UC Berkeley Chemistry Sequence

[throwaway102030]

From UCB Website:

"UC Berkeley has a unique chemistry sequence. The Chem 1A/1AL, 3A/3AL, 3B/3BL, MCB 102 (or MCB 100A/Chem C130 or Chem 135 or BioE 103*) sequence has been in place since 1991 and is what most students complete at UC Berkeley, and this sequence is accepted by the vast majority of medical schools.

Even though this chemistry sequence doesn’t fit neatly into the classification of 2 semesters of inorganic chemistry + lab and 2 semesters of organic chemistry + lab, most medical schools accept the sequence anyway. They understand our sequence is unique and most schools feel that this chemistry sequence adequately teaches concepts you will need to be successful in medical school."

That term "vast majority" gives me reassurance, but still I'd like to confirm. Has anyone heard of an MD or DO school not accepting Berkeley's chem sequence or been actually notified they couldn't enroll due to not having 1 year inorganic chem? I'd like to be aware when making my school lists, of which school (if any) might have an issue with this.

Edit: forgot to mention. Chem 1A is Gen Chem, Chem 3A/3B are Ochem I/II, and MCB 102 is Biochemistry. So they basically replace the second semester of gen chem with Biochem.

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[OchemOficionado]

Even with the sequence, you can still add the second semester of Gen Chem as an elective (I believe that’s the class that’s skipped and replaced by Biochem?)

 

[throwaway102030]

Ah yes forgot to mention! Chem 1A is gen chem, Chem 3A and 3B are ochem I and II respectively and MCB 102 is Biochemistry. What do you mean by adding gen chem as an elective?

 

[OchemOficionado]

Just that if you don’t feel comfortable skipping gen chem 2 you can still fit it into your schedule. Your school still offers it, whether most pre meds take it or not.

 

[907914]

From UCB Website:

"UC Berkeley has a unique chemistry sequence. The Chem 1A/1AL, 3A/3AL, 3B/3BL, MCB 102 (or MCB 100A/Chem C130 or Chem 135 or BioE 103*) sequence has been in place since 1991 and is what most students complete at UC Berkeley, and this sequence is accepted by the vast majority of medical schools.

Even though this chemistry sequence doesn’t fit neatly into the classification of 2 semesters of inorganic chemistry + lab and 2 semesters of organic chemistry + lab, most medical schools accept the sequence anyway. They understand our sequence is unique and most schools feel that this chemistry sequence adequately teaches concepts you will need to be successful in medical school."

That term "vast majority" gives me reassurance, but still I'd like to confirm. Has anyone heard of an MD or DO school not accepting Berkeley's chem sequence or been actually notified they couldn't enroll due to not having 1 year inorganic chem? I'd like to be aware when making my school lists, of which school (if any) might have an issue with this.

Edit: forgot to mention. Chem 1A is Gen Chem, Chem 3A/3B are Ochem I/II, and MCB 102 is Biochemistry. So they basically replace the second semester of gen chem with Biochem.

Most medical schools don’t necessarily care if it is a general chemistry series. They want a year of inorganic chemistry. Were I you, I would take an upper division (3 or 400 level class) inorganic chemistry class such as quantitative analysis or something like that.

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

From UCB Website:

"UC Berkeley has a unique chemistry sequence. The Chem 1A/1AL, 3A/3AL, 3B/3BL, MCB 102 (or MCB 100A/Chem C130 or Chem 135 or BioE 103*) sequence has been in place since 1991 and is what most students complete at UC Berkeley, and this sequence is accepted by the vast majority of medical schools.

Even though this chemistry sequence doesn’t fit neatly into the classification of 2 semesters of inorganic chemistry + lab and 2 semesters of organic chemistry + lab, most medical schools accept the sequence anyway. They understand our sequence is unique and most schools feel that this chemistry sequence adequately teaches concepts you will need to be successful in medical school."

That term "vast majority" gives me reassurance, but still I'd like to confirm. Has anyone heard of an MD or DO school not accepting Berkeley's chem sequence or been actually notified they couldn't enroll due to not having 1 year inorganic chem? I'd like to be aware when making my school lists, of which school (if any) might have an issue with this.

Edit: forgot to mention. Chem 1A is Gen Chem, Chem 3A/3B are Ochem I/II, and MCB 102 is Biochemistry. So they basically replace the second semester of gen chem with Biochem.

I want to bring up an important point regarding condensed course sequences such as at Cal. Some topics are not taught in the courses, but you are responsible for them. One example (at another UC school) is colligative properties which is not taught, but is on the MCAT and you need to know about it. Another is nuclear chemistry.

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

Most medical schools don’t necessarily care if it is a general chemistry series. They want a year of inorganic chemistry. Were I you, I would take an upper division (3 or 400 level class) inorganic chemistry class such as quantitative analysis or something like that.

If you take Advanced Inorganic Chemistry at Cal, you will have to compete with chem majors and chemE majors (they are tough competition even for someone like myself). If you can, take Inorganic Synthesis Lab--it is much more enjoyable than the lecture class.

 

[labscience]

Does UCB send committee letters to med schools? My school does a similarly abnormal chemistry sequence and they send a paper explaining why it satisfies med school requirements as part of the committee letter-- maybe they do something similar?

 

[deleted804295]

Does UCB send committee letters to med schools? My school does a similarly abnormal chemistry sequence and they send a paper explaining why it satisfies med school requirements as part of the committee letter-- maybe they do something similar?

