a little. You'll be fine.

 

[chillaxbro]

1. It's normal
2. It's not that bad
3. Good luck

 

[Doctor Strange]

You really did not need to start a new thread for this...

 

[doc4lax]

I am a biology major and incoming freshman. My friend who is a junior and is planning on going to medical school said that half the people failed or dropped out of organic chemistry (he got an A in it). when I told him my premed advisor is making me take biology sophomore year along with organic chemistry he laughed out loud and said im screwed cause that is so much work im probably gonna get a terrible grade. is that true? :'( idk why brooklyn college makes general chemistry a prerequisite for biology when almost everyone else takes biology with general chemistry freshman year. im really scared now and planning on going back to yell at that ****** for sabotaging my undergrad career. even in highschool you took biology freshman year and then chem sophomore year. I asked him if i could wait till junior year to take biology with physics he said that'll be too late since im a bio major :'(. im so afraid of taking bio with organic chemistry

First off, gain some confidence in yourself because you'll have to get used to taking biology with other basic science classes. Second, use different language instead of the "r" word. That's insensitive to people who have down-syndrome.

 

[Ismet]

I took orgo and bio together and it was fine. Chill and stop letting other people get to you. Only you know what you're capable of. If you've heard it's hard to juggle both courses at your school, step it up and make sure you don't fall behind.

 

[mehc012]

First off, gain some confidence in yourself because you'll have to get used to taking biology with other basic science classes. Second, use different language instead of the "r" word. That's insensitive to people who have down-syndrome.

Exactly...if you're going to be a Bio major, you are going to have to take Bio courses pretty much all the time. Taking Bio freshman year would just mean that you would end up taking Orgo with an upper division bio class!

Side note: have never understood the aversion to the 'r-word' thing...what do you think 'idiot', '*****', 'stupid', etc. all originally meant? They were medical terms describing intelligence deficits. It's not like 'gay', where using it as a derogatory descriptor changes its meaning...it is usually used to mean EXACTLY what it means in all other contexts.

 

[unsavedhero]

wait so when will i have to take calculus? freshman year i will take precalc so are you telling me i will have to take organic chemistry, biology, and calculus all at once sophomore year? 🙁 is there a way to take calculus junior year with physics?

 

[Amba]

Did you really make two threads for the exact same topic? Weren't the replies adequate in the last thread?

 

[mehc012]

wait so when will i have to take calculus? freshman year i will take precalc so are you telling me i will have to take organic chemistry, biology, and calculus all at once? 🙁 is there a way to take calculus junior year with physics?

OK, first of all you don't HAVE to take calculus, period.
Second, it's really not that bad. Jeez, take the load you have to take and CTFO.
Finally, don't forget that there are 2 semesters (at least) in every school year. Space it out a little!

 

[SN12357]

wait so when will i have to take calculus? freshman year i will take precalc so are you telling me i will have to take organic chemistry, biology, and calculus all at once sophomore year? 🙁 is there a way to take calculus junior year with physics?

You know that the first years of medical school are an avalanche of advanced science courses, right? Might as well get used to it.

 

[unsavedhero]

no they were not adequate omfg why are you so butthurt over 2 threads? im just nervous and looking for help im sorry for making a second thread. feel better? it doesnt affect your life in anyway!!! anywho but calculus is suggested by almost every medical school. :/ ugh i just dont wanna get under an A. idk my friend is really smart so if he thinks im screwed with organic chem and bio together then i figured he knows what hes talking about

 

[Flashfan]

I am doing it next fall. It is normal at my school. Relax and get good grades.

 

[unsavedhero]

so you guys dont think its impossible to get an A in both biology and organic chemistry when taking them together? Cause everyone talks about organic chem like its a nightmare :/

 

[mehc012]

so you guys dont think its impossible to get an A in both biology and organic chemistry when taking them together? Cause everyone talks about organic chem like its a nightmare :/

I think it's the opposite of impossible.
Furthermore, as I said already, in some ways you're better off taking INTRO Bio with your orgo, because like it or not you will have to take a lot of upper level Bio in order to major in it, so either way you'd be taking Bio with Orgo...only you'd be taking a harder one normally!

And finally, I happen to have loved Orgo and ended up taking almost nothing but upper level orgo and microbiology classes during undergrad, so I'm sorry if I don't take these concerns that seriously, but again, you are freaking out about taking two INTRODUCTORY courses simultaneously. Chill. You will be fine.

 

[unsavedhero]

I think it's the opposite of impossible.
Furthermore, as I said already, in some ways you're better off taking INTRO Bio with your orgo, because like it or not you will have to take a lot of upper level Bio in order to major in it, so either way you'd be taking Bio with Orgo...only you'd be taking a harder one normally!

