<p>Well first off your GPA isn’t terrible, you could probably get that up at least .2 points by the end of next semester. Secondly, yeah making mistakes is kinda frowned upon. But there are definitely other uses for an M.D, like research. but you can just get your Ph.D. in BME if you wanted to do that, and avoid all the costs associated with medical school, since a Ph.D. is usually funded by the government. Does anyione know whether M.D./Ph.D. programs are funded?</p>
<p>MD/PhD is fully funded (you even get like a 40k stipend every year or something for living costs and stuff).
However, MD/PhD is for people who are interested more in research than being a doctor, since MD only takes 4 years, while MD/PhD can take from 7-9 years. MD/PhDs also tend to make quite a bit less money and interacts with patients less since they spend more time with research in their future careers. If you are just interested in seeing patients or in it for the money (this really shouldn’t be what motivates you btw… if money is your main interest, go do business…), MD/PhD is not for you.</p>
<p>I don’t know, professors usually seem to make pretty good money. Not surgeon money, but they certainly make enough to live very comfortably.</p>
<p>I wonder where premeds from WashU typically end up? Like what med schools do they attend, what percentage go into a M.Dd/Ph.D program/what percentage just go for MD and where they end up working. That would be interesting info to comb through.</p>
<p>When I say a bit less money, it’s like 300k to 150k a year lol. Of course they still live quite comfortably 
Professors I’m not sure, may make like 80-100k a year? They do get a lot of other benefits though.</p>
<p>That they do, being a professor really doesn’t seem like too bad of a life. And depending on the area of concentration, you might either write books or do consulting work to supplement the smaller (but still substantial) salary.</p>
<p>Also a question for you all:</p>
<p>To anyone taking bio 2960 next semester (I’m assuming at least DarkKnight will be), and anyone who has already taken it, which of the 2 igenetics books are you planning on buying/should I get? One has mysearchlab, is that the online thing that was referenced in the email that was sent out?</p>
<p>woah.</p>
<p>WEIRD.</p>
<p>igenetics is typically not bought until 2970. what on earth are they doing to the curriculum???</p>
<p>That is really strange. I had to check to make sure. Last year they used the Sadava/Tymocko custom book only and iClickers. No idea why they’re adding the Bio 2970 book as well. Shamelessly, I’d be willing to sell my old Bio 2960 textbooks + iGenetics + iClicker to someone :P.</p>
<p>here’s what the email I got said: iGenetics, A Molecular Approach, Russell, 3rd edition. They said it will also be used for 2970, but I have a feeling we won’t go in depth on this stuff. Man, I feel like they made a lot of changes to many classes this year, and we happen to be the unfortunate victims…</p>
<p>BME sophomore here. I also got a C in BME 140. It’s irrelevant. The rest of your grades are semirelevant though (ie. how did you end up with a 3.3?). Not terrible, but not great either. It’s one semester. You have lots of time to improve. </p>
<p>On the case of the curriculum, honestly what they are doing is beneficial. During first semester, they have started emphasizing even more the genetic side of bio (ex: we studied cancer for 1/4 the semester). Including iGenetics just improves the first semester/unifies it with the second semester. You guys are only doing like 2 or 3 more chapters first semester than we did. Ease up on the panic. Haven’t taken QP yet, but orgo is crazy hard.</p>
<p>When you say orgo is crazy hard, is it in the same sense that people say Gen Chem is crazy hard, or is it on another level of ridiculousness? Is there anything one do to prepare themselves over the summer?</p>
<p>@NWrnnr5
Having taking Gen Chem I/II and Orgo I, I would say yes, orgo is on another level. I think this is for several reasons. First off, ~350 take organic chemistry vs. the 800 that take general chemistry and it would be safe to assume that the 350 that take orgo are probably in the top 50% of those that took Gen Chem the year before. With the % grade distribution being the same, there are less higher grades to distribute among more talented class. (This was the reasoning of a senior I talked to). Even though I got an A in orgo, the amount of material presented in Organic was ridiculous even after having taken Gen Chem. I remember studying countless hours for an exam that covered 6-7 lectures and still scored barely in the A/A- range (though I probably studied for this exam incorrectly).</p>
<p>On the bright side, organic chemistry laboratory is much more chill. It is designed to be every other week and is part of the organic chemistry lecture grade worth 1/6 of the total grade, the same as every other exam including the final (according to this year’s grading system). The lighter load of lab definitely helps out. </p>
<p>While this class definitely takes hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, there is some advice I can give. Much of the material in the last 1/3 of general chemistry will be covered for the first organic chemistry exam and will be used throughout the entire semester of Organic Chemistry (which builds on itself). These concepts include Lewis structures, hybridization, MOT/LEM. Second, while some of the material may seem like review for the first two exams, do NOT fall into the trap that makes you think you do not need to study as much. Score well on the first two exams so you have more cushion on the 3rd and 4th exams. As I said earlier, the material is organic chemistry builds on itself and having a complete understanding of the material on the 1st and 2nd exams will help immensely on the later exams which many say are extremely difficult. DO NOT FALL BEHIND, as early errors will have a compounded effect later in the semester. </p>
