Taking Orgo, Gen Bio and Gen Chem all at once...

[BigBoyOrtho]

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what is everyones thoughts on this?

I almost HAVE to take these 3 classes all together now if i want to take the mcat soon...

can it be done? how well can i do?

im done with physics...

 

[Stroganoff]

I assume you have a good working knowledge of gen chem but are just taking it for credit since you never got around to it or classes didn't transfer?

Never had gen bio so I have no idea... but it looks like it only covers the basic stuff that one can learn in upper-level bio courses (which are more interesting), so it's not really worth taking imho.

You can do it, but you know yourself best. Study your ass off and see how you're doing after Exam 1.

 

[biohzd79]

what is everyones thoughts on this?

I almost HAVE to take these 3 classes all together now if i want to take the mcat soon...

can it be done? how well can i do?

im done with physics...

My university is on a fast paced 10wk. quarter system. Last term I took:
Cell Bio Lec. B
Cell Bio Lab A
Orgo II Lec B
Orgo I Lab A
Public Speaking A
Physics II w/Lab A
Total 20 credits. + Over 20hr/wk. Cancer research.

Next term is even worse:
Orgo III Lec.
Human Phys. I Lec.
Human Phys. I Lab.
Tech. Comm.
Immuniology
Dev. Bio Lec.
Dev. Bio Lab.
Total 20 Credits. I need to get all A's this coming up term so it will pull up my GPA. I failed a course freshman year, and got a 2 C's and a D, so I am in major GPA repair mode.

 

[PEN15]

what is everyones thoughts on this?

I almost HAVE to take these 3 classes all together now if i want to take the mcat soon...

can it be done? how well can i do?

im done with physics...

anything with the word "gen" in front of it should be easier because those courses are often introductory courses. you should be more than fine. go for it. I have to warn you though, orgo can turn into a b---- fast.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

My university is on a fast paced 10wk. quarter system. Last term I took:
Cell Bio Lec. B
Cell Bio Lab A
Orgo II Lec B
Orgo I Lab A
Public Speaking A
Physics II w/Lab A
Total 20 credits. + Over 20hr/wk. Cancer research.

Next term is even worse:
Orgo III Lec.
Human Phys. I Lec.
Human Phys. I Lab.
Tech. Comm.
Immuniology
Dev. Bio Lec.
Dev. Bio Lab.
Total 20 Credits. I need to get all A's this coming up term so it will pull up my GPA. I failed a course freshman year, and got a 2 C's and a D, so I am in major GPA repair mode.

And this is relevant because...?

 

[Orthonut]

what is everyones thoughts on this?

I almost HAVE to take these 3 classes all together now if i want to take the mcat soon...

can it be done? how well can i do?

im done with physics...

Why in God's name would you do that to yourself? The only thing worse would be to toss physics in there too and add a little A&P and nutrition for kicks. Ick!

I wouldn't do it unless you have a rock solid GPA and are absolutely sure you can handle it. Just being able to take the MCAT sooner....I don't know if that's a good reason-you'll have to weigh that against what the possible side effects on your GPA would be if you didn't do as well as you could have had you taken the classes all separate.

Wait, I take that back. I was assuming that you had some sort of outside commitments in addition to one or two extracurricular "make my CV look good" type things-like a job, family, etc. If you don't have to worry about work or your wife/husband then you might be able to devote that time instead to studying.

Have you penned this all out on paper to see how it looks as far as schedule/study time?

 

[foofish]

Why in God's name would you do that to yourself? The only thing worse would be to toss physics in there too and add a little A&P and nutrition for kicks. Ick!

And maybe calculus for kicks...

I wouldn't do it unless you have a rock solid GPA and are absolutely sure you can handle it. Just being able to take the MCAT sooner....I don't know if that's a good reason-you'll have to weigh that against what the possible side effects on your GPA would be if you didn't do as well as you could have had you taken the classes all separate.

I agree....speeding through the prereqs and damaging your gpa is not going to do you any favors. I know on SDN an extra year is often seen as the end of the world, but it's really not. To the OP, only you know yourself and your abilities, so only you can really answer the question. Yes, it can be done, but whether it's worth it, or can be done well, depends on you.

 

[xanthomondo]

how can you take gen chem and orgo at the same time, isnt gen chem a prereq?

 

[sle3pyguii]

how can you take gen chem and orgo at the same time, isnt gen chem a prereq?

I think you can take Orgo once you finish 1 semester of Gen Chem.

So i'm guessing the Gen Chem the OP is talking about is Gen Chem II

 

[paranoid_eyes]

if you can AT ALL avoid taking gen bio and orgo at the same time, then avoid it. gen chem isn't too bad, but again it depends on ur university/professor. I don't think it would be impossible (as long as you don't have labs), but it wouldn't be the smartest thing to do.

 

[TamarMD]

I don't think you should kill yourself with that many courses. Also I don't know if its doable not only because of the amount of science but also cause of pre-reqs. Some schools don't allow you to tackle orgo unless you've already completed gen chem.