And finally, I happen to have loved Orgo and ended up taking almost nothing but upper level orgo and microbiology classes during undergrad, so I'm sorry if I don't take these concerns that seriously, but again, you are freaking out about taking two INTRODUCTORY courses simultaneously. Chill. You will be fine.

organic chemistry is considered introductory?? -_- what? everyone makes it seem like a nightmare. my friend said half the class dropped out when taking it so i figured its probably advanced and very difficult lol what could be harder than orgo

 

[chillaxbro]

If you dont learn organic chemistry, how will you ever become a doctor!

 

[mehc012]

organic chemistry is considered introductory?? -_- what? everyone makes it seem like a nightmare. my friend said half the class dropped out when taking it so i figured its probably advanced and very difficult lol what could be harder than orgo

Yeah. It's a 100 level course (both halves) at most schools. What could be harder than Orgo? Try:
Upper level sciences
Upper level math
Any physical chem (not general)
Courses based on reading hundreds of pages of primary literature every week
Courses based on reading hundreds of pages of conflicting primary literature every week, and then writing a 10 page paper on it before meeting with your 2 person class to have your paper gone over in microscopic detail with someone who is equally well versed on those lit papers.
And neither last nor least, upper level Organic chemistry

The reason so many people drop out of orgo is that they take it ONLY because they think they need to for some other goal (med school or what-not) and find out that they really aren't suited to go into medicine or dentistry or whatever it was that they decided to go into despite not being science people. Upper levels are way harder, but most people don't take those 'just to look good' and those who do are the ones who made it through the intros already anyway.

 

[Chelonia]

I think that a lot of people exaggerate how difficult organic is, but then again I took the warnings seriously and studied a lot to get a good grade. Most bio classes aren't as difficult as organic, so you should be fine as long as you don't slack off.

 

[acceptmeplease]

Organic isn't that bad, it's pattern recognition with a little fundamental science.

Suck it up.

 

[ready2go2]

The difficulty of ochem is over-hyped.

Don't let them psych you out. Double science is typical for premeds.

 

[0919mmk]

The difficulty of ochem is over-hyped.

Don't let them psych you out. Double science is typical for premeds.

^ this

orgo is one of those things that is a "right of passage" for premeds, and as such, people who have successfully completed it talk up the difficulty ("it was impossible and everyone failed but I got an A" etc - typical premed gunning). Is it an easy class? Not for most people, no. But compared to med school, I think it's fair to say that its pretty low-intensity course. Managing that with a bio course should be in your wheelhouse though as a premed.

 

[Urnathok]

I'd say taking organic with/before biology is the best option. That's what I did, and the citric acid cycle was a hell of a lot easier to get down pat.

 

[Myrridith]

You should calm down.

Orgo was pretty easy, so was biology, and calculus. The upper levels in my opinion were much harder. In introductory courses, the profs still spoonfed us a bit.

At least that was how it worked at my school.

It might be harder at yours. But still... it really is not impossible.

 

[keevwu]

organic chemistry is not that much harder than general chemistry/ general physics/ any science class in general. I took Ochem with molecular biology 1 semester and ochem 2 with biochemistry 2nd semester. it was fine. In my opinion, you can take any 2 science classes together a semester and be alright. 3 is pushing it.

 

[mehc012]

organic chemistry is not that much harder than general chemistry/ general physics/ any science class in general. I took Ochem with molecular biology 1 semester and ochem 2 with biochemistry 2nd semester. it was fine. In my opinion, you can take any 2 science classes together a semester and be alright. 3 is pushing it.

3 LABS is pushing it. 3 science classes in general isn't really a problem.

 

[doc4lax]

Exactly...if you're going to be a Bio major, you are going to have to take Bio courses pretty much all the time. Taking Bio freshman year would just mean that you would end up taking Orgo with an upper division bio class!

Side note: have never understood the aversion to the 'r-word' thing...what do you think 'idiot', '*****', 'stupid', etc. all originally meant? They were medical terms describing intelligence deficits. It's not like 'gay', where using it as a derogatory descriptor changes its meaning...it is usually used to mean EXACTLY what it means in all other contexts.

I am a big supporter of the "spread the word to end the word campaign" which supports the use of other words in lieu of the word ******ed for describing low intelligence. I.e. stupid, idiot, etc. I have several close friends who have a disability, and am sensitive to it lol. That's all.

 

[mehc012]

I am a big supporter of the "spread the word to end the word campaign" which supports the use of other words in lieu of the word ******ed for describing low intelligence. I.e. stupid, idiot, etc. I have several close friends who have a disability, and am sensitive to it lol. That's all.

I simply don't see the difference between ******ed and stupid/idiot. They both originated as medical terms for the same thing, and neither is being used out of context or given any meaning which changes or adds context to their original definition.

Now using gay as an insult, on the other hand, does NOT keep to the actual meaning of the word, and therefore using it as such adds a strongly negative connotation to something which is not otherwise a bad thing.

