does Biochem only look good if you have taken it or also when youre going to?

[reese07]

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My med schools wont find out my finished grade for biochem but would it still benefit my application if it says that I'm going to take it?

 

[Tin Man]

My med schools wont find out my finished grade for biochem but would it still benefit my application if it says that I'm going to take it?

Maybe. It shows that you at least have an idea of what sort of material you'll be facing in medical school and are looking to prepare for it, which is a good sign that you aren't going in uninformed.

I think if it depends on anything, it's going to depend on whether or not the school itself has a pre-req for biochem. Some schools do, and if they want to know that you can pass biochem before they admit you, you might have a hard time getting in on the honor system. However, if a school doesn't require it, it shouldn't make that big of a difference. If you take it, great. If not, well, you still meet the criteria to enter, and so even if you back out of it later, you aren't disqualified from medical school. See what I mean?

Also, keep in mind that it might actually be BETTER not to have a grade in biochem for the schools that don't require it upon application. For instance, a school may be impressed that you're taking biochem as a preparation for med-school level material, but may be turned off if your transcript shows a C in biochem, indicating that you may not be prepared at all.

Just a thought.

 

[christina30]

Some DO schools require it.

 

[Tin Man]

Some DO schools require it.

Already said that. 😉

 

[christina30]

Just responding to OP, didn't even read anything else.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Mostly agree with the content. I don't agree with the "maybe." Unless required, I don't think taking or not taking biochem matters in the least (as this poster implies).

I took biochem and enjoyed it. It was somewhat of a relief compared to organic chemistry. I love to memorize and it got me through biochem.

Maybe. It shows that you at least have an idea of what sort of material you'll be facing in medical school and are looking to prepare for it, which is a good sign that you aren't going in uninformed.

I think if it depends on anything, it's going to depend on whether or not the school itself has a pre-req for biochem. Some schools do, and if they want to know that you can pass biochem before they admit you, you might have a hard time getting in on the honor system. However, if a school doesn't require it, it shouldn't make that big of a difference. If you take it, great. If not, well, you still meet the criteria to enter, and so even if you back out of it later, you aren't disqualified from medical school. See what I mean?

Also, keep in mind that it might actually be BETTER not to have a grade in biochem for the schools that don't require it upon application. For instance, a school may be impressed that you're taking biochem as a preparation for med-school level material, but may be turned off if your transcript shows a C in biochem, indicating that you may not be prepared at all.

Just a thought.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

i was told by my dream medical school (which requires biochem) that quote "biochem will not help you with the MCAT so take that in the last semester before you matriculate." i am sure some look different but the point being if you put that you will take it, you should be fine.

 

[christina30]

i was told by my dream medical school (which requires biochem) that quote "biochem will not help you with the MCAT so take that in the last semester before you matriculate." i am sure some look different but the point being if you put that you will take it, you should be fine.

Disagree. I think it helped me somewhat on the MCAT - Biochem is kind of like Organic 2.0

 

[175961]

Already said that. 😉

👎

Just responding to OP, didn't even read anything else.

^seriously, I didn't know responding to these threads was a race.

 

[Tin Man]

^seriously, I didn't know responding to these threads was a race.

Psh. Don't take it so seriously. I was just mentioning that I had already written a paragraph covering the poster's five words. But it really isn't any problem with me. No big deal.

 

[SoulinNeed]

Is that really that big of a deal. I'm only planning on taking Gen Bio, Gen Chem, Org Chem, Physics, Calc, and Physiology. I'm obviously not planning on applying to any schools that require Biochem, but will it really make that much of a difference at the other schools? I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance.

 

[mspeedwagon]

You can apply to schools that require biochem (you'll just have to take it before you matriculate, assuming acceptance).

The coursework you have taken is sufficient for the MCAT. Biochem may help a little bit, but not as much as general biology.

Schools won't care whether or not you have taken biochem (or any specific course beyond the pre-reqs, unless of course you get a C or lower in them and it won't help you if you do).

Is that really that big of a deal. I'm only planning on taking Gen Bio, Gen Chem, Org Chem, Physics, Calc, and Physiology. I'm obviously not planning on applying to any schools that require Biochem, but will it really make that much of a difference at the other schools? I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I didn't say what I did so you could agree or disagree with me. I said exactly what I was told by a good DO school that requires biochem.

 

[SNS]

Some DO schools require it.

which DO schools require it?

 

[Superman DO]

From my experience, if I was on an adcom, I would care less about the classes that you plan on taking. Of the classes that I put down that I planned to take my senior year when I submitted my app, I probably only actually took 25% of them because of how things were scheduled at my school. Just because you put it on your app, doesn't mean that it is going to happen; therefore, I would find it pretty meaningless. . .but that is just my opinion if I was on an adcom. Real adcoms might be totally different! Who knows unless your actually on one or have some kind of insider info.