Biochem/organic question.

[Mayonaise32]

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I'm trying to decide if I should take biochem next semester or organic 1. I am actually not sure if I want to take organic 2 at all right now. The two schools closest to me are the Pikeville school and UK. These schools both allow you to substitute biochem for organic chem 2. Should I go ahead and take biochem this semester just in case I need organic chem 1 and 2? Or should I take organic 1 this semester then take biochem and skip organic 2? I am having a hard time making a decision. I would prefer to take organic next semester with a familiar professor and then take biochem in the spring 2014. My only concern is that I may need organic 2 and would have to take it after having a semester and summer in between organic 1. It would also be with a different professor if that were to happen.

 

[gmcguitar4]

I'm trying to decide if I should take biochem next semester or organic 1. I am actually not sure if I want to take organic 2 at all right now. The two schools closest to me are the Pikeville school and UK. These schools both allow you to substitute biochem for organic chem 2. Should I go ahead and take biochem this semester just in case I need organic chem 1 and 2? Or should I take organic 1 this semester then take biochem and skip organic 2? I am having a hard time making a decision. I would prefer to take organic next semester with a familiar professor and then take biochem in the spring 2014. My only concern is that I may need organic 2 and would have to take it after having a semester and summer in between organic 1. It would also be with a different professor if that were to happen.

Most med schools require both organic chems. You can't just bank on one of those 2 schools accepting you..it is just too competitive and anything can happen. If I were you, I would just take orgo 1 and biochem at the same time if you can. Orgo 1 is ridiculously easy if you just stay on top of the material. But regardless, get both ochems on your transcript with A's

 

[Mayonaise32]

How much biochem is on the mcat? Is it important to have biochem in before taking it?

 

[BamaGirl14]

You should take Organic Chemistry before Biochemistry. When are you planning on taking the MCAT? If you are taking it before 2015, the Biological Sciences section is 25% Organic Chemistry and 75% Biology. So you definitely need to take Organic Chemistry and save Biochemistry for later. That said, I definitely recommend taking Biochemistry to prepare yourself for Medical Biochemistry.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I thought about doing what you are suggesting so much so that here is my thread on it: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=674097.

I noticed I was limiting my schools and ended up taking O-Chem I and II and biochem. Definitely get in a semester of o-chem before biochem.

You can't bank on any school so give yourself as many options as possible. That said, I haven't learned my lesson since now I'm looking for schools that accept 2 credits of o-chem lab (8 semester units total), instead of requiring 2 semesters of lab. Luckily, most schools require only 8 semester units of o-chem (so not as limiting).

Good luck.

 

[Mayonaise32]

I'm a exercise science major so I have to get all the pre Reqs in along with the classes toward my major. Right now next semester I am taking physics 1, genetics, and biochem along with some exercise science classes. I planned to take organic chem 1, physics 2 and cell biology in the spring. I was going to take the mcat next summer. Should I take organic this semester instead of biochem?

 

[DrEnderW]

I am of the opinion that if the Biochem course does not require Organic Chem is a pre-requisite, it's probably not worth taking. You can't appreciate or fully understand biochem without at least a rudimentary understanding of functional groups and organic chem reactions.

Do the year of organic and them do Biochem. Yes, it will help for the MCAT but wont be as important as your other science pre-reqs obviously.

 

[hallowmann]

I am of the opinion that if the Biochem course does not require Organic Chem is a pre-requisite, it's probably not worth taking. You can't appreciate or fully understand biochem without at least a rudimentary understanding of functional groups and organic chem reactions.

Do the year of organic and them do Biochem. Yes, it will help for the MCAT but wont be as important as your other science pre-reqs obviously.

Agreed. You should take O.Chem 1 first, then Biochem. Then, you should probably take O. Chem 2, so you can apply to more than just the 2 schools closest to you (its OK for this to be in progress while you are applying).

 

[RaspberrySlushy]

Take o chem first. I'm taking biochem right now and there is a lot of o chem in it. Without o chem, it would be very hard to keep up w/all the functional groups, mechanisms, chirality, etc that come up in biochem. At my school some o chem is required as a prerequisite before biochem and I can now see why.