who knows biochem

[dWiz]

For those who have taken biochemistry, how different is it from organic?

Is it easier/ harder? What do u have to do (like studying for O.chem means memorizing a lot of rxns) Is this also more memorization?

I found all my classes easy (Physics, Gen. Chem), biology classes were also ok, but O.chem is the only class i've had any difficulty in. So if i'm not so good in O.chem, does that mean i'm going to have a lot of difficulty in biochem?

Also, the biochem class is an introductory one ( a pre-requisite to the general biochemistry class), but its pre-req is O.chem. Any input would be much appreciated.

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[niceteeth]

For those who have taken biochemistry, how different is it from organic?

Is it easier/ harder? What do u have to do (like studying for O.chem means memorizing a lot of rxns) Is this also more memorization?

I found all my classes easy (Physics, Gen. Chem), biology classes were also ok, but O.chem is the only class i've had any difficulty in. So if i'm not so good in O.chem, does that mean i'm going to have a lot of difficulty in biochem?

Also, the biochem class is an introductory one ( a pre-requisite to the general biochemistry class), but its pre-req is O.chem. Any input would be much appreciated.

I've taken both and, from my experience, Ochem was a lot more enjoyable to learn once you get the hang of things. I remembered synthesis being a lot of fun. Biochem, on the other hand, was a bit more challenging. All the details in different pathways can get confusing and yes, you do have to memorize more than you will ever have to for Ochem. Of my 4 years in undergrad, Biochem and human anatomy were the two courses where I had to spend a great deal of time studying and trying to memorize every single detail. Good luck.

 

[NCdds]

Some of this depends on where you take it and with what teacher, but from my experience, I thought biochem was easier and more enjoyable than organic. I had to work really hard in the second semester of organic when I took it, but then I did awesome in biochem and enjoyed it so much that I've been a TA for the past few semesters. Biochem does require organic as a prereq, to make sure I was set on organic I reviewed the organic from my DAT book before taking it. Biochem is just a lot of memorization, and isn't too bad if you just put A LOT of time into it. GOOD LUCK!

 

[AUG2UAG]

It's the same poison-
Whereas in organic chemistry you have synthesis reactions:

in biochem you'll have pathways. This pathway, the 'shikimic acid pathway' is for the synthesis of chorismate, an important pre-requisite for the production of aromatic amino acids:

 

[Nendo21]

Some of this depends on where you take it and with what teacher, but from my experience, I thought biochem was easier and more enjoyable than organic. I had to work really hard in the second semester of organic when I took it, but then I did awesome in biochem and enjoyed it so much that I've been a TA for the past few semesters. Biochem does require organic as a prereq, to make sure I was set on organic I reviewed the organic from my DAT book before taking it. Biochem is just a lot of memorization, and isn't too bad if you just put A LOT of time into it. GOOD LUCK!

i thought biochem was a lot more difficult than organic chem...it's easier to memorize organic reactions than whole pathways and all the metabolites and products of biological reactions...not a fun class

 

[tam0026]

For those who have taken biochemistry, how different is it from organic?

Is it easier/ harder? What do u have to do (like studying for O.chem means memorizing a lot of rxns) Is this also more memorization?

biochem is the same if not more memorization than o.chem. However, it applies to biological systems, which to me was more interesting. They're both hard, just depends on which one you can tolerate better i guess!

 

[Irene010]

i thought biochem was a lot more difficult than organic chem...it's easier to memorize organic reactions than whole pathways and all the metabolites and products of biological reactions...not a fun class

I agree...I thought biochem was much more time consuming and tedious than Ochem. The only thing I liked about it was the direct direction/application to biology. Although, I do have to say, I took when I already knew I had been accepted to dental school, so the lack of motivation to study may have made it a litte bit harder...

 

[45540]

I hated biochem in undergrad because it was wrote memorization for pathways and then more like biology in most areas. I prefer more math based chemistry like p-chem or analytical.

However, in Dental school it was taught in a much more practical way and although it still involved memorization it wasn't near as bad.

 

[helix]

I thought Biochem. was more interesting. Organic is just reactions and equations, but Biochem kinda gives a meaning to it. Its like a telling you exactly where it occurs to why it occurs and all that kinda good stuff.

