Biochemistry prerequisites

[LikeDaniel]

Hello all,

For various reasons I will likely need to self study Biochemistry for the MCAT. I would prefer not to jump in too soon and suddenly hit something that builds on prereq-knowledge I was assumed to have and have to then self study many other topics as well (primarily since I'm working FT, studying near FT, and have a family with a baby on the way).

What do I actually need to have under my belt before I can start learning biochemistry? Orgo 1? Orgo 2? Just GC 2?

The prerequisites I see for a local university says Orgo 2, but I wanted to make sure it was necessary before putting off BC for too long.

Thanks,
-LD

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[backside_attack]

definitely bio (whichever I or II includes replication, transcription, translation, basic genetics, etc.) and I would say definitely Org I and probably Org II. Where I took it, Org II was essentially baby biochem.

 

[LikeDaniel]

That's good to know (Orgo 2 being like baby biochem). I had been wondering about that since it seems that biochemistry seems more recommended than required. I still intend to study it, but it's comforting that I'll have some early exposure to it.

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[kraskadva]

You can also buy a textbook (I recommend Lehninger 4th or 5th ed., which ever is the most recent that you can get for ~$20 on the internet) and read it alongside when you're taking orgo for instant application of concepts.
As a non-trad, I ended up taking a lot of classes somewhat out of order, and while taking orgo 1 and biochem simultaneously I was one of a small handful who actually understood all of it. I would have orgo at 9am and biochem at 11; my biochem prof would ask "who remembers x concept from orgo? here's how it applies to biochem..." and I would have just covered it in orgo that morning, whereas most everyone else had forgotten it already. Having both together made biochem concepts seem very easy, and gave me instant application for orgo concepts, which helped me remember them better. Really cemented things for me.
So if you're planning on self-studying biochem, I would strongly recommend trying to do much of the same.

 

[esob]

My school makes Org 1 a prereq for elementary biochem and Org 2 a prereq for actual biochemistry

 

[BombsAway]

I'm self teaching biochem for the mcat right now. So far, the only information i'm missing is having all the amino acids memorized. Any book from a prep company can be used as a stand-alone for the mcat. I'm also "auditing" biochem at my university. I asked the prof really nicely and she agreed to give me access to all the online stuff and grade everything like i was an actual student.

My first practice test before any biochem review I got a 123 in the bio section. Seems impossible to do well without it.