How advanced is med school biochemistry?

[SB100]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I put this in the pre-allo forum but thought I may get a more accurate response here. I am taking introductory biochemistry this coming semester at my undergraduate institution, and because some of the biochemistry electives interested me more (the ones I listed above) than some of the biology electives I thought about taking those in following semesters. However, I don't know if those courses are necessary for medical school. I'm not sure if they are too specific for what you'd learn in med school biochemistry. These are the course descriptions for each of them:

Advanced Biochemistry: Information Transfer Mechanisms - Addresses fundamental issues of gene expression and signal transduction at a molecular level. Discusses parallels between nucleic acid and protein biosynthesis, modification, transport, and degradation with an emphasis on understanding the mechanisms of specificity and regulation of these complex macromolecular processes.

Advanced Biochemistry: Enzyme Mechanisms - Describes the principles of biological catalysts and the chemical logic of metabolic pathways. Discusses representative enzymes from each reaction class, with an emphasis on understanding how mechanisms are derived from experimental evidence. Topics include serine proteases, phosphatases, isomerases, carboxylases, and dehydrogenases.

From the sounds of these descriptions, are either or both of these appropriate to take for med school biochemistry preparation?

 

[Law2Doc]

However, I don't know if those courses are necessary for medical school.

Med school biochem is not necessary before med school. A handful of schools require a basic biochem course, but most don't. So I wouldn't really worry which one you take.

 

[SB100]

Yeah but if I want a leg up on the rest of the class and the material interests me (the biology electives that particular semester aren't too interesting to me) is it worth checking out?

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I agree with Law2Doc that undergraduate biochem is not required for medical school, but I think it makes medical school biochemistry easier, and I was glad that I had taken it.

SB100, you could take either of those but I'd stick with the biology electives. Cell Bio and Genetics are both very helpful for medical school. Biochemistry at an advanced level - unless you want to do research - is not going to be particularly helpful. My med school biochem course was basic biochem - metabolism of carbs, proteins, and lipids - plus some genetics plus some cell bio (primarily receptors and response mechanisms). You need to understand the principles of biochem for metabolism diseases, but it's not something you're going to think about in detail every day in the practice of medicine.

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

Yeah but if I want a leg up on the rest of the class and the material interests me (the biology electives that particular semester aren't too interesting to me) is it worth checking out?

For a leg up, it's absolutely no help. A very basic biochemistry class is more of a leg up than anything. Medical school biochem is all about memorizing important pathways and what enzymes are messed up in diseases. Advanced biochem classes like that are going to be way beyond what you need to know at best. The worst is they'll be mega hard and they'll tank your GPA.

If you REALLY want to take one, the first one about DNA and protein synthesis seems to be the most useful as gene/protein synthesis is touched on in biochem, genetics, and even microbio to some extent.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Yeah but if I want a leg up on the rest of the class and the material interests me (the biology electives that particular semester aren't too interesting to me) is it worth checking out?

If you really want to take one of the courses, do so. It isn't going to hurt. What's this gunner stuff about 'getting a leg up on the rest of the class'?

 

[SB100]

Well ok, not so much a leg up on the class, but just so that biochemistry in medical school will go more smoothly and will be more of a review than learning new stuff. I guess just the introductory biochemistry should be enough then, but I may have a slot open to fulfill an elective for my major and will consider the Information Transfer Systems course.

For my major, I need to take 6 more electives on top of what I've completed so far. So, if I'm doing Physiology and Introductory Biochemistry this semester, and Microbiology and Immunology in the next couple semesters (with the possibility of one of those advanced biochem classes too) that will leave me with a couple open slots. Do you guys have any suggestions for biology electives you felt were very rewarding to take as an undergrad or that were of interest to you? I don't think I could deal with taking Human or Molecular Genetics or some of these other electives more appropriate for pre-PhD students 😛

 

[MSKalltheway]

I just want to say that the only thing that will really prepare you for medical school is...medical school. Learning to study everyday without fail is a close second. With that said, basic biochem is only needed, since in med school youll be expected to know every step of probably every pathway. All the college biochem in the world wont help you remember it when you get to med school, since you'll have forgotten most of it and studying it again will be necessary...

Having biochem will help you be more comfortable with the thought process, but that's really all you should try to take from it, IMHO. Just enjoy your college courses and dont worry so much about what will put you ahead for med school (b/c of the first sentence). For me, other useful bio courses that I took were Cell Biology and Physiology, and Pathogenic Microbiology. Useful courses that my friends took consisted of Virology, Immunology, and the ever popular (and probably most useful) Mammalian Physiology. I also must add that the courses most useful to me in medical school weren't even in the sciences!

 

[MSKalltheway]

I don't think I could deal with taking Human or Molecular Genetics or some of these other electives more appropriate for pre-PhD students 😛

Don't underestimate the importance of Genetics in Medicine! You always end up looking just like your parents, medically speaking. Many of the most common diseases and pathologies have a genetic component, so those courses are pre-MD appropriate as well.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I don't think I could deal with taking Human or Molecular Genetics or some of these other electives more appropriate for pre-PhD students 😛

I agree strongly with the poster above, MSKalltheway. However, since you have to choose an elective, what makes you think those are only PhD classes? Human or molecular genetics would be helpful, as I posted. The actual title of my medical school biochem course was, "Biochemistry and Medical Molecular Genetics." You need biochem to understand diseases of metabolism - and you need a thorough understanding of genetics to understand genetic diseases. Do you understand recombinant techniques, and what a large array genetic assay is? All the new developments are in genetics, and you need to understand those to even read the current literature.

 

[njbmd]

Duplicate to thread in Pre-allo. If you want to respond, respond hereBiochemistry Thread and now closing. Multiple posts across multiple forums eats up server space and therefore this one is closed.