Michigan's biochem requirment

[Rugger81]

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UMich requires 3 credits of Biochemistry. Other biology courses cannot be substituted, however it does say that we can make a case for having covered biochemistry topics in other courses during the interview which seems odd. I never took biochem because I was a chem major. I took Gen Bio 1 and 2, Genetics, and Microbiology. I have 16 biology credits, and obviously more than enough chemistry credits.

Now I don't know what to do about the secondary. Is it a total wash? Should I even bother sending it, hoping I might get an interview and might be able to explain that pH dissociation and carbohydrate metabolism was covered in my Gen Bio classes?

Anyone else in this boat?

 

[leechy]

UMich requires 3 credits of Biochemistry. Other biology courses cannot be substituted, however it does say that we can make a case for having covered biochemistry topics in other courses during the interview which seems odd. I never took biochem because I was a chem major. I took Gen Bio 1 and 2, Genetics, and Microbiology. I have 16 biology credits, and obviously more than enough chemistry credits.

Now I don't know what to do about the secondary. Is it a total wash? Should I even bother sending it, hoping I might get an interview and might be able to explain that pH dissociation and carbohydrate metabolism was covered in my Gen Bio classes?

Anyone else in this boat?

biochem required? oh, ugh. i haven't taken it. i'm not sure what to do, but to promise to take it in the spring???

 

[brynn7]

yeah miami requires it too. i was looking through the secondary and saw that there was a space in the required coursework for a semester of biochemistry. uh oh...i guess come springtime i will have to make good on my promise too!

 

[UCLAstudent]

You just need to take it by the time you graduate ... it doesn't need to be completed before you apply.

 

[Rugger81]

yeah but i already graduated. and ive done 6 credits of post-bacc work. i cant fit anymore classes into my schedule between working full time, volunteering, etc.

 

[J33]

Michigan is pretty strict with what they allow for the biochem requirement. I took one quarter class (only 2.7 semester credits) and that was allowed, but I know people who just took the general requirement classes and it did not count. I'm pretty sure that biochem covered in other required core classes does not count, but check with the admissions office. I believe they want an additional class on top of the other core classes.

 

[Rugger81]

what a crock of sh1t. this is the epitome of a superfluous requirement. i know the biochem material they're talking about inside and out, but now i'll have to defend my classes if i even get an interview.

total BS.

 

[YML]

aside from the two schools mentioned above, anymore that follow the biochem req???

 

[AlternateSome1]

Don't sweat it. Like another poster said, you only have to have the prereqs done by the time you enroll, not by the time you apply. Not having this one finished should not affect your chances of getting an interview. After you are there you can either demonstrate your knowledge or fit in an additional 3/4 credits before you enroll.

what a crock of sh1t. this is the epitome of a superfluous requirement. i know the biochem material they're talking about inside and out, but now i'll have to defend my classes if i even get an interview.

total BS.

 

[AlternateSome1]

aside from the two schools mentioned above, anymore that follow the biochem req???

http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/resources/health/Bio course req by state.pdf

 

[Bones2008]

what a crock of sh1t. this is the epitome of a superfluous requirement. i know the biochem material they're talking about inside and out, but now i'll have to defend my classes if i even get an interview.

total BS.

Superfluous? UMich is one of the few schools that has almost completely axed biochem from its curriculum. It simply isn't taught. The school's courses do, however, assume knowledge of it (as will the USMLE). So it's far from superfluous -- it is an absolute necessity given the nature of UMich's curriculum.

 

[YML]

so does cell-nuerobiology count as a molecular bio class?
what about just plain cell bio?
molecular genetics?

what is a molecular biology class? who decides what counts and what doesnt?

 

[Jason110]

Superfluous? UMich is one of the few schools that has almost completely axed biochem from its curriculum. It simply isn't taught. The school's courses do, however, assume knowledge of it (as will the USMLE). So it's far from superfluous -- it is an absolute necessity given the nature of UMich's curriculum.

Agreed.

 

[Rugger81]

Superfluous? UMich is one of the few schools that has almost completely axed biochem from its curriculum. It simply isn't taught. The school's courses do, however, assume knowledge of it (as will the USMLE). So it's far from superfluous -- it is an absolute necessity given the nature of UMich's curriculum.

Well, of the top 10 schools Michigan is the only one to eliminate biochem from its curriculum. So yeah, I call that superfluous.

 

[miljhy]

http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/resources/health/Bio course req by state.pdf

I think this is a little old. I know OHSU now requires a course in Biochemistry.

 

[automaton]

biochemistry is taught at michigan. i actually have no idea why anyone would need to take it beforehand. from personal experience, the biochemistry i learned in college only served to... well, it served no purpose actually. i still had to re-memorize pathways.

to the guy complaining that it's superfluous, well, welcome to the world of medical school. get used to doing stupid things because that's all you'll be doing for the first two years. if you think taking biochemistry is superfluous, then try taking anatomy and memorizing thousands of ridiculous details, of which maybe 10 will show up on the boards. if you don't like it, oh well.

 

[DrThom]

you can take it at a community college during the spring or even summer. if you know your biochem inside and out as you claim, taking the course shouldn't take up too much of your time. just show up for the exam.

uhh, I've been to community college and I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they don't teach biochem at JCs. I think most JCs only offer chem up through Organic 2.

 

[automaton]

yeah i think you're right about that.

OP: explaining it in your interview will probably not be a big deal. i wouldn't get too worked up over it.

for those curious, here is the info from the 2004-2005 msar, taken from the princeton website:

http://web.princeton.edu/sites/hpa/biochem.htm

 

[YML]

so does anybody know what a molecular bio class is?
Molecular genetics?
cell bio?
nuerobio?
microbio?

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