How important is biochem before starting?

[BTR1208]

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I got into my number one choice which does NOT require biochem before matriculation. How helpful is the knowledge gained from it in dental school? I did get A's in both Orgo 1 and Orgo 2, just never needed biochem for my degree and always planned on taking it this Spring if needed.

Anyone not take biochem and still do fine during D1?

I was hoping if it was indeed useful I could just do some free online basic learning or use another resource without paying $1500 out of pocket.

Thanks!

 

[deleted740991]

Biochemistry is actually one of the more useful didactics overall in medicine. It offers cross overlap in physiological and anatomical material, and it relates a lot to metabolism for your everyday dental knowledge. Plus, it is great for NBDE preparations.

 

[i D M D]

There were maybe 3-4 in my class of 76 who hadn't taken biochem before dental school. But as the post above said you would need it in many courses to grasp the concepts that they teach in school. And the reason for it to take beforehand is that dental school is very fast paced and if you would feel the need to spend more time to go back and research about basic concepts on biochem or microbio etc you would make it more difficult for youself to keep up with the pace. Anatomy/physio and biochem are the ones that make your life easier taken before dental school.

All said, if you are a self-learner try to find a list of concepts you'd need to know and use free online sources to familiarize yourself with them.

 

[Faux]

I only took one biochemistry course, and I was the only male there. Very basic leveled introduction and I was just there to be exposed to the material. Think it was for nurses or something. I can promise you I forgot everything two years later.


Got an A in dental biochem and my previous exposure was pointless. I really did forget everything and the depth was deeper in DS. That one big test that had everything that ended with genesis/lysis, I had a 95 in that, and only cause I second guessed my self. Appreciate the material, connect the dots and you'll be more than fine. I'm no boy genius either, sitting at a 3.1 gpa.

If you want to take anything, take gross anatomy(even opt for pass/fail so you can just focus on learning and not on a letter grade). First semester would have been a lot more easier if I had been exposed to that. What a huge time sink. But if you rather just have an easy semester, I wouldn't blame you and you'll be fine.

 

[LVKE]

If you don't take biochem, you will probably fail and get charged out of state tuition.