Biochemistry

[DiverDoc]

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Despite my acceptances, I am a little worried for this class. I know there are many factors into it such as the teacher etc... But in general how much orgo is tied into it? I havent had organic in 2 years. Should I brush up? If I remember the stuff from the MCAT, OH's, ketones, carboxylic acids, SN1 vs. Sn2, will that be sufficient? Note: my personality got me this far, so I need something to worry about.

 

[huckaaa]

I will be applying for 2009 and have wondered the same thing. Doesn't Kansas City require Biochemistry? Have you already been accepted without it? But, from what I know Biochemistry isn't all that bad. If you know the organic chemistry that's tested on the MCAT (all the important stuff) you should probably be fine. I'd definitely brush up on it though before you start so you won't be overwhelmed.

 

[doinmybest5840]

I'm in biochem right now, and it sucks. But that's not because of the material so much as the professor. He sucks at budgeting lecture time and is perpetually behind in the material so that right before exams he either crams everything in too quickly or expects us to learn it on our own. Other than that, though, it's not really that bad. I think it's kind of interesting (nerd alert! haha). A good portion of the beginning of the course will likely be review, as it covers basic bio/orgo topics (DNA, proteins, amino acids, structure, etc.). I've also fallen behind because of interviews... so that doesn't help matters.

Summary: not too bad. Just stay on top of the material!

 

[CTrainSJU]

We finish up our biochem in a couple of weeks and there's really not that much O-chem associated with it at all. Sure you have to be able to recognize alcohols, esters, and carboxlic acids but that's about all. Don't take this class lightly though. We were done covering undergrad biochem stuff with in the first 2 weeks.

 

[CTrainSJU]

My fault, I thought you guys were talking about biochem in med school.

 

[Collide]

I thought BioChem was fair. Not too hard and not too easy, just one of those classes that with a little work it's easy to do good. Of course I had a wonderful teacher for both semesters of it. Organic on the other hand...I had a horrible teacher for first semester (first test over Organic stuff/non review material the class average was a 42%). Even though I got an 82% on it, I withdrew from it 🙁 (I'm hoping the W doesn't come back and bite me in the ass) and retook it with a better professor. Made a world of difference.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that like Organic, I think BioChem could be hard/easy based on the professor.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

In biochem I, all we did was learn pathways. In biochem II, it was a lot more reactions with cofactors and stuff. I had a way better prof for biochem II though.

 

[nlax30]

In my undergrad biochem 1 and 2 there really wasn't a whole lot of organic chem at all, at least nothing like having to push electrons around or come up with a synthesis. In biochem it's just a LOT of material and things such as pathways, enzymes, regulation steps, etc...... It does all depend on what you professor expects but I didn't do any sort of review of organic for biochem.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

In my biochem II, we had quite a bit of electron pushing on our cofactor stuff. Things like PLP, I think. Of course, UT is cofactor central. Most of the big biochemists here do work with cofactors.

 

[jzeidenb]

you do not need a fresh memory in organic to do well in biochem

 

[Kateb4]

I'm taking Biochem right now... I was really worried that it was going to be a killer, but I am honestly finding it to be very easy! Orgo was difficult for me, but the biochem is covering just the basics. I think most of what is on the syllabus is a review from either gen chem, mollecular cell bio or physiology.

 

[DiverDoc]

I'm taking Biochem right now... I was really worried that it was going to be a killer, but I am honestly finding it to be very easy! Orgo was difficult for me, but the biochem is covering just the basics. I think most of what is on the syllabus is a review from either gen chem, mollecular cell bio or physiology.

Nice! If thats the case for me in the spring, I'll be A ok. Literally, lol I rocked cell bio and human phys. 👍

 

[jzeidenb]

its not really like physio, but cell bio plays a huge part in biochem


the course basically goes over how molecules are processed stored and usedin the body..so u dont really need toknow organic reactions nor do u need to remember mechanisms like in orgo.


u will need to know the amino acids, their derivatives, the steps of glycolysis, krebs cycle and ETC, etc.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I should also add that taking the 2-semester biochem sequence for biochem majors instead of the survey class was a great decision on my part. Super-interesting

 

[DiverDoc]

KCUMB just requires I take it before I matriculate. It says I must "satisfactorily complete it" I dont know what there definition of satisfaction is though. Im guessing a C is ok.

 

[SmallTownEMT]

I remember the stuff from the MCAT, OH's, ketones, carboxylic acids, SN1 vs. Sn2, will that be sufficient? Note: my personality got me this far, so I need something to worry about.

You remember more stuff about organic than I did, that's for sure.
I think you'll be fine without the brush up- I never bothered to do it before Biochem. Just try to relax at this point. Sad, isn't it? Even once you're accepted you find something to worry about. I'm doing it too.

Just be ready for some memorization in the class- there was a lot of that going on.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I think KCUMB wants you to get a C in everything you have left, post-acceptance. I'm pretty sure I read that on their website.

On the other hand, you'd probably be smart to learn as much about biochem as you can, because this won't be the last time you see it.

 

[jzeidenb]

ull be fine, i thought orgo was way harder than bc, but thats only cuz orgo is so damn boring and i refused to really delve into the material.. but biochem def is interesting so its easier to absorb

 

[Playmakur42]

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[madscientist50]

Most undergrad biochem focuses on metabolism and reactions in E coli as it is well characterized in research. However there are very specific differences in humans. The main thing to realize is that the key to Biochem is regulation. Knowing the effects of Insulin or its pathway is good, but understanding how that whole pathway is regulated and how that regulation relates to Glucagon influence is the key.

Sorry grad biochem coming out, the point is that while undergrad biochem seems hard its because you have to break biochem apart to introduce and broken up, it makes ZERO sense. In med school you'll look at it all at once, and its more complex, but makes much more sense once you work on it some. So, don't dispar! Hell, I got a B in undergrad Biochem, and then did a grad program in Biochem, and avged a 96 throughout. So sometimes the higher level is better, because its all at once not all broken up and bewildering.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

My biochem was all about regulation. Especially the second semester. And we never used E. coli, because the exams were all open-book. He didn't want us to be able to look anything up, so he just made up systems and had us apply principles that we know. I don't think I've ever learned so much about a subject in my whole life. Not just memorizing stuff, but really understanding how the pathways work.

 

[BitingPlates]

I am taking my first biochem right now, it is a graduate level course. It is very interesting but it is very intense, and I am having a hard time with it. I am burnt out from the studying for the mcat I took this summer, now every spare minute goes to this class, and my other classes are suffering. Just keep pressing on and hopefully I don't have to drop it. We just went over ligand binding and these equations that I still do not understand, there are like 45 equations that finally reduce to a few, my head hurts after a while! There is so much great information in the book though, I get side tracked reading stuff that probably won't even be tested on often.