anatomy is overrated. at least with anatomy memorization you can picture relationships and stuff and the names kind of make sense. biochemistry seems to be 2x as much memorization of things that make absolutely no sense. how the hell am i supposed to remember every stupid little cofactor and nadh and dehydrogenase blah blah blah
biochemistry is by far the most difficult course in medical school
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how can you say that? you're gonna be a horrible doctor, and I feel sorry for your patients.
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anatomy IS overrated. Even if you're going to be a surgeon your anatomical knowledge is heavily compartmentalized.
Stop being lazy with biochem. Make flashcards if you have to, or reread it until it sticks. Only you know what works best. Somehow, millions of other people have made it through the course and gone on to get medical licenses. Besides, if you think those are bad just wait until you start studying for boards...
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make mind maps and always draw out the cycles/pathways. Remember to focus most of your time on steps that are rate limiting, things that inhibit the step [drugs, etc]. Getting biochem down doesnt happen over night, you gotta keep with it, think big picture and most importantly REPETITION!
Agreed, but to credit the OP..Biochem still sucks. And yes, if you don't get all those cofactors down you will indeed be a terrible doctor.
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head and neck anatomy is the worst in terms of memorization.
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So many triangles...
Second this. Head and neck destroyed me. Biochem is enjoyable to me because I can reason it out most of the time. Most trips in that class by far.
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It's all about how you think. I found anatomy to be harder than biochem by a mile. I also found head and neck anatomy to be easier than abdomen, which contained about 20 different named little arteries like "left gastric" that I had negative 5 desire to memorize. At least head and neck was entertaining.
Biochem becomes a lot easier if you understand it. A lot of those named things you can actually just reason from the name.
Everyone is going to have different preferences and luckily it's not going to matter for much longer if you are on a traditional curriculum, should be done with those classes soon.
Biochem becomes a lot easier if you understand it. A lot of those named things you can actually just reason from the name.
Everyone is going to have different preferences and luckily it's not going to matter for much longer if you are on a traditional curriculum, should be done with those classes soon.
I agree. That said, memorization can be very tedious and boring, and that's what makes it hard at times. The good news is that most people can do it, hence the reason you don't need to be particularly smart to in medical school. Just work hard and memorize everything.
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At first, head and neck is all over the place but after a week or so, it just clicks...kind of like cardio physio lol
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here's 50% of biochemistry condensed into a few sentences:
If it's a reductive pathway, you'll use NADPH.
If it's an oxidative pathway, you'll use NAD+.
If there is movement of carboxyl groups, you'll use biotin.
If there is movement of methyl groups, you'll use B12 or folate.
Now back to the pterygopalatine fossa....
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You use B12 or Folate to make SAMe......
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For those saying that the OP will be a horrible doctor because he isn't good at memorizing details of biochemical pathways, are you guys being serious or sarcastic?
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It's a joke. Biochemistry is a joke too, it's honestly not hard at all. If you get down a few concepts or memorize them everything else just falls into place.
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They're being sarcastic. Don't worry...don't get too nervous before you even start medical school.
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Since when is memorization difficult? Signing up for the program requires full dedication, and there are individuals who would kill to learn more. Sure, there are classes that may lack certain concrete connections beneficial to remembering, yet try to think of quantum physics as an example where individuals don't have the slightest glimpse of physical tangibility on what they're learning.
Everything you know is in memory. It is cumulative and comprehensive, learn to appreciate the knowledge provided and given to you.
Everything you know is in memory. It is cumulative and comprehensive, learn to appreciate the knowledge provided and given to you.
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Have you taken a single class in medical school?
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Man, you're gonna KILL med school
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lol....
Anatomy is overrated but not in the sense you're describing. Biochem is eeeeasy. With the exception of certain enzyme names (which you just have to memorize) the majority of it is just application of previously-learned concepts. UG biochem was just a nice supplement to MCAT studying. Med school biochem...more of the same. Stop being lazy and draw some things.
Also...why are you posting this on the Allo board?
im an ms1 i just havent changed my status thing
i feel like you're going to be that kid in the stupid bioethics/how to be a doctor class all med students have to take that takes the class way to serious and won't shutup when everyone else just wants to get it over with and get out of there
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Ah that makes more sense. I do agree M1 biochem is a bit more memorization, but I didn't think it was even a significant percentage of the amt in anatomy. Then again, I actually like Physio and find Histo written exams WAY easier than practicals, so maybe I'm the odd man out haha.
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This was exactly my thought. Wait till you are on q3 call while trying to study for shelf exams (which are way harder than any 2nd year test I took).
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*likes this!*
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I was going to type up a response but then decided not to waste my time. He'll get a dose of reality soon enough.
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I was going to type up a response but then decided not to waste my time. He'll get a dose of reality soon enough.
