<p>First of all, I am not premed. However, I think this is the best place to post my question.</p>
<p>For the professional program I’m interested in (nurse anesthesia), I’ll have to take Chem I, Chem II, Ochem I, and Biochem (which Ochem I is a prerequisite for) throughout my four undergrad years on top of a full course nursing course load. I’m an incoming freshman, and I will be taking Chem I my first semester. And since many grad schools require a recent chemistry course, it will be best to take Biochem my senior year.</p>
<p>My question is, what is the best way to space these courses out? In other words, how much does Gen Chem II draw upon what was learned in Gen Chem I? Should I have Gen Chem II fresh in my mind before starting Orgo? I’ll need to have a big gap somewhere between courses and it would be great to hear some advice as to where the gap would be most advantageous. Right now I’m thinking I should just complete one course every year, but please let me know if you think I should clump any two together. Thanks for any help!</p>
<p>I think orgo is your best spacer. While there is related material, organic chemistry is pretty stand alone compared to general chemistry (do them close together). Same goes for biochem, while it does draw upon organic chemistry concepts its pretty stand alone as well (or at least easily refreshed). I wasn’t aware that you needed a recent science class for grad school programs. That’s interesting, as I’ve never heard of anything similar for pre-med programs (though it does make some sense).</p>
<p>John, maybe your program is different, but no graduate program I’ve seen has any preference for core courses to be taken later in college. If you have to take the subject GRE, it would certainly be best to have taken the relevant courses recently when you take the exam; however, you generally take the exam in the spring or summer of the year before you apply (~15-18 months before desired matriculation). In the latter case, you’d want to finish those courses in the junior year not the senior year.</p>
<p>I have never heard of this. At my child’s school, actually the selected few competitive students take Biochem (taking Orgo II at the same time, as orgo I is a prereq for Biochem) in sophomore year, and most other premed students take it in junior year.</p>
<p>BTW, some schools may have an one-semester version of Biochem and a two-semester version of Biochem (which is usually very research oriented). The one-semester version of Biochem may be offered in the Fall (or Spring) semester only.</p>