Should I take Orgo 2?

BU Medical Sciences
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RLeenm

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I'm currently taking Orgo 1 and it doesn't seem that bad, but then again we are only on the second chapter...

Anyways I know that many medical schools accept Orgo 1 and Biochem instead of Orgo 1&2 + Biochem. It would be wayyy easier for me to take 1 semester of Orgo and another semester of Biochem, but I've heard that Orgo 2 is needed for Biochem and the MCAT.

If I do take Orgo 2 I'll have to take Physics and Biochem + some other classes while studying for the MCAT next year. It's not bad, but it will be time consuming.

So has anyone taken 1 semester of Orgo and still done well in Biochem and the MCAT?

Thanks in advance!
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I believe Orgo II is no longer required for the MCAT and whether it's required for Biochem will depend on your school. Orgo II is where you really get introduced to reaction mechanisms though, which can be really helpful for understanding biochem. You could always go through biochem strictly by memorizing a lot of material, but I find that understanding the material leads to easier internalization than rote memorization.
 
Maybe go through the organic section of an MCAT study book (Kaplan, Princeton Review, etc.) after you finish Organic I and see what you think of the material. If you can read through it relatively easily and it seems to all come back to you, maybe don't take organic II. If you're on the fence though I'd go ahead and take it, teaching yourself organic wouldn't be fun.
 
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The utility of O chem II for the MCAT is pretty limited, since the MCAT doesn't really require a mechanistic understanding of biochem. The same may or may not be true of your biochem course depending on how much the class focusses on mechanisms.

That said, unless you know that all of the schools you want to apply to allow the biochem substitution, I'd just take O chem II. When it comes time to apply, I'd just hate to have to leave otherwise good fits off of my school list for lack of one prerequ.
 
Do it as some schools still require it for admissions
 
RLeenm said:
I'm currently taking Orgo 1 and it doesn't seem that bad, but then again we are only on the second chapter...

Anyways I know that many medical schools accept Orgo 1 and Biochem instead of Orgo 1&2 + Biochem. It would be wayyy easier for me to take 1 semester of Orgo and another semester of Biochem, but I've heard that Orgo 2 is needed for Biochem and the MCAT.

If I do take Orgo 2 I'll have to take Physics and Biochem + some other classes while studying for the MCAT next year. It's not bad, but it will be time consuming.

So has anyone taken 1 semester of Orgo and still done well in Biochem and the MCAT?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I loved Orgo 2 so I'm biased.. but the above poster is right. Some schools still require it and you'll want to have all doors open to you when applying. Would be a huge pain to go through every school and eliminate the ones still looking for orgo 2.
 
Can anyone recommend a good textbook for Organic Chemistry II and/or II lab? Also, is it pretty much an extension of Orgo. I but looking more into depth? Looks like I will need at least the Orgo. II lab for admissions purposes.
 
Check the schools to which you will apply first.

I believe that some schools don't require both organic chemistries.

However, I believe a majority of them do (at least in my state, anyways).
 
Take it! I applied to 40 schools and like 80% of them wanted both semesters. Also, you'll probably need biochemistry too
 
RLeenm said:
I'm currently taking Orgo 1 and it doesn't seem that bad, but then again we are only on the second chapter...

Anyways I know that many medical schools accept Orgo 1 and Biochem instead of Orgo 1&2 + Biochem. It would be wayyy easier for me to take 1 semester of Orgo and another semester of Biochem, but I've heard that Orgo 2 is needed for Biochem and the MCAT.

If I do take Orgo 2 I'll have to take Physics and Biochem + some other classes while studying for the MCAT next year. It's not bad, but it will be time consuming.

So has anyone taken 1 semester of Orgo and still done well in Biochem and the MCAT?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

It depends somewhat on where your orgo 1 ends... For me, my orgo 1 course didnt really cover HNMR, or oxidation/reduction reagents. These are def still MCAT topics and, sure enough, I saw both on my MCAT. So where your orgo 1 ends should really be the determining factor in this.
 
I agree with Isoval. Check the schools you want to go to first. While certainly a large portion of medical schools (MD at least) have moved away from the strict orgo II requirement a fair number of schools still do require it (Emory, UNC-Chapel Hill, Mayo, etc.) I would say if you're still a full-time student why not take the class? Why limit your options? I regret not being able to apply to certain schools because of their second semester orgo requirement.

All that said I didn't take orgo II and was totally fine. Taking biochemistry immediately before beginning to study for the MCAT was of great help for me. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
 
JFC.

Looking for short cuts to even get in.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
He's looking to replace a course with a potentially more useful course. How is that a shortcut?
Click to expand...

Your only job right now is to get in. Stop thinking about pre-med as somehow preparing you for medical school. Organic 2 is on the MCAT. Medical schools really like that pesky little test. Taking a class to prepare you for it is a time honored tradition and by many medical schools still required.

When your MCAT is a few points lower than you like, and you weren't 100% sure on some of those organic questions--class probably would have been nice.
 
jm192 said:
Your only job right now is to get in. Stop thinking about pre-med as somehow preparing you for medical school. Organic 2 is on the MCAT. Medical schools really like that pesky little test. Taking a class to prepare you for it is a time honored tradition and by many medical schools still required.

When your MCAT is a few points lower than you like, and you weren't 100% sure on some of those organic questions--class probably would have been nice.
Click to expand...

I think you have me confused with the OP.

Edit: Also, at many schools, the orgo on the MCAT is completely covered by orgo 1.
 
I mean you'll need to know the nucleophilic acyl substitutions like hydrolysis, esterification, and amination at least..

EDIT: Acetal stuff is important for bchem too, right? I'm also biased bc I liked orgo 2, just sayin
 
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