 

[Heyheyhey123]

im kinda in the same situation, so i understand. the way I look at it is that medical school is going to be like taking 20+ hours of classes as tough as organic chemistry at the same time. so, it's good practice i think.

plus, word on the street is they want to see heavy loads, with harder classes to show you can do it

 

[MedStudentWanna]

im kinda in the same situation, so i understand. the way I look at it is that medical school is going to be like taking 20+ hours of classes as tough as organic chemistry at the same time. so, it's good practice i think.

plus, word on the street is they want to see heavy loads, with harder classes to show you can do it

And if you do it with all C's, you're screwed because you just proved you can't really do it. Why risk it? Take two sciences at a time and take other Gen Ed or major courses to fill up your credit hours unless you're willing to put in 100% and ensure you get mostly A's.

 

[BigRedPremed]

The answer to the question depends on you and your own personal disposition. Some people can handle 3 tough prereqs at the same time but it would not be ideal and will probably result in lower grades for most students.

 

[primadonna22274]

gosh, sounds like my last 2 yr of undergrad...I had no less than 3 bio or chem classes any semester, and always 2 with lab (sometimes 3). That was, um, not ideal. I switched majors from English/Music Performance to Biology/premed my junior year of college and had to make up for a lack of sciences prior to that. My first semester I had Gen Bio for majors, Genetics, Orgo, and Gen Chem (gee, that was 3 labs). That wasn't nearly as bad as the next semester with Cell Bio (hard!), more Gen Bio, more Gen Chem, more Orgo (um, again, 3 labs). I don't recommend it but I finished a bio major in 2 years. I also overlapped a month of finishing my B.S. and starting PA school with a 1-hour drive in between. Also don't recommend it.
Good luck though....

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

what is everyones thoughts on this?

I almost HAVE to take these 3 classes all together now if i want to take the mcat soon...

can it be done? how well can i do?

im done with physics...

How did you get into Orgo without having taken Gen Chem first?

 

[Heyheyhey123]

And if you do it with all C's, you're screwed because you just proved you can't really do it. Why risk it? Take two sciences at a time and take other Gen Ed or major courses to fill up your credit hours unless you're willing to put in 100% and ensure you get mostly A's.

Well, I don't want to judge other peoples situations...but...it seems to me if you can't get through taking gen.bio gen.chem and o chem. at the same time with more than ALL Cs (not necessarily all As), then maybe med school should be a reconsideration..

And you said "unless you are willing to put in 100%"...well, I really hope everyone who is trying to get in IS putting in 100%. And if 100% is getting all C's...At least for me, if I was getting all Cs then that would send up a red flag. I would be asking myself if I am cut out for the med school curriculum.

Good luck to you anyway OP

 

[MedStudentWanna]

How did you get into Orgo without having taken Gen Chem first?

In many schools, Gen Chem I is a prerequisite to Orgo and Gen Chem II is a COrequisite to Orgo, so people take Gen Chem I, then the next semester, they take Gen Chem II and Orgo at the same time.

I don't know about the poster who says he took Orgo without even the first semester of Gen Chem I. I think it's nearly impossible to understand day one of Orgo if you don't have a Chem I foundation.

Well, I don't want to judge other peoples situations...but...it seems to me if you can't get through taking gen.bio gen.chem and o chem. at the same time with more than ALL Cs (not necessarily all As), then maybe med school should be a reconsideration..

And you said "unless you are willing to put in 100%"...well, I really hope everyone who is trying to get in IS putting in 100%. And if 100% is getting all C's...At least for me, if I was getting all Cs then that would send up a red flag. I would be asking myself if I am cut out for the med school curriculum.

You can't really say that though because undergrad is a totally different ballgame. In undergrad, you could have about a thousand other things going on. For instance, say you work 30 hours a week and are taking 18-21 credits, plus studying for the MCAT. Many people couldn't make all A's or even mostly A's when tackling that schedule with three science classes and labs. In med school, that's your only commitment (besides family). You wake up, you study for med school, you take a break, you study for med school, you grab lunch, you study for med school. There is no working, no MCAT review classes, no dorm parties keeping you up late, etc.

Plus, there's no weed out curriculum in med school. Many med schools are on the pass/fail system, which means you compete against yourself, whereas many undergrad institutions treat med school prerequisites as weed out classes and grade on a peer curve. It really sucks when you have an 86% in your biochem class and end up with a C.

 

[Tropic Risk]

1. what is everyones thoughts on this?

I almost HAVE to take these 3 classes all together now if i want to take the mcat soon...

2. can it be done?
3. how well can i do?

im done with physics...

1. My thoughts are...If you had entered college with the intention of applying to medical school, you should have planned this a bit better and spaced them out. Not that gen bio or gen chem are difficult, but really because with orgo combined, you'll be at a greater risk of making worse grades in those classes, which are important because they are prerequisites.

2. Yes it can be done.
3. The scale is A through F. So A is the best you can do. Seriously, I took orgo, and multiple advanced science classes together and got A's (and know others who did that), so it can be done, but you may have to manage your time well.