How does anatomy compare to biochem?

[han14tra]

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At my school, anatomy and embryology is the first block. Biochem is the second. So far, I'm finding the first block challenging but not impossible. I feel like they start off with anatomy because its easy.

My fear is that biochem is going to crush me. In general, do people think anatomy or biochem is more challenging?

 

[PSUtoMD]

At my school, anatomy and embryology is the first block. Biochem is the second. So far, I'm finding the first block challenging but not impossible (93% on first test and practical). BUT, the exam was much much harder than undergrad exams.

My fear is that biochem is going to crush me. In general, do people think anatomy or biochem is more challenging?

Yeah, that's med school for you.

It varies so much. I know plenty of people who thought anatomy was completely awful, and then suddenly loved our biochem block after that.

I felt much more at ease with anatomy than biochem, largely because I had never had any biochem classes in undergrad. I probably put in the same amount of time in both courses, although people I know said they had a lot more free time in biochem vs. anatomy. That said, I felt like I always had to work HARDER in biochem. But in the end, I ended up doing virtually identical in both courses (and extremely well, I might add), simply because I made it my priority to LEARN and KNOW the stuff, no matter what.

 

[reedman]

I would love to just have one class at a time, even if it had a crazy fast pace. I'm taking biochem, anatomy/embryo, histo, and immunology at the same time and I always feel like I'm neglecting one to study for the other.

 

[Tiger26]

I thought anatomy was really easy and biochem the hardest thing I'd ever seen to that point. Looking back on it, it really just involved a lot of memorization and no thinking . . . at all

 

[Chemist0157]

Biochem's material may be harder, but we will have SO much more time to study once anatomy lab ends. 9 - 12 hours back in your pocket.

 

[MilkmanAl]

They're completely different subjects. Biochem actually requires some understanding of the material and isn't straight memorization. It also builds on itself quite a lot.

 

[Bacchus]

Is biochem reminiscent of undergrad biochem? I was a biochem major and I made it through with A LOT of memorization. To actually reason might be a nice break 😉.

 

[Mattabet]

Is biochem reminiscent of undergrad biochem? I was a biochem major and I made it through with A LOT of memorization. To actually reason might be a nice break 😉.

We're taking both biochem and anatomy this semester (although some of the biochem is presented under the auspices of 'clinical genetics'). One week in, I like biochem better than anatomy precisely because, while there is a lot of new information, it builds off information I had in undergrad, so it seems kinda familiar (DNA Polymerase & the Kreb's Cycle don't change).

On the other hand, I have very little experience taking apart a dead guy's shoulder and learning the brachial plexus. We'll see how tests go though...

 

[MilkmanAl]

Don't get me wrong; there's a ton of memorization-only stuff in biochem, too. It's just that there's a reasonable amount of conceptual thinking involved instead of anatomy's memorization grindfest. I'd say most of the comprehension comes in when you're dealing with metabolism and how all the body's mechanisms relate to and feed off/into each other.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Don't worry about it. Maintain a satisfactory effort level and you'll be fine.

 

[AlexMorph]

Biochem just comes down to memorization, although you are able to make connections, you can reason your way through how a defect in something leads to a certain kind of disease.

 

[bioteach]

That's funny. We had biochem first and it was much easier than anatomy. I felt like the biochem block eased us into medical school before we had our butts kicked in anatomy. I hated biochem and loved anatomy, but I still thought the biochem was easier.

 

[VoiceofReason]

anatomy gave me PTSD.

 

[njbmd]

At my school, anatomy and embryology is the first block. Biochem is the second. So far, I'm finding the first block challenging but not impossible. I feel like they start off with anatomy because its easy.

My fear is that biochem is going to crush me. In general, do people think anatomy or biochem is more challenging?

If someone told you that biochemistry was the hardest course in medical school and that you were guaranteed to fail, what would you do? You still have to take it. Spending time worrying about the difficulty of upcoming courses is a waste of time. You do what you have to do and give it your best shot. Whether something is easy or difficult is largely related to the learning style/characteristics of the individual in question.

For example, most students find Physical Diagnosis to be fairly straightforward and interesting. One of the MD/Ph.D folks at our school failed that course (no one else even came close to failing). He easily moved through the other first and second year courses but failed Physical Diagnosis (had to re-mediate twice).

