Choosing between Biochem vs. Chemistry...

[Hamiltonian]

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Situation I'm in:

Cost of undergrad classes is not a factor. Research opportunities for both.

Option A: Degree in Chem + Genetics, Microbio, Biochem 1 and 2, Anatomy and Physiology

Option B: Degree in Biochem - some more specific Biochem classes


I think I would like Chemistry a little bit more. I'm also not worried about my capabilities, and don't want to be a carbon copy of many Med School applicants.

Advice?

 

[zeppelinpage4]

I'm only a freshman bio major so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Anywho it sounds like you like chemistry more in which case I would go with that. If you're fine with the difficulty and having to put in the time then I say go for the major you most enjoy.

Hopefully someone that has completed either of the two majors can chime in.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

I'm not sure what the question is. Choose a degree that you would most enjoy earning. Most medical schools do not care what your undergraduate degree is, especially the difference between biochemistry and chemistry. It sounds like Option A may introduce you to more topics that are pertinent to medical students, but schools don't care much about this; its true benefit is the added information it gives you before medical school (studying could possibly be easier since you will have had previous exposure to the material).


i.e. No one is a better doctor because they took biochemistry rather than anatomy in undergrad.

-senior medical student / admissions committee interviewer

 

[Tots]

Major in whatever you will enjoy more.

 

[Hamiltonian]

All good advice. Thanks.

 

[bravofleet4]

There's no real difference between what you've listed that would make any impression on the adcom's. I think having any science major will automatically group you with the majority of pre-med's. In any case, it's not the major that adcoms use to differentiate between applicants but your extracurriculars and achievements. Taken to an extreme, grades and MCAT are also not very useful in this regard as most applicants have extremely high GPA's and 30+ MCAT scores.

 

[Geekchick921]

I'm not sure what the question is. Choose a degree that you would most enjoy earning. Most medical schools do not care what your undergraduate degree is, especially the difference between biochemistry and chemistry. It sounds like Option A may introduce you to more topics that are pertinent to medical students, but schools don't care much about this; its true benefit is the added information it gives you before medical school (studying could possibly be easier since you will have had previous exposure to the material).


i.e. No one is a better doctor because they took biochemistry rather than anatomy in undergrad.

-senior medical student / admissions committee interviewer

I agree with this.

Does one of them have fewer degree requirements that would allow you to take more classes you may just enjoy taking for S&G? This will be the last time you really get to do that.

 

[loveoforganic]

I wouldn't do a biochem major because it's 'easier' than a chemistry major. It's not.

 

[TexasPhysician]

If you enjoy 1 a lot more than the other.....choose the one you enjoy.

If you like both about equal, choose the easiest of the two (one you would do best in) and maximize your gpa.

 

[Morsetlis]

As a science major you're already a carbon copy of other applicants, too late to worry about it now!

I was a BCH major and here were my upper div classes:

-metabolic, structural, and molecular biochemistry, biochem lab
-ochem 1,2,3, and a lab
-mammalian physiology 1,2, and a lab
-electives: genetics, cell biology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology (redundant much?)

pchem was optional, and I hate chemistry, so I didn't take it

 

[Hamiltonian]

I also have an Economics. I am as diverse as middle class white males come.

 

[Morsetlis]

I also have an Economics. I am as diverse as middle class white males come.

I had an Economics minor, and the classes were a refreshing breeze compared to 6 hours in an undergrad lab.

 

[JJMrK]

Situation I'm in:

Cost of undergrad classes is not a factor. Research opportunities for both.

Option A: Degree in Chem + Genetics, Microbio, Biochem 1 and 2, Anatomy and Physiology

Option B: Degree in Biochem - some more specific Biochem classes


I think I would like Chemistry a little bit more. I'm also not worried about my capabilities, and don't want to be a carbon copy of many Med School applicants.

Advice?

I think you've already figured it out. If Chemistry seems like a better fit, go for it. 👍

 

[Hamiltonian]

Another example of why it helps to bounce ideas off of people. You guys aren't just computers, right?

