Bio. 1, Genetics, BioChem. this Fall...is it doable?

[rom73085]

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The saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way" but seriously, is this doable, or am I just asking for the most hellish, horrific semester ever?

 

[Cadams1]

Depends how smart you are. 3 major classes is generally doable for most pre-meds.

 

[kevinmw5]

Let's just put it this way... It's not like med school will be any easier...

 

[lebron]

i took ochem, ochem lab, physics and genetics one quarter, then the same with biochem instead of genetics the other quarter. i did well the first quarter but bad the second so it just depends on how much you get overloaded with work.

 

[Evergrey]

If you have a good work ethic, yeah, it's definitely doable.

 

[Tots]

Are those the only three classes your taking?
Unless you also plan on taking other sciences classes like Chem or Physics on top of those three Bio classes it shouldn't be absolutely horrible. Probably not the greatest though, especially if they have associated labs.

 

[VanBrown]

it should be a breeze... however... why are you taking bio 1 so late?

I had embryology, biochem 2, physiology, and immunology one semester in undergrad... meh.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Was wondering the same thing. I thought you need intro bio before you could take genetics. Maybe each place is different.

 

[rom73085]

These will be the only three classes I'll be taking. I have a post-bacc. student. I have already completed all my other pre-reqs and just have sciences left.

Bio. I and Genetics are the only two classes that have a lab. Biochemistry does not have an associating lab.

The reason I'm taking Bio. I so late is because I took General Chemistry with Physics, and I'm finishing Organic Chemistry over the summer. Biology is only offered as Bio. I for the entire summer and I preferred to get an entire years worth of a science done over the summer as opposed to splitting it up.

 

[DOquestions]

The saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way" but seriously, is this doable, or am I just asking for the most hellish, horrific semester ever?

Not only is it doable, but it is an easy science class load.

 

[ksmi117]

Was wondering the same thing. I thought you need intro bio before you could take genetics. Maybe each place is different.

Yeah, I find that very strange that you can take all three of those together. At my school you can't take Biochem without Genetics, and you can't take Genetics without Bio II. Interesting...

 

[Just Joshin]

These will be the only three classes I'll be taking. I have a post-bacc. student. I have already completed all my other pre-reqs and just have sciences left.

Bio. I and Genetics are the only two classes that have a lab. Biochemistry does not have an associating lab.

The reason I'm taking Bio. I so late is because I took General Chemistry with Physics, and I'm finishing Organic Chemistry over the summer. Biology is only offered as Bio. I for the entire summer and I preferred to get an entire years worth of a science done over the summer as opposed to splitting it up.

How are you taking Genetics without completing Bio I? Do you know what Genetics entails? It's all based on Bio I.

 

[fastnfurious]

at my school, genetics has 2 semesters of bio as a pre-req. it's very intensive in biology

for biochem, you need 2 semesters of orgo and i think at least some bio background

 

[pnoybballin]

Certainly it is doable. But the question is, can you really pull all A's with all these classes together?

 

[Spiker]

Not only is it doable, but it is an easy science class load.

LOL yea i always had ~15 hours of math/science and 3 Hours of english related stuff (which i spend more time on than all the other 15 hours combined since i am ESL x.x).

 

[Rach83]

Very doable since you only have 3 courses.... Go for it!👍

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

at my school, genetics has 2 semesters of bio as a pre-req. it's very intensive in biology

for biochem, you need 2 semesters of orgo and i think at least some bio background

i don't think this is a school policy issue. it's a fundamental "ability to learn the material" issue. genetics is genetics no matter where you learn it (yes there are minor differences about exactly what is covered, but the majority of the principles are the same). the same goes for biochem. you can't learn advanced topics before you have the foundation.

 

[RUc10]

If those are your only classes it's definitely feasible. However, the real toss up is when your exams and due dates for labs will be scheduled. Taking major classes in the same semester really isn't that difficult but it becomes insane when you have an exam for 2 or more of these classes within a week. If somehow everything between the classes is spaced out then you'll be fine if you can work hard.

And I'm also wondering how you're taking genetics without the bio prereq already 😕

 

[el aye]

i don't think this is a school policy issue. it's a fundamental "ability to learn the material" issue. genetics is genetics no matter where you learn it (yes there are minor differences about exactly what is covered, but the majority of the principles are the same). the same goes for biochem. you can't learn advanced topics before you have the foundation.