Concentrate on the block that you are doing and stop worrying about what is ahead. When you get to the next block, face it with an open mind and the confidence that you can figure out what to do to pass and master the material. People who decide that something is "hard" or that they "can't" get throught something usually find that the subject matter is more difficult or they fulfill their prophecy. Don't be one of these folks.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

anatomy rocks.

biochem sucks.

imho. 🙂

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I would love to just have one class at a time, even if it had a crazy fast pace. I'm taking biochem, anatomy/embryo, histo, and immunology at the same time and I always feel like I'm neglecting one to study for the other.

yeah... I've got gross, embryo, genetics, histo, biochem, core concepts right now. physio will be starting soon...

 

[Themistocles]

If someone told you that biochemistry was the hardest course in medical school and that you were guaranteed to fail, what would you do? You still have to take it. Spending time worrying about the difficulty of upcoming courses is a waste of time. You do what you have to do and give it your best shot. Whether something is easy or difficult is largely related to the learning style/characteristics of the individual in question.

For example, most students find Physical Diagnosis to be fairly straightforward and interesting. One of the MD/Ph.D folks at our school failed that course (no one else even came close to failing). He easily moved through the other first and second year courses but failed Physical Diagnosis (had to re-mediate twice).

Concentrate on the block that you are doing and stop worrying about what is ahead. When you get to the next block, face it with an open mind and the confidence that you can figure out what to do to pass and master the material. People who decide that something is "hard" or that they "can't" get throught something usually find that the subject matter is more difficult or they fulfill their prophecy. Don't be one of these folks.

This is sage advice that applies for not only our stints in medical school but through residency and into practice. Worrying about things we have no control over can be extremely self-destructive in the long run, and medicine is stressful enough without adding to our own worries. I have seen more than one physician lose their careers because of an inability to separate themselves from stress and worry which they had absolutely no control over.

 

[Peter Benders]

for me biochem was the easiest. its just that you have to understand the concept and not remember anything. but you have to remember a lot in anatomy.

 

[ZagDoc]

At my school, anatomy and embryology is the first block. Biochem is the second. So far, I'm finding the first block challenging but not impossible. I feel like they start off with anatomy because its easy.

My fear is that biochem is going to crush me. In general, do people think anatomy or biochem is more challenging?

I think you're at my school as your curriculum is eerily reminiscent of mine.

GIE is tough because it's anatomy and you're still getting into the swing of things and learning how to "study like a med student." But in hindsight, I think anatomy was in the top 3 easiest (and most enjoyable) classes I took during the pre-clinical years.

CSF is "the" bear class of MS1. Not necessarily because its biochem, though biochem is tougher than anatomy IMO. More because the class is less well organized and they tend to test minutiae to a much higher degree. Their "clinical correlates" would be interesting as an MS2, but tend to bog down basic understanding needed during MS1. My test grades dropped off ~15% from GIE to CSF, and I tested very well my first 2 years.

Either way, don't stress it. What njb said is great advice. If you find yourself looking too far ahead as an MS1, you do more harm than good. Never look farther than the next exam. You're married to the syllabus of your current block. Love it and cherish it, don't go eying the sexy next block no matter how sick you are of the current one and its constant nagging.

And look on the bright side. You're a MS1. Your life and your time are all in your own hands. Me, I got 3 hours of sleep last night. I have to be up at 3:30 tomorrow morning. And I'm on call. 4 hours of biochem sounds wonderful right about now.

 

[Mattabet]

This is sage advice that applies for not only our stints in medical school but through residency and into practice. Worrying about things we have no control over can be extremely self-destructive in the long run, and medicine is stressful enough without adding to our own worries. I have seen more than one physician lose their careers because of an inability to separate themselves from stress and worry which they had absolutely no control over.

Word. I've got enough to worry about that I can control. For example, I'm pretty sure this houseplant is dying. Either more water or more light...

 

[Nikki2002]

well at least in biochem you don't have to clean poo out of a colon, cut off eyelids, and cut open penises.

 

[username456789]

well at least in biochem you don't have to clean poo out of a colon, cut off eyelids, and cut open penises.

But.....you can if you want to.

 

[Themistocles]

Word. I've got enough to worry about that I can control. For example, I'm pretty sure this houseplant is dying. Either more water or more light...

Tough call. I've always heard that more people kill their houseplants by overwatering, but I find myself having the opposite problem, as in "Hey, didn't I have a plant in this corner? And what are all these brown crinkly things on the floor?"