<p>Don’t let this discourage you though. Organic chemistry is an extremely tough course no matter where you take it. Make sure to follow the advice that the professor will give in the first lecture. In hindsight, this advice helped me immensely in achieving success in the class. </p>
<p>Wish me luck in Orgo II!</p>
<p>Good luck =)
Judging from what you have experienced, I think you’ll do just fine =)</p>
<p>also I noticed a lot of my friends who go to my state school took orgo already and they all thought it was easy…so why does our orgo class have such a terrifying reputation?</p>
<p>Cuz its WashU orgo! haha. I believe that it will mean something to med school admissions panels too. It might not make a C ok, but if you do get an A in both semesters of Orgo, it will look really good IMO.</p>
<p>There is a reason why people with much lower GPAs at WashU compared to those at state schools get into the same level of medical schools, if not better ones.</p>
<p>Bahhh I was 0.2% away from an A- in Calc 2 
I kinda wish profs were nice about rounding up grades like they were in high school</p>
<p>I’m kinda biased. I had a really good high school chemistry teacher, and I also tutored chem alot. When I took Gen Chem (last year when the uber low average first test happened) I never understood all the whining/complaining involved. I thought the first test was too hard, but otherwise found the class reasonable. They practically dote on you. There are PLTLs, recitations, help sessions, and the professors are generally some of the best lecturers of the chem department. Orgo is entirely on a different level though.</p>
<p>Orgo’s hardness stems from the fact that it kinda is a weird hybrid conceptually. Gen Chem is pretty much pure logic/equations/simple drawings that you memorize (very little memorization over all). Bio is mass memorization with very little logic/thinking. Orgo is a hybrid of the hardest aspects of both. There is lots of memorization, but there is also lots of hardcore logic involved (with less equations). IE. first semester, you will memorize something like 5 major mechanisms, and like 20 more minor ones, each with its own quirks and requirements. Most mechanisms won’t be very logical. There won’t be much you can associate them with (ie. they are not very interelated), and the chemicals involved will seem bizarre (EX: We were talking about making a cis diol. The professor’s like, “Now how would we make this…we use OSMIUM TETROXIDE!!.” And I’m just flabbergasted at the randomness of the compound. I’ve never seen such a compound/would never have thought of it. My only hope is to memorize blindly.). With these mechanisms that you hopefully manage to memorize, will come synthesis questions. On these they will say something to the effect of, “here’s a strange bizarre molecule. How would you synthesize it using simple alkanes [or alkenes sometimes, of various sizes]?” In doing this synthesis, you are essentially trying to solve a multistep (often 6-10) puzzle without knowing which pieces you need. If you forget a mechanism (puzzle piece) you will not be able to finish your synthesis (puzzle). This problem is amplified if the mechanism you forget is needed near the beginning of the synthesis/retrosynthesis. Even if you remember all your mechanisms, it is still often hard to start a synthesis, not knowing if your plan will lead you down a dead end. </p>
<p>Best advice for doing well in orgo:
- Get really good at Mollecular Orbital Theory. It comes up occasionally throughout the first half, and then during the last quarter comes back to haunt you. It is huge second semester. Hybridization is also used all semester, but is rather easy.
- Read ahead of time. The professor’s draw really quickly. Keeping up with them on your notes, let alone understanding them is difficult at their speed without prior preparation.
- Do all problems assigned, and more if possible.
- Either study alot throughout the semester, or expect to be putting in 20+hours minimum, per test.
- Pray/hope that you are good at visualizing. My professor at least was infatuated with Newman projections.
- Consider getting the book early and reading ahead. Specifically spend time on the new orgo material (not chapter 1/2 which are review).
- Ignore any mention in the book of nomenclature. At least with my professor, these pages are useless.
Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the informative post ninja. Could you post really quickly just the info for the orgo book that WashU uses? I was planning to buy the book early, but I don’t want to get the wrong one.</p>
<p>We use this book [Amazon.com:</a> Organic Chemistry (7th Edition) (9780321592316): Leroy G. Wade: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chemistry-7th-Leroy-Wade/dp/032159231X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295749596&sr=8-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chemistry-7th-Leroy-Wade/dp/032159231X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295749596&sr=8-1) . Its a fairly recent edition, so I don’t expect it to change, but you never know, so buy at your own risk. My views on the book are mixed. It has wonderful summaries and reviews/tips, but it kinda randomly gleans over certain details of some of the mechanisms rather inconsistently. I also found one blatant contradiction of a major rule (ie. big no no) within a certain mechanism, that the book doesn’t really bother to explain. I asked the lab professor about it. He is very knowledgeable/smart, but even he was kinda flabbergasted. Overall a decent book (though I haven’t really looked at other orgo books).</p>
<p>Ok so it turned our my fen chem grade is recorded wrong and it’s now changed to an A :)</p>
<p>But my class ranking has not changed. Will it also change because I requested an official transcript for a summer job.</p>