I'd argue that general bio doesn't really help with either biochem or genetics. Hell, I'm taking my fourth semester of physics without going beyond calc2.

 

[DOquestions]

I'd argue that general bio doesn't really help with either biochem or genetics. Hell, I'm taking my fourth semester of physics without going beyond calc2.

Agreed. Having gone through almost all possible biology classes, knowing general biology material means nothing for being able to do biochem or genetic stuff. To do well in genetics, you simply need to learn genetics. To do well in biochem, you need to know chemistry and organic chemistry (not at a deep level, but the very basics).

To understand biochem and genetics well, you need to know your organic and general chemistry...not general biology.

 

[Handinhand]

I'm in:

Bio II
Genetics
Orgo I
Bio statistics
Intro Psych

All this semester, pulling an A in everything so far... so yes those three are for sure dooable. I do however spend pretty much every night in the library, but it really isn't all that stressful.

Also next fall I plan on taking:

Biochem
Neurobiology II
Physics + Lab
Scientific writing
Also going to get my EMT-Basic upgraded to IV-Tech

The way I see it, if you can't handle it now how do you expect to be able to handle even worse in med school?

EDIT: I must have had one intense Bio I class because my genetics stuff is a lot of review for me. Sure the gene mapping and the transcription/translation stuff is was more indepth now, but if I didn't have that base down it would be MUCH harder right now.

 

[vin5cent0]

Depends if you're willing to put in the time and study. Right now I'm taking 4 science/lab classes and my math requirement (pre-calc).

That's 12 hours of lecture a week along with the 9 hours of lab that comes with them. Then I have 4 hours of my math each week on top of that. It's a lot of work and I'm usually in the library every night from 9-10 pm to 2 am (class back at 8 am). It's tiresome, and at times stressful (especially since one of my bio teachers decided to make us do an extra out of class lab, giving me two labs instead of one), but I feel as if it's a good prep. for med school. How well I do, though, will be the ultimate sign of how do-able it was.

 

[NickNaylor]

Piece of cake.

 

[Just Joshin]

I'd argue that general bio doesn't really help with either biochem or genetics. Hell, I'm taking my fourth semester of physics without going beyond calc2.

I don't know what kind of Genetics class you took, but in my Genetics class, you were expected to know protein synthesis, DNA replication, and most of Mendelian Genetics on day one. Words like transcription and translation were already supposed to be part of your vocabulary and you were supposed to understand them, along with the cell cycle and what happens at each stage. That was too elementary for this class. We spent virtually no time reviewing any of that stuff, save for one or two sentences at the beginning of the first lecture about transcription/translation before delving deeper into molecular Genetics. How you'd know all that without Bio I, I don't know.

 

[Handinhand]

I don't know what kind of Genetics class you took, but in my Genetics class, you were expected to know protein synthesis, DNA replication, and most of Mendelian Genetics on day one. Words like transcription and translation were already supposed to be part of your vocabulary and you were supposed to understand them, along with the cell cycle and what happens at each stage. That was too elementary for this class. We spent virtually no time reviewing any of that stuff, save for one or two sentences at the beginning of the first lecture about transcription/translation before delving deeper into molecular Genetics. How you'd know all that without Bio I, I don't know.

Same here. Our genetics text explain all of that stuff again, but that's not what our professor focuses on. If you took Genetics at least at my school, without Bio I and II, you would fail... hard.

 

[Bacchus]

I just thought of this... but how can you take genetics and biochem when biology has to be a prerequisite for the courses? You're going to have a tough time.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

The saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way" but seriously, is this doable, or am I just asking for the most hellish, horrific semester ever?

I don't see how this is the worst semester ever by a long shot. Bio 1 is one of the easiest science classes ever. At my school, you can even do this class 100% online. Bio I needed to be completed before you can even take classes liek genetics or biochem. You can't even take biochem w/o completing Chem I, II.

