Taking Organic Chemistry and/or Biochemistry over the summer?

[mbk21]

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Hi all,

I have heard conflicting reports as to whether it is frowned down upon to take hard weed out classes like Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry over the summer as the adcoms might view this as one taking the "easy" way out and not competing during the regular school year. I am on the quarter system and people usually take Organic Chemistry B with Biochemistry and they say it is hell and they can't devote adequate time to both courses. I also have the other option of going into Biochem over the summer with no background in Organic Chemistry, which could be a potential problem. However, I am confused as to what I should do at this point as I don't want to jeopardize my potential application in med school any more than what I have so far.

Thanks in advance! This site has really helped me see my faults as a student and I'm working on them as everyday goes by. I just hope all the hard work on my end pays off.

 

[Bacchus]

Some will say organic is not necessary for biochemistry. I think this is a fallacy. You're going to need to know functional groups and how to electron push (mechanisms). If you are atleast introduced to this in organic biochemistry will be easier. You could teach yourself, but I feel itd be more advantageous to take organic before biochemistry. I think you could get by with one semester of organic and then take biochemistry.

 

[JerryLundegaard]

Hi all,

I have heard conflicting reports as to whether it is frowned down upon to take hard weed out classes like Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry over the summer as the adcoms might view this as one taking the "easy" way out and not competing during the regular school year. I am on the quarter system and people usually take Organic Chemistry B with Biochemistry and they say it is hell and they can't devote adequate time to both courses. I also have the other option of going into Biochem over the summer with no background in Organic Chemistry, which could be a potential problem. However, I am confused as to what I should do at this point as I don't want to jeopardize my potential application in med school any more than what I have so far.

Thanks in advance! This site has really helped me see my faults as a student and I'm working on them as everyday goes by. I just hope all the hard work on my end pays off.

Do you have a good reason to do them over the summer, other than to make them easier? If not then I think you know the answer.

 

[fireflygirl]

I've seen post like this before, and I have to honestly say that it's hard for me to believe that summer classes are easy. At my universities, both UG and Post-Bac, the summer classes, espeically some of the core ones, were freaking hard! A lot of people would think they could do Organic 1 and 2 in the two 6-week summer sessions and they would end up doing poorly or dropping out and finishing Organic 2 during the spring semester. I took a bunch of summer courses, some core, and it never affected me at all. I think doing well is the key.

Also, make sure you have some Organic before Biochem - it really will make things easier! Good luck

 

[mbk21]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses. I know that it will be a lot more crammed and harder to actually learn. However, from what I've heard getting a good grade during the regular year is tough to do since its hard to juggle the second quarter of OChem with Bio Chem, and a lot of people end up doing bad in one subject. Maybe I'm just getting worried but I've already gotten two C's (one in math and Bio) and I can't risk my BCPM any further.

Your right, doing well is the key. I noted that when I took the Math class over the summer and I realized that it was too crammed/too hard over the summer. My thinking that Ochem would be easier over the summer is that some students failed it already hence their taking it again, but that could also mean that the curve for the class will be high. In any even, I hope everything works out.

Thanks again.

 

[Cegar]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/search.php

 

[TheRealMD]

You are slightly confused. It's not taking them over the summer that's the problem. It's taking them over the summer at an institution different from your normal 4-year college WHILE you are still AT that 4-year college. It's not such a good idea then for the reasons you've stated.

Plus, usually at a "normal" university, courses usually get insanely hard due to the compressed schedule. It's not a good idea to take a summer course like ochem or biochem unless you have to.

 

[honker]

Keep in mind that you will need to recall this information for the MCATs. If you buzz through Ochem too quickly, you may find it harder to recall the material for MCAT without doing a lot of remedial work to relearn it.

 

[mbk21]

Thanks for the tips and clarification guys. The more that I think about it, it sounds like it won't do me much good in the long run. I think I will just stick to a writing class and work and volunteer this summer. After this quarter is over, I think I may just need that lol.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

You are slightly confused. It's not taking them over the summer that's the problem. It's taking them over the summer at an institution different from your normal 4-year college WHILE you are still AT that 4-year college. It's not such a good idea then for the reasons you've stated.

Plus, usually at a "normal" university, courses usually get insanely hard due to the compressed schedule. It's not a good idea to take a summer course like ochem or biochem unless you have to.

I thought it was just a bad idea to take them at CCs.