Organic chemistry 1 & 2 simultaneously?

[skessler]

Hey all,

Do I need to have completed orgo II before taking the MCATs?
or...
Is it possible in your opinion to take orgo I and II in the summer sessions and take biology II also with either orgo I or orgo II or is this too much to handle?
or...
Is it possible to take and do well in orgo one and two at the same time?

I want to apply to med school for Fall '06 which means (I think) that the latest I can take the MCATs is August '05. Right now I'm taking Chem I which means my only way to achieve taking them in Aug. '05 is by using one of the above options.

Thanks.

Sam

P.S. I will have my B.S. in engineering completed by then.

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[Psycho Doctor]

what school would allow you to take orgo 1 and 2 at the same time? One is a prereqiuiste for the other and for very good reason...orgo 2 builds on the foundations you learned in orgo 1.

do not take orgo and bio while studying for the MCAT...it's much too much. I went crazy just taking the orgos in the summer session when i needed to study for the MCAT.

so of those options, if i understand them corectly, i'd take the MCAT with only orgo 1. why can't you take bio II in the spring and both orgos over the summer?

 

[fielight]

i don't see why it's not possible to take organic I and II at the same time. while there is some overlap between the two courses, for the most part, it is minimal; personally, i found them to be almost completely different classes. now, what you need to consider is whether you are mentally prepared to take on the work simultaneously. organic chemistry I is probably the first "tough" course most people see in college. so if you take I and II at the same time, it's double the work and difficulty (material at a level which you may have never experienced before) -- for most people, it would be too much. of course, if you are highly motivated and a genius, then it probably won't matter.

to be honest, even though the MCAT only requires the basic sciences, it really helps if you can take science courses beyond this level; if you can manage to take biochemistry (just one semester) or physiology before you take the MCAT, you will do that much better. it's not so much that the MCAT requires knowledge from biochem or phys, but that these courses present a new level of difficulty (in quantity and quality) and force you to see things in a more practical way (vs purely memorizing everything -- which is really all you need to do doing well in organic I and II)... once you take the MCAT, you'll realize that the test isn't a regurgitation type, but more of the application/thinking exam.

like Psycho Doctor suggested, it's best if you can devote to studying for the MCAT without distractions of taking other courses. you need to review a lot of material for the MCAT, and having to study for some organic exam at the same time is not going to help.

 

[RaistlinMajere]

That is bad idea, even if it is possible.

 

[aparecida]

Taking 1 and 2 at the same time is a bad idea. HOWEVER, you would be just fine if you take orgo 1 in the summer and then take the August MCAT. Remember, the BS of the MCAT is both bio and orgo, so if you haven't had orgo 2, you'll still know 3/4 of the BS material. Actually, you'll know more than 3/4, since the BS is a lot heavier on the bio with some orgo 1 -- orgo 2 content is minimal.

 

[skessler]

These aren't my absolutely final options. However, it's all based on my desire to enter med school in Fall 06. If I were to push it off, I'd have more options.

That said, it sounds like the consensus is that given my above options, the best and perhaps only option is to take the MCATs without orgo II.

'Doctor', I don't think my school would permit taking them simultaneously. As for the suggestion of taking Bio II in the spring, I haven't taken Bio I yet.

Perhaps: Is my assumption that the latest I can take the MCATs for Fall 06 entrance is August 05.

Shmuel

 

[45408]

That is bad idea, even if it is possible.

say no more

 

[UNOStudent01]

Not to be an ass - but this is too much. ... Organic ONE and organic TWO at the same time....don't you think there is a reason that there's a *ONE* and a *TWO*? I'd develop some common sense...you'll need that if you want to practice as a physician...

 

[dshnay]

Not to be an ass - but this is too much. ... Organic ONE and organic TWO at the same time....don't you think there is a reason that there's a *ONE* and a *TWO*? I'd develop some common sense...you'll need that if you want to practice as a physician...

I agree do not take ochem 1 and 2 at the same time, however some universities do offer 2 summer sessions, so you might be able to take ochem 1 starting in june and ending in july, and session 2 going from july till august.

 

[Long Dong]

I'd develop some common sense...you'll need that if you want to practice as a physician...

, alot of book smart people seem to lack common sense.

