Need opinions on if I should skip or take this prerequisite course.

[Brooklyn-doc97]

I am practically done with all of my prerequisite's and am pretty much going to graduate next semester. The problem though is that for my final semester in the spring I was wondering if I should take biochemistry or skip it? I want to take the course, and of course the more pre-reqs completed, the better your opportunities are for picking schools. However, only one professor is teaches the course in the school every semester and a lot of the former students of his are saying that he is a pain, in that he takes pride in having the course set up in an extremely difficult manner, with there being only 3 out of 140 students getting an A. Both on ratemyprofessor and people who I know; who had taken his course already.

If I skip the course, then I would end up shooting myself in the foot in that for the most part; most school's want biochemistry 1 done. Granted, I did take organic chemistry 2 and some schools said that it can be used as a substitute. But even then, not having biochemistry will greatly dampen my choices since it's a required course for a lot of them.

I just don't want to end off my final semester, taking biochemistry and end up slightly messing up my grades with a low grade in this course, but at the same time I don't want to limit my options when comes time to apply. Do you think that I should just bite the bullet and try to risk it with this course, or apply solely to the schools that don't require biochemistry, and see if I can get lucky?

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[Goro]

Biochem is on the MCAT.

 

[chssoccer7]

Many schools require biochem, why limit yourself arbitrarily? It's on the MCAT and I would not enjoy trying to teach myself biochem. Just work hard in the class and take the MCAT not too long after, so your hard work counts both as for a grade and for MCAT studying. There are also tons of videos on youtube to supplement your instructors lectures. I just finished up biochem and the youtube lectures were lifesaving.

 

[GoSpursGo]

You should take it. An A- or B+ won’t hurt you that badly.

 

[DOCOC15]

If the professor truly only gives an A to only 3/140 students then you should bring that up with the department head. That's extremely atypical for large survey courses like biochem 1.

Even for classes I've had where people complain about how difficult the professor is, it's still always been at least 15% of students getting an A, and perfectly doable with enough work put in.

 

[LizzyM]

don't be a grade grubber but attend office hours at the first available opportunity and say, "this material is important to me. I need to understand it to do well on the MCAT and in coursework in medical school. How do you recommend that I approach it?"

Consider forming a study group of similarly motivated students to work as a team to explain concepts and quiz one another. Sometimes the best way to learn is to teach someone else.

If only 3 students will get As there is no reason why you can't be one of the three, or that this will be the year that a far greater number (your study group) will come out on top.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Agree with @LizzyM . Med school is pretty heavy on Biochem, then you see it again in Pharm and Physio. There will be plenty of virgin material for you to master in med school, why put the extra burden on yourself? Med school will test your abilities unless you are an elite student. One mediocre grade should not be a big deal treading admission.

 

[eigen]

Even for classes I've had where people complain about how difficult the professor is, it's still always been at least 15% of students getting an A, and perfectly doable with enough work put in.

I would consider 15% of the class getting an A to be pretty high for a typical class, FWIW, unless your class doesn't do +/- grades. If you're including A and A- together, that seems more reasonable.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Maybe I'm missing the point, but if it's required, you have to take the class. When you go to medical school and a lecture is mandatory, I don't think you have options. Why are you making yourself less desirable?