Apply to Medschool without OCHEM???

[Edenbook85]

I'm taking the MCAT in June 15 and have finished all the other prereqs. but i couldn't register for OCHEM in the fall 2006 or spring 2007. the class conflicted with my schedule to much so i couldn't take it. I was able to sit in on all the lectures since the fall and have taught myself OCHEM so i feel good about the MCAT. However,

1. can i apply to medschool without having taken OCHEM.

i plan on taking it over the summer.

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[Noeljan]

from what I have heard
many a med schools look very closely at the grades in Organic chemistry. Many premeds do just fine until they hit that class. It is used as a weed out.
I loved Ochem, but I know a lot of people have anger towards it
Anyways, best to call an ADCOM at the school you want to go to and check.

 

[JennyB]

If you plan on taking the class over summer, you'll be fine because if it's required, that means it has to be done before matriculation into med school. I think the large majority require a year of OChem, so look in the MSAR for details on particular schools. If they don't require it, you'll be fine since you had to learn it for the MCAT anyways. If they do require it, you'll have to talk to the admissions office or the dean or someone to ask for special permission. That's a pretty big pre-req, so I doubt they would waive it for you. Good luck though!

 

[spicedmanna]

I'm taking the MCAT in June 15 and have finished all the other prereqs. but i couldn't register for OCHEM in the fall 2006 or spring 2007. the class conflicted with my schedule to much so i couldn't take it. I was able to sit in on all the lectures since the fall and have taught myself OCHEM so i feel good about the MCAT. However,

1. can i apply to medschool without having taken OCHEM.

i plan on taking it over the summer.

You can certainly apply without having taken Organic Chemistry, but you can't usually matriculate without having taken the 1 year of Organic that is required. Therefore, you will need to make sure that you have taken both semesters of Organic Chemsistry + Lab before you matriculate.

 

[Pancho Villa]

I'm taking the MCAT in June 15 and have finished all the other prereqs. but i couldn't register for OCHEM in the fall 2006 or spring 2007. the class conflicted with my schedule to much so i couldn't take it. I was able to sit in on all the lectures since the fall and have taught myself OCHEM so i feel good about the MCAT. However,

1. can i apply to medschool without having taken OCHEM.

i plan on taking it over the summer.

how were you able to sit in on all the lectures if it conflicted with your schedule?

 

[PeripateticMD]

I'm taking the MCAT in June 15 and have finished all the other prereqs. but i couldn't register for OCHEM in the fall 2006 or spring 2007. the class conflicted with my schedule to much so i couldn't take it. I was able to sit in on all the lectures since the fall and have taught myself OCHEM so i feel good about the MCAT. However,

1. can i apply to medschool without having taken OCHEM.

i plan on taking it over the summer.

My advice - do NOT ask the adcoms. Somehow, 2 schools that required ochem before application (the only 2 that required it of where i'd applied), let it go. And the ones that I got into, waived the last quarter (so i'm in the clear!). If you're a strong enough applicant, they wont bat an eye. That said, I think I'm an anomaly and not the usual candidate...

 

[JennyB]

My advice - do NOT ask the adcoms. Somehow, 2 schools that required ochem before application (the only 2 that required it of where i'd applied), let it go. And the ones that I got into, waived the last quarter (so i'm in the clear!). If you're a strong enough applicant, they wont bat an eye. That said, I think I'm an anomaly and not the usual candidate...

But what if you're not someone they really want, they offer you admission, and then when they realize you haven't taken ochem, they rescind it? Then you've wasted all of your money...and what if as they're reviewing your application post-secondary, they reject you automatically after taking your money because you don't meet the requirements? I wouldn't risk it.

 

[JennyB]

how were you able to sit in on all the lectures if it conflicted with your schedule?

I was wondering the same thing!

 

[spicedmanna]

But what if you're not someone they really want, they offer you admission, and then when they realize you haven't taken ochem, they rescind it? Then you've wasted all of your money...and what if as they're reviewing your application post-secondary, they reject you automatically after taking your money because you don't meet the requirements? I wouldn't risk it.

Well, you can apply most of the time without having taken some prerequisites, but when you matriculate the school in which you received an acceptance will ask for all of your transcripts. They will check to see if you have met their matriculation requirements, which usually include having taken all the premedical prerequisites. They probably won't rescind your acceptance, but won't allow you to matriculate until you meet their requirements.

 

[Kfire326]

from what I have heard
many a med schools look very closely at the grades in Organic chemistry. Many premeds do just fine until they hit that class. It is used as a weed out.
I loved Ochem, but I know a lot of people have anger towards it
Anyways, best to call an ADCOM at the school you want to go to and check.

I agree with everything Noeljan says. A professor of mine, who is ON THE ADCOM at the med school of my university told me that Organic Chem is given the most weight of all your premed classes because it requires you to memorize so much info (i.e. reactions). Now, whether that's actually true is up for debate, but the fact is, it's very important. I'd venture to guess that if you took biochem as an undergrad, your grade in biochem would have more weight than your grade in orgo.

 

[Critical Mass]

I'm reserving my advice to you until you mention your actual MCAT score. That will probably answer your question for you in and of itself.