 

[JattMed]

If you are really determined to take organic chem I & II simultaneously and your school wont allow it-why not take orgo II at another uni or college if one is nearby?
Alot of folks did that during my undergrad.
However some schools will require a letter from the Dean.
Taking MCAT without orgo I or II can be done!
The Kaplan material on orgo is sufficient however it depends on your confidence.
Your ability to self-learn from an orgo text cannot hurt either.
A good orgo book/text is:
CAREY Organic Chemistry 5th Ed.
Author is Francis A. Carey ISBN 0-07-242458-3
Every book comes with a Learning by Model CD-ROM and you have online access to the publishers learning center (www.mhhe.com/carey)

 

[dca_55]

From my experience, Orgo II really built upon the basics learned in Orgo I, but I guess it's taught differently at every school. I've read posts on these boards that people felt fine for the MCAT without taking a full year of Orgo, but it might be good to take a prep course so you know you've covered the little bit of Orgo that you may have missed. Also, is there a specific reason you want to get in for fall 06, and don't want to postpone for a year? Studying for the MCAT took a lot more time than I thought it would, and it sounds like you will be taking Orgo I and II with Bio II in the summer you will take the MCAT. It sounds like a lot to take on in one summer. Why risk getting less than your best possible grades or MCAT score, when taking an extra year will give you more time to prepare?

 

[UDbiochem]

at the same time, so NOT a good idea

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I agree do not take ochem 1 and 2 at the same time, however some universities do offer 2 summer sessions, so you might be able to take ochem 1 starting in june and ending in july, and session 2 going from july till august.

I said this already, however the OP wanted to take bio II at the same time. That all while studying for the MCAT is also not the best decision. The best optuion is probably wha ti did, take orgo I and II over the summer with the MCAT but get bio II out of the way in the spring.

Has the OP even been back to this thread to comment on everyone's suggestions?

 

[skessler]

Guys,

YOu've given me some good advice. I've just spoken to a family friend/mentor/MD who agrees with all you (understandably) that getting into med school is competitive enough so I don't need extra burdens or hindrances of rushing and doing it improperly.

It'll probably be Fall 07 and as for organic I'll decide come the spring.

Sam

 

[beanbean]

I know someone who took Orgo I and II at the same time with a physics and cell bio. Not a good idea. She had already had part of Orgo I the previous semester, but had to drop it due to family issues. She struggled with taking both together and ultimately dropped Orgo II and took it in the summer.

With some good prep and a solid Orgo I background you would probably be fine on the MCAT. Many people who take it in April are only halfway through the class. That being said, don't rush things. Its not worth messing up your gpa or MCAT just to finish a semester earlier.

 

[skessler]

I've posted a poll, kind of just for the fun of it, but also to see if I can learn anything I haven't yet about how people feel about taking the MCATs before having completed Org. II. (Whew! Parse that run on!)

Click here to participate in it.

Sam

 

[pristine21]

Dont do it... Dont take I and II together and dont take the MCAT's yet. All are very imp and grades are used to weed people out of admissions. Take your time and do it right, you'll regret it if you rush and mess up

Sam

P.S. I will have my B.S. in engineering completed by then.[/QUOTE]

 

[g3pro]

There is no reason to rush things. Organic chemistry 2 isn't even required for the MCAT and you would be better off with a biochemistry class.

 

[PookieGirl]

Hey all,

Do I need to have completed orgo II before taking the MCATs?
or...
Is it possible in your opinion to take orgo I and II in the summer sessions and take biology II also with either orgo I or orgo II or is this too much to handle?
or...
Is it possible to take and do well in orgo one and two at the same time?

I want to apply to med school for Fall '06 which means (I think) that the latest I can take the MCATs is August '05. Right now I'm taking Chem I which means my only way to achieve taking them in Aug. '05 is by using one of the above options.

Thanks.

Sam

P.S. I will have my B.S. in engineering completed by then.

No you don't really need in my opinion to finish orgo II before the MCAT as the test features minimal orgo and its basic stuff for the most part. That said, you might want to get an orgo review book to be sure you know what COULD be on the test.

Taking orgo I and II are, again in my opinion, a bad idea as orgo builds on prior concepts and it's best to get the basics down before moving on to advanced parts.

I would also caution against taking the August MCATs because that means you'll start AMCAS without knowing your scores. Also because most schools have rolling basis, your application won't get looked at until you have the scores in, which means you get a late start. Thirdly, if you do poorly on the MCAT, you will have wasted all that time and effort on AMCAS for nothing. If you have a good sense of your abilities, attractiveness as a candidate and have good grades now, then go for the August mcat. Good luck.