O-Chem

[Mylez]

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Hi,

Sorry that I have so many questions, but here's another one for you.

I only took one semester of O-Chem. Basically, it was a broad overview class, but enough to get me into biochemistry. Because of that, who will absolutely NOT take me because of the requirement? I've heard some schools are more lenient if you have some other better background courses (IE, I'm taking medical micro, virology, immunology, microbiology, etc).

So does this destroy my chances at some schools like, for example, UCDavis?

 

[chickenboo]

Hi,

Sorry that I have so many questions, but here's another one for you.

I only took one semester of O-Chem. Basically, it was a broad overview class, but enough to get me into biochemistry. Because of that, who will absolutely NOT take me because of the requirement? I've heard some schools are more lenient if you have some other better background courses (IE, I'm taking medical micro, virology, immunology, microbiology, etc).

So does this destroy my chances at some schools like, for example, UCDavis?

Hi Mylez,
I honestly don't know about Davis, since usually they either require 2 quarters or 2 semesters of o-chem, depending what system your school is on. I don't know if you'd be able to get by with just the one semester--my advice would just be to call them and ask. I don't know how lenient they are with the requirement.

In general, if you are able to take another semester of o-chem, DO IT!! It would dramatically increase the number of schools you could apply to. If you can't for some reason, check each school's unit requirements for o-chem against the units you earned for the o-chem class you took. There may be some schools you could apply to, I don't know, but most schools go by the # of units you earned for class, rather than the length of the class.

 

[wishes]

While taking another semester of O-Chem would certainly increase the range of schools you could apply to, here is a list of schools that may still consider you with only one semester of Organic Chemistry. Some of them require a lump sum of chemistry classes that can me made however you like so if you do go on to take biochemistry than this could substitute for second semester O-Chem. Keep in mind that most of the biology classes you are planning to take (microbiology, immunology, etc.), will not help you meet the chemistry credit requirement.
Many of the schools I have listed, however, do only require one semester of O-Chem with a laboratory. The AAVMC Veterinary Medical Admission Requirements Handbook is a great resource for what schools require what classes so I would definitely suggest purchasing it so that you can make sure you meet the pre-requisites for the schools you are considering.
Good Luck!
Colorado State U
U of Florida
U of Illinois
Kansas State U
Louisiana State U
U of Minnesota
Mississippi State U
U of Missouri
Oklahoma State U
Oregon State U
U of Pennsylvania
Purdue U
Texas A & M U
Tufts
Tuskegee U
Washington State U
Western U of Health Sciences
U of Wisconsin

 

[chickenboo]

Tufts requires 2 semesters of o-chem: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/admissions/prereqs.html

 

[wishes]

Tufts requires 2 semesters of o-chem: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/admissions/prereqs.html

Sorry about that. I misread the VMSAR handbook. It is two semesters, not two credits The same is true of Purdue.
I double checked the rest of the schools, but be sure to check each individual school for their exact requirements.

 

[youthman]

Oregon State requires 2 quarters as well, possibly a lab in addition to that. It's best to call the school's advisor and make sure.

 

[FloridaGrl]

I believe UF requires 2 semesters as well. The biochem is separate from the organic.

 

[miltonmcdougall]

It probably doesn't destroy your chances, but it definitely narrows your choices a bit. It's difficult enough to gain access to Vet school. I'd take part deux just to be safe and to have the greatest chance of admission. It does kinda suck though.....

 

[mokadet]

Mylez - It sounds like this class was intended to be taken independently (versus part one of a two part series). Is this correct? If you covered all that you would have covered in a year-long course you may be able to petition for this to count.

I know at my undergrad school there is an accelerated chem series in which there is actually only one semester labeled as o-chem, however, those who take this track actually get the majority of what's taught in orgo during the second semester of what is called gen-chem. Confusing for grad schools, but they actually end up being ahead of the rest of us (I took the "normal" route). My point is that if you actually did get all the information, try and explain this to schools and they MAY let you get by with it.

Good luck!

 

[Mylez]

Thanks everyone for all of your help. It's a touchy and difficult subject!

I took basically an overview class of O-chem. Problems are that firstly it didn't have a lab, and in addition it was just one semester. But it was still four credits, we had to meet four times a week and it was a pretty intensive course using all kinds of things like stick models, etc. So, I dunno! Thanks for the suggestions on schools.

And youthman, I may be a bit off, but isn't a quarter different from a semester? Isn't two quarters equivalent to a semester?

 

[chris03333]

Thanks everyone for all of your help. It's a touchy and difficult subject!

I took basically an overview class of O-chem. Problems are that firstly it didn't have a lab, and in addition it was just one semester. But it was still four credits, we had to meet four times a week and it was a pretty intensive course using all kinds of things like stick models, etc. So, I dunno! Thanks for the suggestions on schools.

And youthman, I may be a bit off, but isn't a quarter different from a semester? Isn't two quarters equivalent to a semester?

Typically 4 quarter units is equal to 3 semester (so 3 quarters is equal to 2 semesters). So if you are on the quarter system (I was) ochem is 3 quarters (or one academic year).

 

[youthman]

Thanks everyone for all of your help. It's a touchy and difficult subject!

I took basically an overview class of O-chem. Problems are that firstly it didn't have a lab, and in addition it was just one semester. But it was still four credits, we had to meet four times a week and it was a pretty intensive course using all kinds of things like stick models, etc. So, I dunno! Thanks for the suggestions on schools.

And youthman, I may be a bit off, but isn't a quarter different from a semester? Isn't two quarters equivalent to a semester?

In addition to what Chris03333 stated for the quarter system - OSU separates lab into a different quarter so you have 2 quarters of lecture and 1 quarter of lab, and just this year they increased the number of credits for the lab quarter to a full 4 credits. So yeah, it's a full year of O-chem Also check to see what you need to get into Biochem. You may need the whole year of O-chem anyways.

 

[Mylez]

Oh, I've already taken Biochem, that was over and done with this fall. Principles of Biochem. 🙂

Thanks for the info on the quarter system. That's just confusing to me. 🙂