I can't take O-chem until my junior year, does that hose me?

[exilio]

Hey all,

New to the forum and of course have questions about ochem like so many do.

I am just in the middle of my freshman year and I am starting a little late in life which means I am not fresh on the sciences or math. Thus, I have to take some pre-req courses before I can get to the real meat and potatoes...this in turn means I can take General Bio and Chem my freshman and sophomore year, but I can't take Ochem until my junior year. A book I am reading recommends that you take Ochem your soph year for application to Med School...so my question is this:

Does taking organic chem my junior year preclude me from applying to med school? Or can I apply the summer following my junior year? i.e. Just taking the MCAT in August as opposed to April.

Any advice/tips/experience are much appreciated.

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[idq1i]

Originally posted by exilio
Hey all,

New to the forum and of course have questions about ochem like so many do.

I am just in the middle of my freshman year and I am starting a little late in life which means I am not fresh on the sciences or math. Thus, I have to take some pre-req courses before I can get to the real meat and potatoes...this in turn means I can take General Bio and Chem my freshman and sophomore year, but I can't take Ochem until my junior year. A book I am reading recommends that you take Ochem your soph year for applicayion to Med School...so my question is this:

Does taking organic chem my junior year preclude me from applying to med school? Or can I apply the summer following my junior year? Any advice/tips/experience are much appreciated.

Well, you may be at a slight disadvantage. It it would be to your benefit to take the MCAT in April of your Junior year so you could have your applications complete in early fall of your senior year.

AFAIK, MCAT people started to de-emphasize orgo, replacing some passages with molecular bio/genetics. However, the MCAT will still have orgo.

You could take the MCAT in August, just before the start of your senior year, but you will only get the scores by mid-october. That will put you behind many applicants. The other disadvantage of the August test is that you only get one crack at it (unless you want to take a year off)

 

[genome25]

if you take ochem junior year, i don't think thats a problem at all. since mcats are in april, you will have completed 3/4 or more of organic chemistry. not only will it be fresh in your head when you take the test, but i think that is enough ochem practice. i wouldn't worry too much. it seems like you are on the right path...and plus, for you to plan ahead now as a freshy means that you are already ahead in the game (at least to me). i actually took mcats in april and had to retake them in august. even though its later in the game, if you have everything ready and just awaiting scores, thats good too. 🙂 good luck to ya.

 

[TexasRose]

You can take OChem II and the MCAT in the Spring of your Junior year. Lots of people do that. By the time you take the MCAT in late April, you have covered 85%+ of the OChem II material anyway. It won't slow you down at all!

BTW, the general consensus is that April MCAT is much better than August becus of the lag time created by the late score reports from the August test.

You'll be fine. Study well!

Theresa

 

[ek6]

First off, you're only a freshman right now and already planning. I agree that you should already consider yourself ahead of the game - so my first piece of advice - relax and enjoy college!

As for your specific question about orgo, taking it your junior year is not going to kill you at all. It only means either of two things:

1. If you want to apply to enter med school fall of '07 (the year I assume you graduate), then you would either have to take the April '06 MCAT while you are taking orgo - something I would definitely not recommend OR take the August '06 MCAT and submit your application much later in the application cycle - also something I would not recommend.

2. This option sounds better in my opinion: finish orgo your junior year, take the August '06 MCAT the summer after that, get your score back and submit your application the following June (nice and EARLY). This will also allow you to retake the MCAT in April '07 (if needed, but you'll rock it anyway) without having to take the August MCAT that will delay submission of your application. After you graduate, you can do research, teach, volunteer, travel, or do whatever you want while you apply. These things only strengthen your application if you send a letter explaining to the admissions committe the type of work you are doing. Remember, the average age at entry is actually 23 at most medical schools (some 24, even), which mean most of these students actually take 1-2 years off before going.

In any case, again, you're very early in the game. I wouldn't stress AT ALL about having to take orgo junior year - not a big deal. Also, ask your pre-med advisor for advice to or just meet with her to get things sorted out. Good luck with your studies and have fun in college!

 

[exigente chica]

Don't worry about taking orgo your junior year, I took it then too...which I think was better for me.. I remembered things better and it was fresh, ne way..in April the semester is almost over ne way...

Good luck

Don't worry

 

[exilio]

Thank you for the replies.

Lots of good advice and plenty for me to be relieved about and to consider as things progress.

I always like to be as far ahead of the game as possible. I guess it's just like the three-second rule when driving...the more time you give yourself when following a car, the more time you have to react if things go wrong.

And at this point in my life I need to avoid wasting a quarter here or a quarter there...time is indeed precious and I feel as though I have wasted too much if it already.

 

[DriNDT]

Exilio,

I agree with the majority of the other posters. I think your interests would be best served if you take O-Chem as a junior like you are planning and take the April test administration near then end of Orgo II. Then, worst case scenario, you are displeased with your score and you can still take the Aug administration while applying at the same time. It might set your app back a bit, but there are definitely people who take the Aug MCAT, apply and are admitted in the same year. I think it's best to have all of your sciences fresh in your mind when taking the MCAT. I took orgo as a freshman, and then, because I was hesitant to commit to a career in medicine, I didn't take the MCAT until Aug of my junior year in college. It was definitely disadvantageous since most of gen chem and orgo had grown somewhat stale in my brain by that time. I think the way you are thinking about it will work out fine! Good luck to you, and props on thinking so far ahead!!

 

[drlexygoat]

I'll just echo what the other posters said.... you'll need some peripheral orgo for the MCAT. That material will come from both I and II. The amount you'll need to know is pretty small, but still will show up in some way, shape, or form. Taking I and II your Jr year will be okay, so long as it's over before the big test!

 

[group_theory]

Certainly feasible. Many people do it every year

Just a little warning though

It will be very stressful taking Orgo 2 and studying for MCAT at the same time. And your grades from other classes that you will be concurrently taking MIGHT suffer.

While Orgo 1 is difficult for a lot of people due to new concepts, Orgo 2 is hard for the sheer amount of memorization required (lots and lots of reactions and special cases and tricks, etc)


Of course, this advice comes from someone who had the luxary to take orgo freshmen year 😛

But I did suffer sophomore year when I took pchem

 

[Cerberus]

hose you? No! It helps you by keeping the material fresh on the mind🙂

 

[Amy B]

I thought most people took Organic their junior year and the MCAT that April, when you have almost finished the class. By the spring you will have had enough covered in your class to handle that portion of the MCAT. At my school we had almost all the pre-meds in organic and physics during their junior year. Which is good because that way it is all fresh in your mind for the MCAT. You'll be fine.🙂