Non-science major matriculating this upcoming fall: Should I look over biochem?

[Tapepsi]

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I've heard that biochem hits students pretty hard in med school, especially those who have never taken it (i.e. me). I realize that it's important to relax and enjoy my last summer before year 1, but I would like to at least be familiar with the material. The last thing I want to do is fail a course after all of this work trying to get in.

Thoughts? Also, what topics are most important to understand?

 

[versus]

I've heard that biochem hits students pretty hard in med school, especially those who have never taken it (i.e. me). I realize that it's important to relax and enjoy my last summer before year 1, but I would like to at least be familiar with the material. The last thing I want to do is fail a course after all of this work trying to get in.

Thoughts? Also, what topics are most important to understand?

I'm a big fan of biochemistry. If I had to recommend some topics, I'd probably say that everything regarding to metabolism is pretty important. Though that is a lot of biochemistry. Also note I haven't yet started medical school, so I could be completely wrong. 😛

*head explodes*

 

[Tapepsi]

😱
...

 

[phnerd1105]

Yup, you need to know that cold for biochem.


Well not really haha. I would suggest buying a book like Lippincotts which is great for biochem and provides concise reviews. Most med schools require you to buy it anyway.

 

[shaggy alfresco]

Jefferson MEdical college has a PDF with reading for non-science majors: http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/documents/Summerreadingsuggestion2010.pdf

It's for their biochem course and gives book and chapter numbers. Assuming the topics are similar, that would be the thing to check out. As the PDF mentions, it's not really memorizing anything it's more about getting used to the terminology and such if you haven't taken more than a couple bio courses.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Its really not worth studying ahead of time. No amount of preparation can prepare you for medical school. Relax during your last completely free summer. It won't happen again.

 

[Tapepsi]

Jefferson MEdical college has a PDF with reading for non-science majors: http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/documents/Summerreadingsuggestion2010.pdf

It's for their biochem course and gives book and chapter numbers. Assuming the topics are similar, that would be the thing to check out. As the PDF mentions, it's not really memorizing anything it's more about getting used to the terminology and such if you haven't taken more than a couple bio courses.

Thanks for sharing. 👍

 

[Tapepsi]

Its really not worth studying ahead of time. No amount of preparation can prepare you for medical school. Relax during your last completely free summer. It won't happen again.

But would you recommend for me to at least be familiar with some of this stuff that will be thrown at me this upcoming year? I sort of feel like I'm at a disadvantage and will struggle if this is all new to me.

 

[mauberley]

But would you recommend for me to at least be familiar with some of this stuff that will be thrown at me this upcoming year? I sort of feel like I'm at a disadvantage and will struggle if this is all new to me.

You might be more familiar with it than you think. In your biology classes, you're likely to have at least touched on concepts in metabolism (glycolysis, TCA/Krebs, ETC/oxidative phosphorylation); my guess is that's sufficient as far as things not being new to you go.

That aside, I'd echo TexasPhysician's advice. I've heard and read many times that it's essentially useless to pre-study for med school. What will be more valuable to you is the ability to strategically study, as the volume of material is what's problematic, not necessarily the ability to grasp it.

 

[Tapepsi]

You might be more familiar with it than you think. In your biology classes, you're likely to have at least touched on concepts in metabolism (glycolysis, TCA/Krebs, ETC/oxidative phosphorylation); my guess is that's sufficient as far as things not being new to you go.

That aside, I'd echo TexasPhysician's advice. I've heard and read many times that it's essentially useless to pre-study for med school. What will be more valuable to you is the ability to strategically study, as the volume of material is what's problematic, not necessarily the ability to grasp it.

I've heard this many times so I guess I should probably just take TexasPhysician and your advice and just not worry about it. Still...I keep reading that in general non-science majors struggle more than science majors initially in med school.

 

[mauberley]

I've heard this many times so I guess I should probably just take TexasPhysician and your advice and just not worry about it. Still...I keep reading that in general non-science majors struggle more than science majors initially in med school.

If it is worrisome to you, I don't think there's any harm in just reading through the concepts so that you're familiar with the material. However, there's a cost/benefit analysis to take into consideration. If your sole metric is how much you might struggle compared to a science major, consider that the science major may have seen the material multiple times in a span of many years (high school and college). Cramming in a summer likely won't bring you to that level of understanding or familiarity. There is the added consideration that if you go too in-depth, what you target for understanding may not be the same as what's emphasized in your classes.

The take-home message is to read up on it a little if it eases your fear, but don't waste your summer on it.

 

[TexasPhysician]

But would you recommend for me to at least be familiar with some of this stuff that will be thrown at me this upcoming year? I sort of feel like I'm at a disadvantage and will struggle if this is all new to me.

Medical school is a whole new beast. I tried to be prepared like you, and my hours of gentle studying were equivalent to about 10 minutes of lecture. The hours I spent studying were practically useless.

You will adapt quickly in medical school to being able to memorize chapters in a day. Until then, its not worth the torture.

If I were you, I would pick up enjoyable books and start trying to increase the rate at which you read/comprehend. That skill would benefit you more.

 

[Tapepsi]

If it is worrisome to you, I don't think there's any harm in just reading through the concepts so that you're familiar with the material. However, there's a cost/benefit analysis to take into consideration. If your sole metric is how much you might struggle compared to a science major, consider that the science major may have seen the material multiple times in a span of many years (high school and college). Cramming in a summer likely won't bring you to that level of understanding or familiarity. There is the added consideration that if you go too in-depth, what you target for understanding may not be the same as what's emphasized in your classes.

The take-home message is to read up on it a little if it eases your fear, but don't waste your summer on it.

I mean I'm not trying to compare myself to a science major in terms of how much I'll struggle...I just don't want to fail!

 

[Tapepsi]

Medical school is a whole new beast. I tried to be prepared like you, and my hours of gentle studying were equivalent to about 10 minutes of lecture. The hours I spent studying were practically useless.

You will adapt quickly in medical school to being able to memorize chapters in a day. Until then, its not worth the torture.

If I were you, I would pick up enjoyable books and start trying to increase the rate at which you read/comprehend. That skill would benefit you more.

Aaalllright... I'll trust you then. Guess I'll be reading the LOR trilogy again.

 

[7starmantis]

Its really not worth studying ahead of time. No amount of preparation can prepare you for medical school. Relax during your last completely free summer. It won't happen again.

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