 

[bravofleet4]

01001010101010101

 

[JeetKuneDo]

as a science major you're already a carbon copy of other applicants, too late to worry about it now!

I was a bch major and here were my upper div classes:

-metabolic, structural, and molecular biochemistry, biochem lab
-ochem 1,2,3, and a lab
-mammalian physiology 1,2, and a lab
-electives: Genetics, cell biology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology (redundant much?)

pchem was optional, and i hate chemistry, so i didn't take it

P-Chem was OPTIONAL?!?!

 

[Morsetlis]

This Biochemistry major was regulated by the Biology department ;p

 

[FloatOn]

Situation I'm in:

Cost of undergrad classes is not a factor. Research opportunities for both.

Option A: Degree in Chem + Genetics, Microbio, Biochem 1 and 2, Anatomy and Physiology

Option B: Degree in Biochem - some more specific Biochem classes


I think I would like Chemistry a little bit more. I'm also not worried about my capabilities, and don't want to be a carbon copy of many Med School applicants.

Advice?

At my school, biochem is a subtrack of the chemistry major, so "biochem majors" are chem majors plus they take a couple of more classes. With either major, I know people who have had no problem taking extra upper level classes, whether it's bio (like physiology, anatomy, etc.) or in the humanities. Taking extra classes outside your major or university requirements are not a big deal if you plan correctly.

I'm assuming both options start out with the same basic science classes (gen chem, organic, etc). Maybe start with the chem major and then switch if you find that you're not going to enjoy the rest of the chem classes.

 

[riverjib]

Go for chemistry if you like it more. You're going to be a more typical applicant if you choose chem, biochem, bio, or anything in health sciences. I chose chem when I transferred as a junior to my school because the biochem major is BY FAR the largest major here. The only way to get any attention from advisers in the biochem department is to publish in Science, Cell, or Nature, or to gain notoriety by being overly persistent to the point of annoying someone. Nobody is impressed by a spectacular GPA even in tough upper-level courses, since there are literally dozens of students with a 3.9+ in classes that average over 200 students each semester. Even the 20 or so undergrad TAs in biochem get pretty mediocre LORs from the professors, since they get less face time than a B student would in a smaller school.

So I chose chemistry, since it's less popular among pre-meds (probably over 30% undergrads here) and I spent two years doing research in organic and analytical chemistry. The chemistry department professors are friendly, but not very interested in mentoring students who aren't interested in Chemistry PhD programs.

Then I found out my school has an undergrad Pharmacology program...one of only three or four in the country. They only accept 30 students per academic year (in a school of over 15,000 undergrads), so it's pretty unique. The curriculum is identical to biochem prior to the last three semesters, and after that, the classes are small. All our pharmacology and physiology-type classes are taught exclusively to undergrad pharm majors and graduate students in pharm or physio, so they're small and interactive. Plus, the director gets to know each of us individually. When I applied, the application seemed pretty generic and they didn't advertise much about the program. But when I was accepted, I found out that in the last 12-14 years since the program was initiated, literally 100% of students have been accepted into and (so far) successfully completed whatever graduate program they pursued. It's a 50-50 split between health (medicine, vet, dental, PA) and PhD programs.

It's probably a combination of the selectivity (you get kicked out if you term GPA falls below a 3.5 without documented excuses), the fact that research is a basic requirement to graduate, and the fact that it's really unique. My classmates who applied after junior year have told me they were really surprised that their chosen major was a huge talking point at interviews. It's only mid-February, and everyone who applied to a graduate program has already gotten at least one or two acceptances. **Crossing my fingers that I don't break the first-cycle acceptance when I apply this June!!!**

I'd definitely go with whatever interests you the most. Honestly, you'll differentiate yourself more from other pre-meds by majoring and excelling in a non-science field. But if you are (like me) really interested in the sciences, I'd look into anything that is less "typical" than the generic bio/biochem/chem major. Nothing wrong with those fields, but unless they're small programs at your school, you'll have to be truly exceptional to stand out in any appreciable way. That's just my two cents.