Need some advice from MS1's/MS2's

[thackl]

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I'm a non-trad engineer switching to medicine. I start next august at TTech. Anyway, I've been frantically taking u-grad bio classes in an effort to avoid "bio-shock" next yr. Right now I'm taking anatomy w/lab/dissection, micro w/lab and genetics.

Next semester I was going to take physiology and biochem, but I've decided to chill and only take one (enjoy my last semester of freedom). Which would you guys recommend more for easing the transition to med school? Phys or Biochem? Thanks a lot👍

 

[Lara]

Definitely biochem, unless it has a notably bad rep at your institution. 🙂

 

[thackl]

Thanks Lara. I don't know what Tech's reputation is for biochem. I'm moving there after this semester or I would take it at UT Austin. I do know they break it up into biochem 1,2 and 3 with 1 taught in the fall and 2/3 taught in the spring. I've gotten permission to take 2/3 without 1 (learn it on my own).

 

[sacrament]

Definitely biochem. Without a doubt. Your engineering background will help a bit in physiology, as you probably already are familiar with electrical potentials, flow through tubes, pressure/volume relationships, etc. etc.

 

[thackl]

I'm glad I posted here. I was leaning toward physio

 

[DrMom]

I agree on the biochem. No question.

 

[GoodMonkey]

biochem, hands down.

 

[Sessamoid]

For god's sake, don't spend all your pre-med school time worrying about it and taking classes to prepare. You'll be doing enough memorizing and drudgery once you get there. No need to prolong the process. If you're already an engineer, you've got the brains to absorb it in the time given during medical school.

Go do something you've always wanted to do before med school starts. Because once you start, you probably won't get the chance for a very long time.

I was a non-traditional coming from financial analysis. I didn't take anything other than what was needed to fill my pre-med requirements. I spent the rest of the time goofing off and traveling. You won't regret not taking biochem twice (believe me!), but you might regret not doing some interesting stuff before your indentured servitude begins. 🙂

 

[DW]

if you were going to take one of the two, i'd agree with biochem, especially having done engineering before.

but as evidenced by many people in my class you can survive med school biochem with taking it in undergrad...since you're in already (congrats btw 🙂 ), are you SURE you want to put yourself through that? 😉

 

[ispic]

Originally posted by thackl
I'm glad I posted here. I was leaning toward physio

Hi,

I completely agree with the other posters, especially with the engineering background that you have, however just to add a little something, if you still had some doubts as to physio, just pick up a "stars" physio review book by constanzo or the BRS physio by the same author. The library probably has a copy, just maybe as something to show you the type of physio that you'll encounter in medschool. We've been using the "stars" as a "text" in class since the Guyton is just way too encyclopedic a text for us. IMO, so far biochem in med school really isn't that bad, I took a medium range (300 level) biochem class during the undergrad and it really helped a lot since the material appears to be on the same level, just the amount that we're recieving now is a lot more. I'll let you know at the end of the week tho, since I have my first bch test on fri 🙂 Take care.

 

[Street Philosopher]

i would take nothing. i figure suffering for a semester is not worth the few hours of pain you would have to endure in med school without a background. biochem is all stinkin memorization anyway.

 

[thackl]

Originally posted by Sessamoid
For god's sake, don't spend all your pre-med school time worrying about it and taking classes to prepare. You'll be doing enough memorizing and drudgery once you get there. No need to prolong the process. If you're already an engineer, you've got the brains to absorb it in the time given during medical school.

Go do something you've always wanted to do before med school starts. Because once you start, you probably won't get the chance for a very long time.

I was a non-traditional coming from financial analysis. I didn't take anything other than what was needed to fill my pre-med requirements. I spent the rest of the time goofing off and traveling. You won't regret not taking biochem twice (believe me!), but you might regret not doing some interesting stuff before your indentured servitude begins. 🙂

I will not be working this spring, but my wife will be. It's just me and the kiddos, so I don't plan to take any crazy European vacations or anything like that. I was going to take two classes with lab, but thought one w/o lab would be better. Then we can hit the New Mexico ski slopes a few times. Just one class guys......... nothing tough 🙂 Any time I can save now means more for the family next yr. Maybe I'll just get my brother's old med school books and start learning this on my own..... or better yet, a Tech MS1 could give me theirs at the end of the semester 👍

I really appreciate everyone's coments on this. You are all very helpful.

