<p>I plan to get a BS in biology and therefore will not take biology my first year, I figured that this would allow me to focus more on my General Chemistry and Calculus classes. I think that I have a pretty strong grasp of general biology. My main questions are: </p>
<p>1.) Should I take biochem or organic chemistry my second year?
2.) Do you feel one is easier than the other? or
3.) Do you feel that taking one will help me do well in the other? and
4.) Will not taking general bio have any adverse effects on my taking biochem?</p>
<p>Note: I don't have any experience in biochemistry but I am really interested in learning it especially considering my CURRENT future career hopes (cellular immunology), though it's highly possible it could change. This may make me more attentive in this class or make the information click more with me. </p>
<p>I thank anyone who can give me some insight to my question and hope all of you the best.</p>
<p>1) At my undergraduate institution, you couldn't take biochemistry without having completed Organic Chemistry I and II. What are your school's prereqs for biochem?</p>
<p>2) It depends on your own aptitude. I hated orgo with a burning passion, so I didn't take biochem. The medical school biochem course was not very enjoyable, either.</p>
<p>3) Again, at my school you had to have orgo under your belt before you could take biochem, so this might be a moot point.</p>
<p>4) It depends on your school.</p>
<p>Agree with S-C. Oro first and then Biochem or physiology.
If you do not understand the structure of tyrosine, you will have a hard time understanding T3, T4 and TFTs.</p>
<p>Without the understanding of structures, it's harder to understand structure-activity.</p>
<p>u must have taken o.chem1 to take biochem, check ur school's pre-req. there both equally difficult, i just finished taken both of them this spring sem. the main difference is biochem is more memorizing and o.chem1 & 2 are analytical and conceptually more intense to understand "right off the bat". another difference is if u study for biochem u'll get a good grade, vs. in o chem even if u study ur a$$ off u can still do poorly on a test. as far as if o chem will help u understand biochem...i personally didn't think so...well, only as far as structures and properties of i.e.glucose.<br>
as far as not having taken general biology, it can put u in a disadvantage, despite it not being a pre-req. I already took bio 1107 and found it very helpful and i actually could remember the information from that class when i needed it in biochem, ex: ATP synthesis, DNA replication, amino acids, and protein.
all in all, biochem, for me, was a much more intense bio class.</p>