Take physics or ochem first?

[TheMagician17]

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Hi all,

I'm going to be a sophomore this fall and will have completed my year of bio and chem. All that's left is a year of physics and ochem.

For my major, i have to take biochem, which ochem is a prerequisite for. Anyone think its helpful to take biochem prior to mcat or should i not worry about that? If it is, then it's probably convenient for me to take ochem first so i can take physics and biochem my jr year. Otherwise, i think i ll take the other route, that is, take physics soph yr, ochem junior yr, and biochem senior yr (after mcat).

 

[Lil Mick]

Could you take physics and ochem? Biochemistry was part of the MCAT that I took (probably varies by exam), but it was material covered in other biology courses/chemistry courses.

 

[TheMagician17]

i guess i could but i recently transferred to a new university so i sorta wanted to take my courseload easy this year. but it's definitely doable in my opinion. do you strongly recommend just doing both at same time?

 

[DAPI]

Taking the both at the same time is quite difficult. I would actually recommend taking orgo first and then physics, not to have biochem for the MCAT, but so physics is fresh in your mind. Orgo is lightly tested on the MCAT and IMO is easier to review for vs physics which is tested very heavily on the MCAT and having just taken it, would be easier to review for.

 

[Suncrusher]

Orgo is lightly tested on the MCAT and IMO is easier to review for

Disagree about orgo being tested lightly. But my humble recommendation is mostly the same: orgo first, then 1 year physics at the same time as 1 sem genetics and 1 sem biochem. Definitely agree about orgo being easier to review for; it's so conceptual compared to physics, for which one needs to memorize a lot of formulas, and it worked well for me to have those physics formulas fresh in my head.

 

[TheMagician17]

Excellent advice! I just reviewed my schedule and it's more convenient in terms of graduation purposes anyway so i'll take orgo first. Thanks everyone 🙂

 

[TribalSeeds]

i would probably take Ochem closer to the date you are actually taking the mcat so its fresher.

 

[ucsfstudents]

In general, it doesn't matter which one you take first. But if you've completed general chemistry, I would recommend taking Ochem first so that you don't go a semester without a chemistry class. Physics can be taken anytime, so I would recommend taking it after Ochem. Taking them both at the same time is common practice, but you are smart in not wanting to take too many classes at once.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Could you take physics and ochem? Biochemistry was part of the MCAT that I took (probably varies by exam), but it was material covered in other biology courses/chemistry courses.

I agree with this. Take both so that you can take the MCAT soon after this year. Just choose easy courses to round out your schedule. Throw a theatre appreciation, PE credit, and microeconomics or something so that you can concentrate on only 2 subjects.