 

[dknykid1980]

hey what i would do HANDS DOWN...is go to the TOUGHEST SCHOOL at your state and take biochem. Biochem weeds kids out easily!! and also buy LIPINCOTT (spelled wrong). its a great book

 

[babinski bob]

i'm going to have to disagree w/ everyone and say take physio, hands down. Physio lays the groundwork for all of your important second year classes. Plus, physio is usually the hardest class for most students (at least it was at our school). Without a strong background in physio, you'll be lost in pharm and path. You can definitely get away without a super strong biochem background. Afterall, you'll NEVER remember all the details for biochem, but the concepts that you'll learn from physio will give you a big heads up on everything that you'll see once you begin school. Good luck.

 

[::Seabass::]

Originally posted by DW
if you were going to take one of the two, i'd agree with biochem, especially having done engineering before.

but as evidenced by many people in my class you can survive med school biochem with taking it in undergrad...since you're in already (congrats btw 🙂 ), are you SURE you want to put yourself through that? 😉

I agree with this, there really aren't that many concepts to learn and as a fellow engineer I know this is what you are used to doing. I would say the hardest thing is just learning to memorize quickly which it sounds like you have probably done with some of the other classes you have taken. So if you'll retain a ton of straight memorization, then maybe think about it, but I haven't really had any biology stuff excet molecular biology over a year ago and I'm doing fine as a first year. For me the hardest part is putting my preferred learning process on the backburner and just sucking it down instead.

I would just take a break and spend it with your kids, you won't have much time next year, even if you've already taken all the classes, you're still going to be putting in a bunch of time in lab and class. You will never be able to get that time back with your kids, but you will be able to stay up late next year while they are sleeping to study a bit more.

I took my last year off completely and just worked and enjoyed life while interviewing. I think the minute amount of time saved studying is not worth giving up that time to just veg. Since studying all the time in med school is just something you can't prepare for no matter how busy you have been in the past (I've kind of followed your story and in some ways life next year will be easier, but your head will just HURT at times 🙂 )

 

[lyragrl]

If you go the textbook route, Stryer is a good biochem textbook and I think it's widely used.

I didn't think biochem was super-hard, but it was a lot of information to wade through and learn.

 

[omarsaleh66]

whats up thackl

I would say the only class that is hard first semester is anatomy. 20 people failed in our first block. Biochem is pretty easy. I never took biochem in undergrad and aced the first block without even going to class.

So far i am studying anatomy like 5 days a week. and one day is all biochem and one day for histo. Personally, i wouldnt take any classes and just chill. I really dont feel that people have any real advantage due to the classes taken in undergrad.

I mean u are gonna have to just work hard when u start classes and i think u should just chill, or take classes that actaully interest u to broaden ur horizons like pottery making or some ****. Whats the point of taking classes when u are gonna learn it anyway. If u are gonna take classes i would just take anatomy ( cuz anatomy is pretty hard)
rest of the classes arent bad.

yeah, sorry i didnt reply to ur other post ; i was so busy with the first block exams, now i'm chilling, but i think I am going to holler at Dr. kaye this weekend to do some shadowing at his pain clinic


take care

Omar

 

[thackl]

Originally posted by seaworthc
as a fellow engineer I know this is what you are used to doing. I would say the hardest thing is just learning to memorize quickly......... For me the hardest part is putting my preferred learning process on the backburner and just sucking it down instead.

I'm a bit worried about this which is why I'm taking anatomy right now. Nothing sticks the 1st time, a lot of it the 2nd time and almost all of it the 3rd time. By the 3rd time, I am making a list of the few things that, for whatever reason, are not sticking (we have no multiple choice). Hopefully in med school I will have time to make 3-4 passes at everthing, so it sticks or get multiple guess exams 🙂

 

[thackl]

Originally posted by omarsaleh66
yeah, sorry i didnt reply to ur other post ; i was so busy with the first block exams, now i'm chilling, but i think I am going to holler at Dr. kaye this weekend to do some shadowing at his pain clinic

Glad I didn't bug you last weekend when I was up for a home inspection. I'll be living off 82nd/Chicago, which is probably less than 1/2 mile from where you live. I'm definitely going to look you up when I get to Lubbock this December.

1/6th of the class failed the first test??? Did they not study, or is it that hard? 😱 Enjoy your brief reprieve.

 

[Street Philosopher]

Here at Michigan, 70/170 people failed a quiz 2 weeks ago. 😱

 

[Sessamoid]

Originally posted by thackl
I'm a bit worried about this which is why I'm taking anatomy right now. Nothing sticks the 1st time, a lot of it the 2nd time and almost all of it the 3rd time. By the 3rd time, I am making a list of the few things that, for whatever reason, are not sticking (we have no multiple choice). Hopefully in med school I will have time to make 3-4 passes at everthing, so it sticks or get multiple guess exams 🙂

This is very much like my analogy for medical school learning that I posted previously. Don't worry, you'll have time to go over things enough that they finally stick.

