Senior year plans

[b*rizzle]

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This is for all you folks already in pharm school:

In my last semester, I plan to take have physics 2/lab, cancer biology (really interesting!! 😀 ), population biology (not so interesting 😛 ), and I can take either a nice, easy intro psych course to round out the semester, or I can take biochemistry.

Biochemistry seems more interesting, but at UNC it is a difficult class (I had the same prof for molecular bio and can attest to the rumors, but I did fine in the class). I also survived organic chemistry with a B+.

From what I've heard from upper-level pharm students is that it's not worth taking biochem as an undergrad. Did any of you guys take it, and if so, did it help at all? I'm one of those kinds of people who only needs a tiny shred of context (i.e. stuff from one class carrying over into another) and everything after seems to fall into place. I think I'd be more interested in biochemistry, but it's last semester of my senior year, and if it's not worth beating my brains out over, then I don't want to.

Also, on an unrelated topic: I have to work 2 jobs the summer after I graduate (so I can afford pharm school!!). Has anyone heard of a hospital hiring a tech on a temporary per-diem basis, or is it better to just find another retail job or something? Maybe go thru a temp agency?

 

[endlesslove]

This is for all you folks already in pharm school:

In my last semester, I plan to take have physics 2/lab, cancer biology (really interesting!! 😀 ), population biology (not so interesting 😛 ), and I can take either a nice, easy intro psych course to round out the semester, or I can take biochemistry.

Biochemistry seems more interesting, but at UNC it is a difficult class (I had the same prof for molecular bio and can attest to the rumors, but I did fine in the class). I also survived organic chemistry with a B+.

From what I've heard from upper-level pharm students is that it's not worth taking biochem as an undergrad. Did any of you guys take it, and if so, did it help at all? I'm one of those kinds of people who only needs a tiny shred of context (i.e. stuff from one class carrying over into another) and everything after seems to fall into place. I think I'd be more interested in biochemistry, but it's last semester of my senior year, and if it's not worth beating my brains out over, then I don't want to.

Also, on an unrelated topic: I have to work 2 jobs the summer after I graduate (so I can afford pharm school!!). Has anyone heard of a hospital hiring a tech on a temporary per-diem basis, or is it better to just find another retail job or something? Maybe go thru a temp agency?

seems like your reason for wanting to take biochem is to prepare for pharmacy school and also for personal interest but your hestitation stems from the fact that you do not want it to hurt your GPA and you also do not want to be slaving over it to get an A. so why not take it for p/np or do what i did with immunology, which was a class i took purely to quench my own thirst for knowledge--audit the class. 👍

 

[b*rizzle]

seems like your reason for wanting to take biochem is to prepare for pharmacy school and also for personal interest but your hestitation stems from the fact that you do not want it to hurt your GPA and you also do not want to be slaving over it to get an A. so why not take it for p/np or do what i did with immunology, which was a class i took purely to quench my own thirst for knowledge--audit the class. 👍

I'm not particularly concerned about the impact on my GPA, for three reasons: 1) I'm a good student, I'd probably manage to pull a decent grade out of it no matter what, 2) senioritis will probably set in sometime around then, and 3) by the time it comes around to assigning grades, I'm assuming that I'll have an answer on my admission to pharm school (I'm apparently banking on acceptance! 😛) I have no probs taking it for credit. My main curiosity was if it really is useful to take biochem as an undergrad. If the consensus is yes, then I will take it. If no, then I'll stick to intro psych. I would audit the class, but then I'd be short 1 credit hour for graduation! No senior underloading for me 😳

Thanks for your input! Keep the responses rolling, guys!! 👍

 

[ultracet]

i didn't have biochem prior to pharm school but biochem here for me was not hard. those who had had it previously did seem to do better however i did not do bad.

there were some people who didn't do well or "get it" but they didn't get any chemistry that we have done. if you are good in chemistry and understand it then there is probably no real reason for you to take it prior to pharm school.

**this only applies to my limited amount of knowledge with 1 pharmacy school as i have not attended more than one

 

[b*rizzle]

i didn't have biochem prior to pharm school but biochem here for me was not hard. those who had had it previously did seem to do better however i did not do bad.

there were some people who didn't do well or "get it" but they didn't get any chemistry that we have done. if you are good in chemistry and understand it then there is probably no real reason for you to take it prior to pharm school.