I feel that there is a difference between the two situations. Note, however, that I did refrain from using it in my first post in deference to your stated sensitivity...I try to respect it around people whom I know are bothered by it, even if I am open about the fact that I do not share the same view.

 

[yehhhboiii]

organic chemistry is considered introductory?? -_- what? everyone makes it seem like a nightmare. my friend said half the class dropped out when taking it so i figured its probably advanced and very difficult lol what could be harder than orgo

Lol orgo is just drawing some chairs, learning how to arrow push electrons and memorizing some reaction conditions. It's pretty silly to worry about something when you havent even started it yet.

 

[Drogo]

OP please, there's people who tackle on those courses with much more rigorous courses on top of them. People pursuing degrees in engineering, chemistry, physics, mathematics et cetera...

You have to pay your dues like everyone else and pony up sometimes and know how to handle rigorous semesters. Trick is to slowly ease into them as you improve your study habits and time management.

 

[occams_razor]

not that bad. I know lots of people who took orgo and physics together and did well. Also know someone who took orgo, physics and bio together and got A's in all. you have to be willing to work VERY hard. orgo and bio together are nothing compared to what you will see in med school

 

[sakabato93]

Gen chem/Intro bio are insanely easy compared to physics and ochem, IMO. Ochem is when it gets tough, but doable. The reason why so many people drop ochem because its "too hard" is because they're not meant to study medicine for whatever reason (not smart enough, too lazy, not committed, etc). But if you're competent, intelligent, passionate, and willing, taking ochem (or any prereq) is not going to be a problem.

As for the ******ed vs stupid thing, ******ed is definitely a clinical term, but it refers to cognitive deficits (generally) due to some sort congenital anomaly, not just "stupid". Stupid is an all inclusive, offensive term that refers to anyone that is lacking some sort of fundamental knowledge in some sort of unfavorable way which generally warrants some sort of mocking (i.e., calling them "stupid" or an "idiot"). ******ed is a clinical term that lacks moral basis while stupid and idiot are words that are supposed to be used for insulting purposes. Saying they're the same is a false equivalency and perpetuates the notion that being mentally ******ed warrants mocking, which is definitely a no-no.

 

[Koosalagoosagoo]

Really? I took calculus, ochem I, biology, and german all at the same time. It wasn't that hard but I am just finishing ochem II this summer which is much harder. I think we went over 300 reactions in the 7 weeks...

 

[basketcase0a0]

Yeah I took them together too. For a whole year *gasp*

Chill dude, if you can't handle two moderately difficult classes together then you were never going to succeed in medical school anyway, and getting that wake up call now rather than later is a good thing.

Additionally, getting a B in orgo or a biology course will in itself have almost no negative effect on your chances for acceptance, so long as the rest of your grades are good.

 

[hunterjumper14]

People in 1 year postbacc programs do it all the time. We took gen chem 1 and 2 and bio 1 in our 10 week summer session, Bio 2 + Physics 1 + orgo 1 in the fall, and Biochem + Physics 2 + orgo 2 in the spring. It's definitely possible. Don't let the hype get to you! Good luck

EDIT: I forgot we also took Calc 1 in the spring on top of Biochem, Physics 2, and Orgo 2. You can do it!

 

[keevwu]

People in 1 year postbacc programs do it all the time. We took gen chem 1 and 2 and bio 1 in our 10 week summer session, Bio 2 + Physics 1 + orgo 1 in the fall, and Biochem + Physics 2 + orgo 2 in the spring. It's definitely possible. Don't let the hype get to you! Good luck

EDIT: I forgot we also took Calc 1 in the spring on top of Biochem, Physics 2, and Orgo 2. You can do it!

wow i don't know about all that sounds rough

 

[medschoolmyname]

Alot of what people have said above is right but here is my honest experience. I took a biology course with o chem, had a pretty easy time. Semester before that had o chem with physics, nightmare semester. The difference? NOt the subject matter but the teacher. Your teachers will dictate how difficult the class really is. Im not saying its the only thing, and im sure someone will get on my case for saying this, but as smart as you are if your professor's methods don't work for you then you are going to have a miserable time.

 

[StephanieZ]

No it isn't possible to do well in both biology and organic chemistry. Every premed I know has taken each individual prerequisite one semester at a time, filling the rest of their schedule with courses like women's studies so as not to become overwhelmed.

 

[mehc012]

No it isn't possible to do well in both biology and organic chemistry. Every premed I know has taken each individual prerequisite one semester at a time, filling the rest of their schedule with courses like women's studies so as not to become overwhelmed.

👍👍👍

 

[cs5910]

Lol OP really? You will be fine. I took microbio, animal physiology, orgo 1, and physics 1, which includes 3 labs.....and was a college athlete. All A's and one B. If you really want to pursue medicine, you will make it happen. Stop worrying and go into these classes with confidence.