My school also has a similar sequence and they expect us to contact medical schools on our own.

Most medical schools don’t necessarily care if it is a general chemistry series. They want a year of inorganic chemistry. Were I you, I would take an upper division (3 or 400 level class) inorganic chemistry class such as quantitative analysis or something like that.

Where are you getting this information from? This isn't a unique situation of weird chemistry sequences and even if it were the case- UCB being the top public school in the nation would have more students speak out on this issue. There are schools from the West Coast in California to the East Coast in New York implementing these accelerated 3 semester chemistry sequences.

Being a student from one of these schools I would like specific examples and specific medical schools that state we must take an extra semester of upper division chemistry courses rather than hearing a catch all that "medical schools don't care". Medical schools do care. My University's medical school along with other medical schools in the nation specifically state they accept these sequences.

If you have specific examples of schools that do not accept these sequences then I and many others in this situation would like to hear.

 

[907914]

My school also has a similar sequence and they expect us to contact medical schools on our own.


Where are you getting this information from? This isn't a unique situation of weird chemistry sequences and even if it were the case- UCB being the top public school in the nation would have more students speak out on this issue. There are schools from the West Coast in California to the East Coast in New York implementing these accelerated 3 semester chemistry sequences.

Being a student from one of these schools I would like specific examples and specific medical schools that state we must take an extra semester of upper division chemistry courses rather than hearing a catch all that "medical schools don't care". Medical schools do care. My University's medical school along with other medical schools in the nation specifically state they accept these sequences.

If you have specific examples of schools that do not accept these sequences then I and many others in this situation would like to hear.

January me had only been active on SDN for 2 months and he knows not what he speaks. April me has 3 more months of SDN wisdom and understands January me was wrong. Carry on.

 

[momentaryaffliction]

From UCB Website:

"UC Berkeley has a unique chemistry sequence. The Chem 1A/1AL, 3A/3AL, 3B/3BL, MCB 102 (or MCB 100A/Chem C130 or Chem 135 or BioE 103*) sequence has been in place since 1991 and is what most students complete at UC Berkeley, and this sequence is accepted by the vast majority of medical schools.

Even though this chemistry sequence doesn’t fit neatly into the classification of 2 semesters of inorganic chemistry + lab and 2 semesters of organic chemistry + lab, most medical schools accept the sequence anyway. They understand our sequence is unique and most schools feel that this chemistry sequence adequately teaches concepts you will need to be successful in medical school."

That term "vast majority" gives me reassurance, but still I'd like to confirm. Has anyone heard of an MD or DO school not accepting Berkeley's chem sequence or been actually notified they couldn't enroll due to not having 1 year inorganic chem? I'd like to be aware when making my school lists, of which school (if any) might have an issue with this.

Edit: forgot to mention. Chem 1A is Gen Chem, Chem 3A/3B are Ochem I/II, and MCB 102 is Biochemistry. So they basically replace the second semester of gen chem with Biochem.

Go Bears!!

In my experience with applying to schools (2 cycles), I would recommend taking your classes in the following sequence, if possible:
- 1A/L
- 3A/L
- 3B/L
- MCB 102
- 1B/L

If you don't want to be restricted in any way during your application cycle, I would recommend taking all of the above. If you had to omit one of them, I would omit 1B/L. Personally, I omitted MCB102 - and if I could do it again I would have taken it. Biochem is becoming required at more & more schools. PM me if you have more questions.

 

[Strawberryfilling]

It really is fine for the vast majority of schools, I didn't have any trouble with my almost 40 schools. I think I heard from someone once that they had one school on their list that wouldnt accept the sequence, but most schools require these classes to be completed by matriculation, so if you apply to a school where the sequence won't work you could always take the class in the spring/summer before you start med school (even at a CC if you will have graduated by then).

 

[ruby600]

I was denied from a medical school specifically because of Berkeley's chemistry series. Berkeley contacted the medical school to no avail. I can no longer find Berkeley's webpage dedicated to explaining their unique chemistry series following this occurrence. The website link used to be https://career.berkeley.edu/Medical/PrepChem.

 

[poppyseedsyum]

I was denied from a medical school specifically because of Berkeley's chemistry series. Berkeley contacted the medical school to no avail. I find it interesting that Berkeley also removed the webpage dedicated to explaining their unique chemistry series following this occurrence. The website link used to be https://career.berkeley.edu/Medical/PrepChem.

Ahh fr?! Can I ask the school name? For me, I followed the site and put Chem 1A & 3A for the gen chem requirement. Then for O-Chem, I put Chem 3B and MCB 100A. So far it hasn't been denied, but now not so sure.

 

[deleted1136042]

I was denied from a medical school specifically because of Berkeley's chemistry series. Berkeley contacted the medical school to no avail. I find it interesting that Berkeley also removed the webpage dedicated to explaining their unique chemistry series following this occurrence. The website link used to be https://career.berkeley.edu/Medical/PrepChem.

Agreed with the previous poster in naming the institution. Berkeley sends a great number to top research medical programs, so it may be a clerical error or it's an UR school that doesn't receive Berkeley apps

 

[poppyseedsyum]

^^ to add on, this link has the info about chem sequence: Medical School Prerequisites - Career Center (berkeley.edu)

 

[ruby600]

^^ to add on, this link has the info about chem sequence: Medical School Prerequisites - Career Center (berkeley.edu)

Thank you for providing this resource!