<p>Hi Everyone. I was looking for advice as to how to deal with my general chemistry course. I am zoology major but looking to go into med school. I am very strong in biology, anatomy and physiology. But I am having a rough time in my general chem class. I just had my first exam and scored around a 2.7. I am really nervous now, I was well prepared for it, and felt confident, and understood the material but I get pretty bad test anxiety so I panicked a little. Now the issue was we only had an hour for the exam and my pretest panic ate up about 15 minutes I didn't have. I just feel it is unfair to have my future career plans be based on something that doesnt accurately reflect my ability. I know it doesn't because the chem department offered two practice exams, exactly the same types of problems under testing conditions. I took them both and got a 100% one and a 90% on the other. Anyway this leads to my questions:</p>
<ol>
<li>Do you have any advice to combat test anxiety and panic?</li>
<li>I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 12, I have never really been healthy so I am in and out of the hospital a lot and I couldn't imagine doing anything else, but I can't see myself getting more than a 3.0 or worse in this class because I one hour for each exam and each question is worth 10 points out 180. Any advice?</li>
<li>It is common knowledge that you need stellar grades to get into med schools but basically how many C's is too many?</li>
<li>If I have outstanding grades in biology courses to make up for the ones in chem, and mediocre ones in chem will they keep me out just because chem and I don't get along? My major is all upper level bio courses but I only need to take around six in chem: gen, inorgo, orgo I and II and biochem. </li>
<li>My advisor told me a lot of people who have trouble in gen chem and inorganic do better and even excel in orgo and biochem which Im hoping is me because biology seems to come really natural to me (haha a pun, sorta =)). Is there any truth to this. </li>
<li>It seems too soon to tell how my gpa will turn out but if I were to be in a position with like a 3.0 when Im ready to apply, are my med school dreams dashed, or could I hold off applying for a year take more, respectable science courses and do everything in my power to do well in them to raise my gpa and then apply or are you only allowed to take a certain number of courses when you apply if that makes sense?</li>
<li>Finally will one bad exam ruin my ability for a 4.0 in the class? I mean this first exam was on limiting reactants, mole conversions, hydrates, percent yield, etc. Pretty basic stuff and I got the quote "difficult" questions right, the questions I missed were things the really easy things homo and heterogeneous mixture type questions because I rushed through the exam. So I am also asking how do I not make those mistakes and could maybe the next exam go better because there will not be so much basic stuff? </li>
<li>Also my mom keeps telling me I need to be realistic which I find really offensive. She phrases it like this "not everyone can be a doctor." It is starting to eat at me. I plan on pursuing this path as long as I am able to and dam it im gonna do it eventually. I just need help and hearing that isn't helping. I experimented with the idea of other careers but it always come back to being a physician. I have had doctors get me through some of the toughest times in my life and even save it, and I want to do that. Also there is no invention as complex as the human body and how it works is simply fascinating. I can't imagine doing anything else. So any advice at all to help me would be appreciated. </li>
</ol>
<p>I don't know Im a wreck right now and really in need of advice. I no i shouldn't be like this with only one exam. But I feel like my dreams are dashed. Plz don't make fun of me or be mean. This is the only place I share this craziness. To everyone else Ive just shaken this off and am ready to work again. Also I don't party or anything, I take school seriously so level of commitment or anything wasn't an issue. Also how can I move on from this exam and are there any good general chem books that can explain everything really well and maybe another that summarizes it really well to help prepare for exams. </p>
<p>Thank You </p>
<p>John</p>