PatchAdams isn't even premed, he's Pre-podiatry. He applied and is currently interviewing at Podiatry schools so honestly he won't ever get a dose of med school reality. He's going to be one of those Podiatry gunners that think Podiatry school is just as hard as medical school.
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I'm amused that everyone took my sarcastic comment seriously. Come on, there's nothing like a little rhetoric to lighten up your day 
Thanks for the background check flodhi1. However, I don't understand how you got 'podiatry gunner with a mission for equity' from my comment. I'm not getting into that, regardless if I agree with your commentary or not, it is impossible to find parity between classes of two separate doctoral programs. That, and also I don't want to hijack this thread.
Thanks for the background check flodhi1. However, I don't understand how you got 'podiatry gunner with a mission for equity' from my comment. I'm not getting into that, regardless if I agree with your commentary or not, it is impossible to find parity between classes of two separate doctoral programs. That, and also I don't want to hijack this thread.
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I'm amused that everyone took my sarcastic comment seriously. Come on, there's nothing like a little rhetoric to lighten up your day
Thanks for the background check flodhi1. However, I don't understand how you got 'podiatry gunner with a mission for equity' from my comment. I'm not getting into that, regardless if I agree with your commentary or not, it is impossible to find parity between classes of two separate doctoral programs. That, and also I don't want to hijack this thread.
You're trying too hard.
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I'm amused that everyone took my sarcastic comment seriously. Come on, there's nothing like a little rhetoric to lighten up your day
Thanks for the background check flodhi1. However, I don't understand how you got 'podiatry gunner with a mission for equity' from my comment. I'm not getting into that, regardless if I agree with your commentary or not, it is impossible to find parity between classes of two separate doctoral programs. That, and also I don't want to hijack this thread.
I could understand your presence here if you were at least a premed. I can never ever understand why non medical students and non premeds come to post and share their life experiences on the Allopathic forum. This is NOT the inter-professional section. You know absolutely nothing about medical school and never will so why bother acting like you do?
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Flodhi1, I remember a thread a while back when you were talking about studying 12 hours a day. I am glad things are getting easier. This gives me hope.
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Well in the beginning I really wanted to study to get as much info as possible. I had this notion that the more I study since day 1, the better I would eventually do in step 1 (which is a little extreme). I was also a little inefficient (wasted time going over the material I already knew instead of focusing more on my weaknesses). Now I'm just taking advantage of the Pass/Fail policy at my school and just taking it easy. No point in going too hard, it's a marathon and I was sprinting like an idiot.
P.S Congrats on the UCSF acceptance, that's HUGE!
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I'm amused that everyone took my sarcastic comment seriously. Come on, there's nothing like a little rhetoric to lighten up your day
Thanks for the background check flodhi1. However, I don't understand how you got 'podiatry gunner with a mission for equity' from my comment. I'm not getting into that, regardless if I agree with your commentary or not, it is impossible to find parity between classes of two separate doctoral programs. That, and also I don't want to hijack this thread.
podiatrist puts foot in mouth
the jokes just write themselves
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Dude, you do NOT take it easy! Just sayin'. You're up in Sanger after I leave like every night, lol.
But I agree you seem to have eased back a bit and that's awesome man. Congrats. You seem to do pretty well on everything too. Definitely in a good spot in our class, so congrats.
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Dude, you do NOT take it easy! Just sayin'. You're up in Sanger after I leave like every night, lol.
But I agree you seem to have eased back a bit and that's awesome man. Congrats. You seem to do pretty well on everything too. Definitely in a good spot in our class, so congrats.
I took 6 days off close to the exam and took off again after the exam since Thursday. That sounds like I'm taking it pretty easy LOL. I've realized that taking breaks is just as important as studying so I look forward to chillin out.
OP, i sucked at chemistry/biochem and ugrad and rocked med school biochem, i bought these
http://www.amazon.com/Lange-Biochem...71447369/ref=cm_lmf_tit_2/176-3681645-4275105
and annotated them to go along with course material as a means of creating a framework (because i never use flashcards, if i make them from scratch, i end up with waaay too many and never really get to even utilize them beyond writing them out)
also, if you can find/purchase the kaplan step 1 (i imagine najeeb works well too) videos, they provide a similar level of 'framework' to go off of, from which your notes/lectures can supplement--if you have this framework, understanding the minutiae of it all is 10x easier. good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Lange-Biochem...71447369/ref=cm_lmf_tit_2/176-3681645-4275105
and annotated them to go along with course material as a means of creating a framework (because i never use flashcards, if i make them from scratch, i end up with waaay too many and never really get to even utilize them beyond writing them out)
also, if you can find/purchase the kaplan step 1 (i imagine najeeb works well too) videos, they provide a similar level of 'framework' to go off of, from which your notes/lectures can supplement--if you have this framework, understanding the minutiae of it all is 10x easier. good luck!