Bio I: Easy A for most pre-med students
Genetics: Weids approach. You need to actually pay more attention in class and to what the teacher says becasue this topic can become real confusing. However, most pre-meds should be able to pass genetics with at least a B at the worst. (IMO)

Biochem: this is a dake out class. You assume the class is harder than it really is becasue O. CHM II reaction mechanism probably challenged you. However, very little o. cHM will help you in biochem (IMO) A strong foundation in A& P was good for me because you are just simply learning the chemistry behind the normal processes discussed in A & P. If you already know wht the krebs cycle is and how is works, then learning the chem won't be as bad. You should be able to get by with a A or B.

A much more difficult semester would be physics II, o chem II, cal 3, and spanish II. (This was a challenging term for me) Good luck OP, you should be fine. Just study and don't take those classes for granted.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

I just thought of this... but how can you take genetics and biochem when biology has to be a prerequisite for the courses? You're going to have a tough time.

Dude...scroll up.

 

[Bacchus]

I don't read all of the threads, dude.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

I don't see how this is the worst semester ever by a long shot. Bio 1 is one of the easiest science classes ever. At my school, you can even do this class 100% online. Bio I needed to be completed before you can even take classes liek genetics or biochem. You can't even take biochem w/o completing Chem I, II.

Bio I: Easy A for most pre-med students

This is school dependent. At my school they have two Bios. One is for non majors and available online or classroom and one is for science majors availabe only in the classroom. Chem I is a pre-requisite for it and the exams are pretty hard. Not straight up memorization by any means. It was very conceptual with essay questions, multiple choice, and fill in the blank. My Bio I was harder than my Orgo class actually with only four A's in a class of 75.

A strong foundation in A& P was good for me because you are just simply learning the chemistry behind the normal processes discussed in A & P. If you already know wht the krebs cycle is and how is works, then learning the chem won't be as bad.

You don't need A & P to understand the Krebs Cycle. Didn't you learn that in Bio I? My Bio I was all cell and molecular biology.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

I don't read all of the threads, dude.

Well that's fine if you want to be redundant. Like 10 people said that exact same thing and even debated it before you "just thought of it".

 

[Handinhand]

It seems like Intro to bio is very varied among schools. I know a kid who took Bio I and II and FSU and he made it sound like it almost killed him taking that class with a full load, but I've talked to other people who said theirs was a breeze. I think I got the middle ground at my school, although I think it helps that I was actually interested in the stuff we were talking about so the remembering and conceptualizing probably came easier. Bio II right now with Botany is killing me, I got a 90% on both tests so far and I just can't keep any interest in the class at all... the only light at the end of the tunnel is the Animal section at the end where we learn about body systems.

As for Genetics, I would ask about the difficulty before you take it. It's not a terribly easy class by any means, and it would benefit you to actually learn it for the MCAT.

I haven't taken Biochem yet but from what I've heard it's easier than O Chem, but again I can't comment. From the little I've seen through Bio I and II and genetics and what not it seems like a lot more memorization than actual chemical knowledge. Again though, it would be more beneficial for you to LEARN the stuff, and not just memorize it to get the grade... although I'm sure we can all admit it's easier to take the latter route. I know I have.

 

[BlueElmo]

Bio I at my schools is known for being a weeder class, pretty difficult.

 

[calvinhobbes]

The saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way" but seriously, is this doable, or am I just asking for the most hellish, horrific semester ever?

You'll be fine. Stay determined and keep at it. 👍

 

[gonj]

well if your bio I (you know course sequences are diff at every gd school right?) is molecular bio, there will be delicious overlap with genetics and biochem, which would make things easy, imo

 

[Konfetkette]

I'm prevet, not premed but I thought I might help.

I'm taking genetics, biochem, orgo II, and english this semester and yes it's the worst semester of my life (difficulty-wise) but it's definitely doable. Biochem is the hardest class of all so it takes most of the time (orgo II is a prereq but I risked taking them together). Genetics is not bad, but then again I like genetics so to each his own I guess 😀.

 

[TexanGirl]

BIO I should be a prerequisite for Genetics and Biochem. Why don't you instead take Bio I the summer before taking both Genetics and Biochem?

 

[Wants2give]

Let's just put it this way... It's not like med school will be any easier...

ummmm... while it may not be EASIER, some schools are on a pass fail system, which makes it ( aside from the USMLE ) Far less competitive than undergrad...