A Young Biochemist Seeking Advice...

<p>Hello all I was wondering if someone would be willing to help me out.</p>

<p>Currently I am a second semester junior Biochemistry major at a small public school registering courses for my senior year of college. My ultimate goal is to go to graduate school for my Ph. D in either Structural Biology, Biotechnology/Molecular bioengineering, pharmaceutical science or Stem cell research. At the end of this semester, I will have virtually completed all of the requirements for my major including major electives. The only other course I need to take is a senior seminar which is a 1 hour per week course. The rest of my schedule is up to me, but I have been having a difficult go at choosing my courses. I know for sure that I will continue with my undergraduate research project, but outside of that I currently have three options:</p>

<li>I need to take two upper level General education requirements before I graduate OR complete a minor. Two complete the minor I would need to take roughly 20 credit hours of material to finish, which is certainly possible. The two fields which interest me the most are philosophy and business management/economics (could also do Math or Physics), both would be useful either in academia or in industry, plus it would make me more versatile. I like that because I am a very well rounded person. Unfortunately I would have to drop either a developmental biology or medicinal chemistry class I had planned on taking for fun, but would be relevant to my future work. </li>
<li>I am also an honors student here at school, but in order to graduate with honors one must complete 4 honors seminars. I currently have two completed, so I could fill in the last two within the next two semesters, however I feel as though these courses are somewhat dumb and unnecessary. They cover topics that really have no relevance to the real world, ie. what makes television shows funny? Interesting but not worth the money I am paying to sit in the classroom. I also don’t know how much better I would look graduating with honors than if I graduated with just my general degree. If I take Honors seminars chances are I wouldn’t be able to get the minor.</li>
<li>I could just get take the gen ed upper levels with a random course in everything I kind of like (CSIT, BuAd/Econ, Phil, Biol, Chem). This would be fun, but I would kind of like something more focused like the minor.</li>
<li>Lastly I could take the gen ed upper levels, continue taking upper level biology and chemistry courses and pick up a few randys on the side.</li>
</ol>

<p>I guess what I’m asking is, what one do you think is best or looks best. I could see myself happy doing all of those things, but I’m just curious what an impartial bystander thinks of the situation. Like I said previously, I ultimately want to get my Ph. D. and become a more worldly individual on top of that.</p>

<p>Wow that was long, but all of your help does not go unnoticed and it is greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>If it helps, most PhD programs expect you to have taken the equivalent of 1 year of chemistry, 1 year of physics and 1 year of maths in addition to the biology.</p>

<p>I recommend taking as many physical chemistry courses as you can handle, including quantum mechanics and/or statistical mechanics. They are about 90% math and physics, but they have changed my view of biochemistry entirely (for the better).</p>

<p>Yes, in the sciences, I have taken:
Physics I and II with labs
Calc I and II
Bio I and II with Labs
Genetics with Lab
Molecular Biology
Gen Chem I and II with labs
Organic Chem I and II with labs
Advanced Orgchem
Analytical chemistry and lab
Biochem I and II with labs
PChem I and II with labs
2 years in NMR structural biology lab
Summers in an X-ray crystallography lab</p>

<p>So I pretty much have the sciences covered, just wondering what route I should take on the courses I mentioned at the top, ie. take on a minor to be more diverse or take more upper level biology and chemistry courses to become more specialized.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>My PChem I class consisted of topics in quantum mechanics, and PChem II was mostly thermodynamics.
Our physics department offers its own quantum and thermo courses if you think it is a good idea to take those.</p>

<p>

I agree with ymmit and I suggest you take the physics department equivalents in advanced quantum or stat mech, ideally Cohen-Tannoudji level. Actually, minoring in physics is not a bad idea if you can still do it! You will never have enough time again to truly focus on your classes once you’re in grad school, so learn the things that you can’t teach yourself!</p>