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OP, if you're having trouble with biochem, I would start by making flashcards. My strategy for this course was to hammer all of the details in my head and then go back and do a quick read through (we have syllabi) to provide a little more context. It worked really well, and I found that reading the material was 100x easier and more beneficial after I had taken the time to commit a lot of it to memory through flashcards.
The flashcard method isn't perfect, but biochemistry was particularly amenable to this strategy.
The flashcard method isn't perfect, but biochemistry was particularly amenable to this strategy.
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Can't say I love biochem, and it doesn't come as naturally to me as physio. But what's worked for me is taking my own notes from the powerpoint/packets given. Yes sometimes this means re-writing things that are plainly in front of your face in the packet. Reading it a million times is somehow just not the same as writing it.
I go through and diagram out all the pathways, make charts of what enzyme is inhibited by what, etc. Then I label my notebook with tabs along the way. I do this for about 15 pages worth of the presentation, or until some natural stopping point, then go back and review my own notes. Lather, rinse, repeat. Couple of days before the test, I go through all the notes I took and look through Lippincott or Harper's for clarification or any details I'm still not clear on. Then, onto BRS questions if time allows.
Oh, and...screw class. My prof is actually great, but I retain 0% of what I hear.
This has worked decently for me so far, and it's quicker than it sounds. I actually do this for all my classes, and since I started, the proportion of exams I honor went way up
I go through and diagram out all the pathways, make charts of what enzyme is inhibited by what, etc. Then I label my notebook with tabs along the way. I do this for about 15 pages worth of the presentation, or until some natural stopping point, then go back and review my own notes. Lather, rinse, repeat. Couple of days before the test, I go through all the notes I took and look through Lippincott or Harper's for clarification or any details I'm still not clear on. Then, onto BRS questions if time allows.
Oh, and...screw class. My prof is actually great, but I retain 0% of what I hear.
This has worked decently for me so far, and it's quicker than it sounds. I actually do this for all my classes, and since I started, the proportion of exams I honor went way up
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Ha, totally this.
At least biochem is a set of ordered (and often logical) processes, not just endless rote memorisation of lists. God I hate anatomy.
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I have already attempted to learn the textbook of Biochemistry by heart; however, most information and knowledge contained in it genuinely went away from my mind just after a biochemical exam. Then, I recognize that it is no use trying to keep in mind every reactions or enzymes because the number of them is too large to remember. It is the foremost reason why I only reread Biochemistry when my clinical rotations began. At each time this book is opened, I only focus on chemical factors or processes related to paraclinical tests (like hepatic enzymes, plasma billirubin, creatinin, ure,etc). Thanks to the study procedure, I can now memorize necessary information thoroughly and have no difficulty applying it into clinical situations. Consequently, I find the method quite effective
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I have already attempted to learn the textbook of Biochemistry by heart; however, most information and knowledge contained in it genuinely went away from my mind just after a biochemical exam. Then, I recognize that it is no use trying to keep in mind every reactions or enzymes because the number of them is too large to remember. It is the foremost reason why I only reread Biochemistry when my clinical rotations began. At each time this book is opened, I only focus on chemical factors or processes related to paraclinical tests (like hepatic enzymes, plasma billirubin, creatinin, ure,etc). Thanks to the study procedure, I can now memorize necessary information thoroughly and have no difficulty applying it into clinical situations. Consequently, I find the method quite effective
More power to you, but why would you want to remember all that once you start your clinical years? I look forward to forgetting all of it right after I take Step 1
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I think it depends on your personality. I like being able to reason through things and figure them out which is why I love physio and biochem wasn't terrible. Anatomy, on the other hand, is just memorization which I am absolutely hating. Most of the my class feels the opposite.
Don't be daunted by biochem! It may be a lot to take in, but it will make understanding physiological basics much easier. The cool thing about it is that you can draw the pathways, unlike anatomy in which you have to draw the whole thing and it takes forever.
I really recommend for you, or anyone having trouble with biochem, drawing pathways and making tables. It greatly helps the learning process. It is true that most of what you learn here won't be useful. You can make flashcards later for those things that are.
I really recommend for you, or anyone having trouble with biochem, drawing pathways and making tables. It greatly helps the learning process. It is true that most of what you learn here won't be useful. You can make flashcards later for those things that are.
FInd a textbook that focuses on the medically relevant biochemistry (whatever amount there is). I've found Lippincott's to be pretty solid. Seeing the clinical relevance can help with motivation. Don't learn every member of a pathway - focus on the key regulatory steps. Think about pathways teleologically - in other words, what is the end purpose of a pathway? That can help you deduce some of the logic of a pathway. Keep your head up.