**this only applies to my limited amount of knowledge with 1 pharmacy school as i have not attended more than one

That's actually pretty much the response I've gotten from folks over at UNC; those that took it didn't seem to have a substantial advantage over those that did not. Chemistry's not my worst subject, but having had a year away from it by the time I get to pharmacy school shall probably make things interesting. That said, I'm still deciding about what I want to do...but it looks like it will be intro psych 😎

 

[b*rizzle]

*bumpage*

Also, on an unrelated topic: I have to work 2 jobs the summer after I graduate (so I can afford pharm school!!). Has anyone heard of a hospital hiring a tech on a temporary per-diem basis, or is it better to just find another retail job or something? Maybe go thru a temp agency?

Suggestions?

 

[CuRy]

... I have no probs taking it for credit. My main curiosity was if it really is useful to take biochem as an undergrad. If the consensus is yes, then I will take it. If no, then I'll stick to intro psych. I would audit the class, but then I'd be short 1 credit hour for graduation! No senior underloading for me 😳

Biochem I is a course of the chemical properties and biological functions concepts of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. You have learned some in the Organic Chemistry. The same with Immunology, you have covered some in the Microbiology. Therefore, you don't need to take Biochem I and Immunology unless your pharmacy require them because it won't cover them again in its program.

It seems to me that you try to graduate (finish college) more than to educate you to think independently. I have read your posts, so I know that you are good in academics. As a Chemical Engineer, I suggest you to consider taking the following two (introductorylevel) courses for your remaining 4 credit hours: (UNC catalog)

Chemistry 130 (also listed as Biology 130) (3) Introduction to Biological Chemistry. The study of cellular processes including catalysts, metabolism, bioenergetics, and biochemical genetics. The structure and function of biological macromolecules involved in these processes will be emphasized .

Chemistry 133 (1) Transport in Biological systems. Diffusion, sedimentation, electrophoresis, flow. Basic principles, theoretical methods, experimental techniques, role in biological function, current topics.

These two courses will give you engineering thoughts on Biology other than those courses that you plan to take (Cancer Biology and Population Biology).

About the Introductory Psychology, you could self-study and take the CLEP for credit!

 

[elmoz]

My school lets us test out of biochem if you made at least a B when you took it in undergrad. Don't know if your school offers the same, but it could be a reason to go for it. Even if they don't, it'll be less study time once you're in if you've already seen the material once.

 

[b*rizzle]

Biochem I is a course of the chemical properties and biological functions concepts of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. You have learned some in the Organic Chemistry. The same with Immunology, you have covered some in the Microbiology. Therefore, you don't need to take Biochem I and Immunology unless your pharmacy require them because it won't cover them again in its program.

It seems to me that you try to graduate (finish college) more than to educate you to think independently. I have read your posts, so I know that you are good in academics. As a Chemical Engineer, I suggest you to consider taking the following two (introductorylevel) courses for your remaining 4 credit hours: (UNC catalog)

Chemistry 130 (also listed as Biology 130) (3) Introduction to Biological Chemistry. The study of cellular processes including catalysts, metabolism, bioenergetics, and biochemical genetics. The structure and function of biological macromolecules involved in these processes will be emphasized .

Chemistry 133 (1) Transport in Biological systems. Diffusion, sedimentation, electrophoresis, flow. Basic principles, theoretical methods, experimental techniques, role in biological function, current topics.

These two courses will give you engineering thoughts on Biology other than those courses that you plan to take (Cancer Biology and Population Biology).

About the Introductory Psychology, you could self-study and take the CLEP for credit!

I appreciate your input. I understand that you're trying to help, but I don't agree with the statement that I'm only taking classes to graduate rather than to educate myself. Yes, I am graduating early, but I have taken some difficult courses for nothing other than my own interest, not to meet a graduation requirement (i.e. inorganic chemistry, immunology). To be honest with you, I'd much prefer to take biochemistry because intro psych is not a particularly appealing class to me. The point is that it would have been a nice, easy class in an already difficult semester. I've worked very hard for the last ~2.5 years, I just thought I'd try to cut myself a little slack before I get to pharmacy school.

I'm also limited by what kinds of classes I can take because I'm finishing one of the prerequisite courses to some of the upper-level classes this fall.

Also, biochemistry is usually offered at conflicting times in the spring with classes that I must have to finish up.

Transport in bio systems in not offered in the spring. I don't have room for it in the fall.