Biochemistry

[Columbia09]

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I know some schools recommend that you take biochem and a handful of schools like UNECOM even require it. But for those who recommend it is it really necessary to take especially if you got As in organic chemistry? I don't want to be at a disadvantage if I don't take a biochem class but I'm a double major and biochem would be an extra class for me.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

what you can do is apply to the schools that require it and if you get accepted and want to attend, have a plan to get biochem (or whatever required class) completed. This requires you to apply early and stay on top of everything because you need to know by november if you got accepted so you can still get into a biochem class.

 

[Columbia09]

will they even accept you without a biochem class?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

will they even accept you without a biochem class?

If the school requires Biochem, which a large number are beginning to, then no. You'll either need to take Biochem or you'll need to apply to schools that either do not recommend it or require it.

 

[GopherMD]

will they even accept you without a biochem class?

Yes they will but you can't matriculate without the class. You just have to list the class as yet to be taken on your primary application

 

[Columbia09]

If the school requires Biochem, which a large number are beginning to, then no. You'll either need to take Biochem or you'll need to apply to schools that either do not recommend it or require it.

Is it a disadvantage if I apply to a school that recommends it and don't take it?

 

[cabinbuilder]

Do DO schools allow you to take biochem anywhere? Does it have to be at your main institution or can it be at a CC after you graduate?

Just take the class already, anywhere you can, No one cares where. Biochem was the make or break class when I was in med school. Do yourself a favor and take it.

 

[MedPR]

Just take it so you don't have to worry about it. We can speculate that schools who "recommend" it won't look down on you for not having taken it. But we can guarantee that they won't look down on you if you do take it.

 

[pattr]

Of note is that biochem is a major topic during 1st year of medical school and high yield for the USMLE and COMLEX exams. It would behoove you to take it before medical school if you can.

 

[MedPR]

Of note is that biochem is a major topic during 1st year of medical school and high yield for the USMLE and COMLEX exams. It would behoove you to take it before medical school if you can.

Is it? I've always heard that it isn't HY.

 

[dntke1518]

Is it? I've always heard that it isn't HY.

My understanding is that it is high yield for USMLE.

 

[hv92]

so we only need one course of biochem right (for most of the schools)? Does it matter if it is in semester or quarter form? I have only taken one quarter biochem worth 3 quarter units, which is 2 semester units.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Of note is that biochem is a major topic during 1st year of medical school and high yield for the USMLE and COMLEX exams. It would behoove you to take it before medical school if you can.

Based on my friends who are in medical school, there is a rather large difference between ug biochemistry and medical biochemistry.

Does it help you for medical biochem? Of course

Are you at a huge disadvantage for not taking it? No

I say this IMO, not having ug biochem does not make a difference for the USMLE and COMLEX. (Look at research papers on what is high yield because usually it is physiology and pathology that make a large portion of the two exams).

 

[pattr]

Based on my friends who are in medical school, there is a rather large difference between ug biochemistry and medical biochemistry.

Does it help you for medical biochem? Of course

Are you at a huge disadvantage for not taking it? No

I say this IMO, not having ug biochem does not make a difference for the USMLE and COMLEX. (Look at research papers on what is high yield because usually it is physiology and pathology that make a large portion of the two exams).

... well I've taken both tests already, don't need to look at research papers, and biochem was most certainly high yield.

 

[deleted357625]

I know some schools recommend that you take biochem and a handful of schools like UNECOM even require it. But for those who recommend it is it really necessary to take especially if you got As in organic chemistry? I don't want to be at a disadvantage if I don't take a biochem class but I'm a double major and biochem would be an extra class for me.

Some schools require it, but if you feel like you are applying to enough schools that don't require it and you did fine in organic then don't bother especially if you already did well in other upper-level classes. But, it simply comes down to personal choice. Do you want to take a class that will be covered in your first year of medical school so when you get there it will be a refresher or go in there blind making biochem one more class to study extra for? There are many people who don't take it and do perfectly fine. I'm pretty sure you will do fine considering the grades you received in organic. Good luck.

 

[MedPR]

My understanding is that it is high yield for USMLE.

For my sake, I hope you're wrong 🙁

 

[Driftinglily11]

.

 

[deleted357625]

For my sake, I hope you're wrong 🙁

It's not...

 

[FrkyBgStok]

For my sake, I hope you're wrong 🙁

but after completing biochem in med school, i don't feel like it was drastically different had i not taken it. yes it was valuable because it made things easier to understand but if you don't take it, you aren't going to be behind.

 

[hv92]

So it is only one course right? Cause I'm in the quarter system.. it would equal 2 semester units.

 

[dntke1518]

+1 to what Frky said. Ug biochem will give you a small stepping stone that will be covered the first week or two in medical school.

 

[Textbookversion]

Weird, I think biochem is easy. I never took any undergraduate biochem. I like it and it's pretty interesting to me.

Anatomy on the other hand.... awful. If I had to do it over again I'd take anatomy before starting. As miserable as that would be, it would have been worth it.

Also biochem is definitely not high yield for step 1 for most people. I've heard of folks literally only getting 1 biochem question. Then again apparently the amount you get varies so some people will have more biochem. Still not really that important.

 

[dntke1518]

Weird, I think biochem is easy. I never took any undergraduate biochem. I like it and it's pretty interesting to me.

Anatomy on the other hand.... awful. If I had to do it over again I'd take anatomy before starting. As miserable as that would be, it would have been worth it.

Also biochem is definitely not high yield for step 1 for most people. I've heard of folks literally only getting 1 biochem question. Then again apparently the amount you get varies so some people will have more biochem. Still not really that important.

I agree, I don't think biochemistry is terribly difficult compared to other courses.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Weird, I think biochem is easy. I never took any undergraduate biochem. I like it and it's pretty interesting to me.

Anatomy on the other hand.... awful. If I had to do it over again I'd take anatomy before starting. As miserable as that would be, it would have been worth it.

Also biochem is definitely not high yield for step 1 for most people. I've heard of folks literally only getting 1 biochem question. Then again apparently the amount you get varies so some people will have more biochem. Still not really that important.

Interesting, I thought biochemistry was excessively hard (I took it multiple times in undergrad just to pass)

I found anatomy quite logical and memorization which comes easy to me. Just goes to show we are all different in our learning styles.

 

[Temperature101]

Do DO schools allow you to take biochem anywhere? Does it have to be at your main institution or can it be at a CC after you graduate?

Are there CC outhere that have biochem classes? I thought biochem wasn upper division science class and I think CC only have classesor the first two year of college.