Taking Survey of Ochem vs. Ochem I-II

[Fly Racing]

I'm deciding this week (and can change later so long as the classes don't overfill, which survey will quickly) whether to take the survey Ochem or the full year. Originally I was planning a full year, but I was talking with a biochem prof who said the survey students do significantly better in her biochem course than the full year students. She feels the full year course here is disorganized and (and not directly said) poorly taught. So, feeling that I really want to get something out of both ochem and biochem, I am considering doing the survey sequence (ochem in the fall, biochem in the spring).

I am posting because I want to be sure I'm not missing anything important that I should be considering when making my choice. About half of the vet schools do require a full year. I went through and made a list of all. The only school I was planning to apply to that requires the full year is OkSU. My top choice (Western, by a mile) doesn't require it, nor my next 3 choices.

That said, while it is not requires does anybody know of the survey courses are looked at as the "easy way out"? That's definitely not what I'm trying to do and I have good science stats to back that up.

Any thoughts or advice?

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[mooshagen]

What is a survey course?

 

[Emiloo4]

What is a survey course?

A less intense Orgo course that combines 1 and 2 together and doesn't get as in depth.

I would personally take I and II since you are being compared in your application to a lot of people who have as well. But if the individual schools you are looking at don't require it, than I wouldn't worry I guess. Personally, I would take both to make sure I look as strong as possible on an app. I'm actually surprised any vet schools allow a survey course 😕

 

[mooshagen]

I would make sure the schools I applied to allow a survey course. Whenever I read that some only require 1 semester, I took that as you can stop at Organic Chem I, not necessarily a course like this. But if they do let you take a survey course and don't look down upon it, I would do that! Especially if you learn more 🙂 Just make sure you know for sure which schools you want to apply to. O Chem is not a fun subject to have to take more of later on.

 

[Fly Racing]

Just to clarify, Survey goes farther than Ochem I, but but not as indepth as a full year. It's an OChem course "that meets the prerequisites of biochemistry" (as is required by most schools that accept one semester per the vmcas prerequisites download page) which Ochem I alone will not.

 

[SnowyRox]

Is there only a single prof who teaches OChem 1&2?

OChem is really important for actually understanding Biochemistry. There was significant overlap between OChem II and the first few weeks of Biochem. I would be hesitant to take a survey course only b/c it won't give you the full understanding of OChem.

Definitely contact each school and ask specifically about whether this particular course & description counts.

 

[Fly Racing]

Is there only a single prof who teaches OChem?

Definitely contact each school and ask specifically about whether this particular course & description counts.

Yes, sadly! I've been told the survey course is even more intense than just taking Ochem I. Maybe that's not normal??

 

[ky261682]

I took a one semester organic chem course that acted as a fast track to biochem. It was more intense and more work than O Chem 1 but less work and less intense than full year. I only needed 1 semester of O Chem for the schools I applied to.

Best bet is to call the schools and ask to make sure. FWIW I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage in my biochem class, where most of the class has taken full year O Chem.

 

[jradjsb]

First I would contact the schools that you are interested in directly not just the VMCAS. I took biochem after OC 1 but before OC 2 and got an A. There was a lot of overlap from OC 1 but I dont remember seeing much from OC 2. There were a lot of people in my biochem class that hadn't even taken OC 1 yet or had failed it and passed biochem. My advice is don't worry as much about preparing for a certain class as much as I would be sure that you meet the requirements set by the vet schools.