 

[The Godfather]

I'm in my second semester of Biochem now. I find it much more interesting because it relates to biology, and maybe that's why it seems a little easier. There is a lot of memorization, but if you are good at coming up with mnemonics (and if you aren't, practice this useful skill), it's not so bad. And after a while, you'll start to notice trends in the naming of enzymes and products. It also helps if you paid attention in organic, because you will see a lot of the reactions played out again in biological systems (although, they are tend to be the simpler rxns). This will help you predict and figure out if you are predicting the right products, etc. I'll echo what others have said - in d school I've heard the teachers are more interested in the processes than knowing every last hydrogen or water molecule that is associated with a reaction. Oh yeah, you'll probably see buffers and pH stuff again (boo!!!).

 

[Biogirl361]

i think biochem is tougher than orgo; in organic it seems you memorize several concepts and reagents that you can then apply to any problem whereas in biochem there is just a large amount of memorization of enzymes and intermediates (and one enzyme does not always have the same effect on every substrate like reagents do). however it largely depends on your professors and what you're naturally able to get the hang of quickly. I also think orgo and biochem are two completely different subjects and how you do in one has little bearing on the other.

 

[NCdds]

I agree...I thought biochem was much more time consuming and tedious than Ochem. The only thing I liked about it was the direct direction/application to biology. Although, I do have to say, I took when I already knew I had been accepted to dental school, so the lack of motivation to study may have made it a litte bit harder...

Yeah, most people find biochem tougher, I think it was the teachers I had for organic (bad) versus biochem (good), and biochem was just more my thing b/c I like bio more than chem

 

[mccarth2]

Another vote for biochemistry. It's not so much that it's harder, but for me, reading the book was like torture. With O Chem you could see why reactions happened the way they did and could make an educated guess what would happen between reagents based on polarity etc., but with biochem, if you haven't memorized a pathway and modifications that are made to intermediates in that pathway, then you are going to have a lot more difficulty on the tests. But with anything, if you put the effort forth you will suceed, I think this is especially true with biochem. I wouldn't take too many challanging science courses along with the class and with my school it is better to take the lab after the class. Good luck & don't stress yourself out too much.

 

[rocknightmare]

biochemistry has alot more info and will depend on your professor on how much info you need to know..

but the way to study for it is to read the book prior to lecture, listen in lecture (doh), go back home and start memorzing structures that important in a pathway like the begining structure adn the ending structure, then try to figure out how to gets from pt. 1 to pt. 5. finally try visualize whats happening b4 the exam.

 

[bouncy_ball]

biochem for me wasn't so bad, not as challenging as ochem in terms of difficulty of concepts. it's just challenging b/c you need to memorize a lot, but memorizing pathways is easier if you just keep drawing the structures out over and over til it is burned in your brain. having a venti frappuccino while doing it doesn't hurt either. (does anyone else find that frappucino's have a greater caffine punch than mochas and lattes?)

 

[gummylips]

Clearly biochem is a broad topic and your experience will depend greatly on what area of biochem your class will cover.

I took a general biochem class. Yes it was difficult, but I didn't get the sense there was as much memorization as in orgo. In orgo you have to memorize a million reagents and know the specific reactions they make up and know the reaction mechanisms (electron pushing for example). In biochem, you still need to know how the reaction goes, but not in such detail (again this will depend greatly on how your course is structured). My course was more about learning how enzymatic reactions take place. Learning about enzymes and substrates. Observing proteins on a structural level (with computer programming) and analyzing the active site and the various residues. Learning about inhibitory affects.

My course covered properties of protein structure (you'll have to memorize the 20 essential amino acids), enzymes and catalysis and their application to certain metabolic pathways (in my case, we only focussed on glycolysis). I found the course to be more useful since you learn a great deal about how chemistry is applied to biological function... learning about hemoglobin and how it carries oxygen to the tissues, how the body metabolises other compounds etc.

The course material can be extremely interesting. I enjoyed it more than orgo. If you did well in orgo, you shouldn't have a difficult time in biochem.