O-Chem II or BioChem?

[Spang]

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The three schools I plan to apply to allow one to substitute biochem for o-chem II. Which prepares one better for the MCAT?

 

[reed0104]

Biochem-you'll review all of the orgo needed in a review class/book.

Good luck

 

[Oolong Wa]

Can one do really well in Biochemistry without having done Organic Chemistry II? And what is so important about O Chm II if one can go straight from O Chm I to Biochem?

 

[fiatslug]

all the orgo you really need for biochem is a good understanding of carbonyl chemistry (usually second semester) & nucleophilicity (first semester). Most of orgo is synthetic chem, which just doesn't factor in with biochem. I *heartily* recommend taking biochem before the MCAT!!

 

[wheels]

I SECOND THAT. I wish I would have taken Biochem before the MCAT. I had already gotten scores my advisors say will be good enough to get into the places I'm applying, so I'm not going to take the MCAT again, but I can't recall how many times I sat in the Biochem lectures and shook my head in amazement thinking how I could have done even better if I would have taken Biochemistry before the MCAT. One good thing -- I got a rec letter from the professor. So get on that Biochemistry!

Wheels

 

[doctor_sig]

I disagree...I didn't take biochem before the MCAT, but did take OChem II. Thank God I did, because there were passages straight out from carbonyl chapters in the text book, it seemed. BioChem is nice for learning enzymes mechanics, but you should pick those up in your basic bio courses. The prof I had for BC focused mainly on specific enzymes and their actions and structure, which didn't help much on the test. Remember, the MCAT is looking more for thought processes, not specific facts...you learn the concepts of BC in any decent Ochem course.

Dr. Sig

 

[doctor_sig]

And I forgot the examples from this year's test...there was a passage about conjugated diene ring forming rxns and one about epoxide ring opening rxns...both studied in 2nd semester of O chem

[This message has been edited by doctor_sig (edited 05-24-2000).]

 

[Pepe]

I agree with Doc Sig at least in preparation for the MCAT. If you have the chance to do both I would definitely take both. From what I remember about my MCAT almost all of the questions related to the second part of organic. At least at my school the Biochem seemed more bio than chem in that a Bio major with a little chem seemed to do better than a chem major with a little bio. I know my year of Biochem won't totally prepare me for medical school but I do feel reasonably comfortable with it. At any rate good luck.

 

[noah]

Spang - you'll do fine with either class for the MCAT, though most schools require that you take Orgo II. The real issue is this: You should strongly consider applying to more than three schools, even if you have excellent credentials. Most people apply to at least 15-20 and even those with exceptional numbers and extracurriculars often only get a handful of acceptances. It's a real crapshoot (as others will attest), so take nothing for granted with the med school admissions process.

 

[noah]

Spang - you'll do fine with either class for the MCAT, though most schools require that you take Orgo II. The real issue is this: You should strongly consider applying to more than three schools, even if you have excellent credentials. Most people apply to at least 15-20 and even those with exceptional numbers and extracurriculars often only get a handful of acceptances. It's a real crapshoot (as others will attest), so take nothing for granted with the med school admissions process.

 

[buttercup]

just wanted to add that most first year med courseloads include biochem...just a "heads up". When I was undergrad a lot of my peers took biochem and now that they are IMs they are taking it again. Some love that they already have a good background and think that it helped them to do well in the course, some hate taking it twice. It's a personal call, but I just wanted to throw that factoid out there. As for the MCATs, I must admit, I have not the faintest. I myself took orgo II, much of which I had to relearn whilst studying for the MCAT....
Good luck to you!