Don't bother taking physiology now. As an engineer, you'll find that most of physiology can be derived from principles, so the amount of rote memorization is considerably less than in biochem.

 

[thackl]

Originally posted by Sessamoid
This is very much like my analogy for medical school learning that I posted previously. Don't worry, you'll have time to go over things enough that they finally stick.

Don't bother taking physiology now. As an engineer, you'll find that most of physiology can be derived from principles, so the amount of rote memorization is considerably less than in biochem.

I remember it. Thanks🙂

 

[southcom]

I had an engin background in undergrad and I don't believe anyone hates mem facts as much as I do it seems completly pointless, I'd much rather learn concepts and then be able to apply these concepts. Sure you know what I'm talking about. As for my advice I'd say don't stress yourself out so bad 1st year is not as bad as people make it out to be really depends on how well you can handle pressure, but its very doable for an engineering major. I had biochem, but the class I wish I would have had coming is is cell bio. people who took it so far have a distict adv in histo, just my 2 cents good luck in ya prep classes and med school, btw interviewers like engineers, may not can spell but we can think lol

 

[Street Philosopher]

Originally posted by southcom
I had an engin background in undergrad and I don't believe anyone hates mem facts as much as I do it seems completly pointless, I'd much rather learn concepts and then be able to apply these concepts. Sure you know what I'm talking about. As for my advice I'd say don't stress yourself out so bad 1st year is not as bad as people make it out to be really depends on how well you can handle pressure, but its very doable for an engineering major. I had biochem, but the class I wish I would have had coming is is cell bio. people who took it so far have a distict adv in histo, just my 2 cents good luck in ya prep classes and med school, btw interviewers like engineers, may not can spell but we can think lol

not so good with grammar either 😉

 

[Stinger86]

Definitely take Biochem if you've decided to take a course before school. I took a good Biochem course in college and it made my medical biochem course a breeze. You don't want to become like the 40% of my class who were in danger of failing prior to the nbme final.

Anatomy's not hard... just go to lab and pay attention. Also, pick up McMinn's Anatomy Atlas if you have the cash; it's got some really great photographic pics of lab specimens that will help you study for your practicals.

Physiology's pretty boring... plus it's not too terribly difficult, so you'll probably only need (and want) one exposure to the course.

 

[Naphtali]

Man o man...

I had several months off before med school started. (I graduated in December.) I couldn't really travel, since I didn't have any money. But I was living at home (yay for mooching off mom & dad!)... I slept in every day, played computer games, went sledding with my sisters, sat in my parents' jacuzzi, read good books, hung out with undergrad friends, and more.

At the end of March, I moved to Syracuse and started MD/PhD rotations. Still, it was a great 3 months of R & R that I had. Wouldn't have traded it for any small advantage as an MS1.

You said you have kids? Take 'em to the park. Make dinner for the wife and kids. Enjoy your time being your own. That won't be the case next year.

-Naphtali

 

[Skialta]

Take the rest of the year off!

 

[thackl]

Thanks for all the advice. I plan to spend lots of time with the family. Our new home in Lubbock is right next to a huge duck pond and my kids LOVE to feed ducks😀

Honestly, one undergrad class doesn't take much time. My brother wants to give me his gross, histo and bio chem stuff from UTSA (or maybe Omar with lend me his at Tech 😉 ) and have me study 1-2 hrs a day for the 7months leading up to med school. The whole idea here is not for me to be gunner, but to have more stress-free time with the family next year. I'm liking my brother's idea more and more........ study when I feel like it. You never know, maybe I'll even test out of something????????

 

[amelie]

familiarizing yourself with anatomy will help you some...

the course notes from tech are the basis for 99 percent of the exams in histo...and biochem is all about the notes, too. (i've never had biochem before & the faculty at tech really try to teach biochem as though you've never taken the class before...) sure, i think it's an advantage if you know a little about biochem before school, but i don't think it makes a huge difference in terms of test performance. you'll learn everything you need to know while you're here.

honestly, i'm not sure how much studying in advance will really help you, particularly if you have any sort of science background at all. as a psychology major, i wish i would've taken more science courses as a premed, just to familiarize myself with some of the vocabulary.

also, i think you may have a hard time predicting what is important to study in anatomy (in terms of written material), unless you have some guidance in the beginning.

anyway, i strongly encourage you to do nothing and enjoy your time with your family. the pace at tech is busy, but manageable. the faculty all want you to succeed...they won't try to kill you with random information...they try to prepare you for the boards and ensure you know what you need to for years three and four.

anyway, if you are determined to study beforehand, pm me and i'll give you the skinny on what we cover in first year.