med school without biochem

[Avenue Q]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am not a science major, and have not taken biochemistry. I am currently starting to make a list of school to apply to this summer.

i am deciding if i want to apply to any schools that require biochem and take the class next spring, or just forget about it and use biochem to rule out schools.

but my question is, for schools that say they "strongly recommend" it, do they consider not taking it bad in the application process?

i heard from an admissions officer at a top school that it is unnecessary, but i have heard from many others that it is important to take even if not required.

are any of you currently in this situation? is anyone going to med school without biochem worried?

 

[gerido]

I am not a science major, and have not taken biochemistry. I am currently starting to make a list of school to apply to this summer.

i am deciding if i want to apply to any schools that require biochem and take the class next spring, or just forget about it and use biochem to rule out schools.

but my question is, for schools that say they "strongly recommend" it, do they consider not taking it bad in the application process?

i heard from an admissions officer at a top school that it is unnecessary, but i have heard from many others that it is important to take even if not required.

are any of you currently in this situation? is anyone going to med school without biochem worried?

Some schools indicate that they assume students have basic biochemistry and their course schedule go straight into it without much introduction, this is why they strongly recommended.

Maybe "strongly recommended" is not a big deal if you have good grades in your other courses.

 

[Medikit]

Biochem really isn't all that bad, I think there are a few books that are recommended in the allo forum, why not read a little bit on your own time?

 

[Dr.D-man]

it's not that i don't want to take biochem, it's just that it feels like a "waste" to take it instead of another class I'm really interested in. I only have so many liberal arts undergrad classes left, and so if it isn't important, i would rather take something else. on the other hand, if it seems like it is important, i will sacrifice an extra cool class for it.

is there anyone who is going in this fall without it? did anyone at an interview bring it up? is there any school you felt would best handle the non-science major?

Did you enjoy taking your pre-req classes? If so, take biochem.

 

[Biscuit799]

it's not that i don't want to take biochem, it's just that it feels like a "waste" to take it instead of another class I'm really interested in. I only have so many liberal arts undergrad classes left, and so if it isn't important, i would rather take something else. on the other hand, if it seems like it is important, i will sacrifice an extra cool class for it.

is there anyone who is going in this fall without it? did anyone at an interview bring it up? is there any school you felt would best handle the non-science major?

If you don't want to take biochem, then don't take it. Schools that "highly recommend" it will not reject you simply because you didn't take it. I never took calculus because math is boring (although biochem was a pre req at a school I wanted to attend). You only get to go to college once, so take a foreign language, art, or film studies class. You'll be exposed to something you never would've experienced otherwise. And trust me, medical schools will teach you all the science you'll ever need to be a good doctor.