lampk: No, math 1AA3 consists of learning about complex integrals, differential equations, partial derivatives/integrals, taylor series, and many other kinds of series.
Unless you are doing computational biochemistry, it is highly unlikely you will use any of that in your biochemistry endeavors.

Paul

Originally Posted by Tariq

Hey, im entering biochemistry next year and needed help on what electives to take next year which will help me on next year's course selection and med school applications. I'm taking summer school right now so i have four electives to choose from. i decided to take physics 1bb3(for med school) and econ 1bb3(since i already took 1b03 and found it to be interesting) and now i need help on my last 2 electives. I didn't take linear algebra last year but took both math 1a03 and 1aa3 and got sick of math. So i'm wondering if linear algebra is really that important for biochem and if i could do without it. Also, im planning to take some physiology courses 3rd year and wondered if i shud use my electives on some 2nd year physiology courses. Any thoughts?

If you someone enjoy physics, and want to learn some really cool physics, I would recommend taking physics 1BA3 instead of 1BB3.

Here is a review: http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=1849 2

As far as electives go, take something that you would enjoy. For instance, I took astronomy. Also, find courses you would want to take in upper years (i.e. virology, physiology....) and take prerequisites to those.

Linear Algebra is pretty much useless in biochem, but if you want to take upper-year physics or math courses as electives, you should take this one. I know it's required by most physics and math courses (Unless you want to talk to the prof and get a waiver).

Paul

Originally Posted by kenneth526

I recently spoke to someone who took physics 1B03 during the summer and he said it wasn't as challenging as he expected. Apparently, they zip through the material rather quickly and end up skipping some of the tricker content. I'd imagine that the relative time spent on each chapter is still the same however.

Are you taking physics 1L03 and 1B03 to fulfill the full year of physics? If you are, I think taking 1B03 in semester 2 won't be so bad. I took baby physics first term last year and almost everything up to the second midterm was covered in the course, so it was pretty much review.

yeah, i'm planning to take those two physics to fulfill the full year of physics. seriously, i hate physics now.
when you say 'baby physics,' do you mean physics 1B03?
btw, i could still take physics 1L03 even if i did take gr. 12 physics, right?

Physics 1L03:
Prerequisite: One of Grade 12 Advanced Functions U, Grade 12 Advanced Functions and Introductory Calculus U, MATH 1K03

yes you could, but as far as I know, most prerequisites to programs require physics 1B03 and 1BA3/1BB3.
Just look at the program you want to get into, and make sure you meet the requirements. If you are looking at med schools, and you read they require a "full year of physics", I would suggest calling the ones you are interested in and finding out if the full year of physics must be a continuous course (i.e. 1BB3/1BA3 is a direct continuation of 1B03, you may need to take those two to have a "full-year course of physics").
Just don't fall into the trap of taking the wrong physics (1L03), and then needing to take another physics later on in your undergraduate studies. You would have needlessly taken 3 physics courses by then, and lose a precious elective that you could have filled with something that interests you.

thanks!

hey! could i take med physics 2a03 to fulfil the full year of physics for some med schools? i already took physics 1b03 soo i was thinking on taking med physics 2a03 instead of physics 1bb3 unless it wont work than i have to take 1bb3 :( ahah

Physics 2A03:
Electrostatics; circuits; the magnetic field; Faraday's law of induction.
Three lectures; one term
Prerequisite: ARTS&SCI 2D06 or PHYSICS 1B03, and one of ARTS&SCI 1D06, MATH 1AA3, 1XX3; or ISCI 1A24

Yes it looks like you can take it. I don't know if it's good enough for med schools though. You'll have to go on the med school website and find out if the "full year of physics" requires consecutive courses. Each med school is different, so I'm not sure which requires which. I took 1B03 and 1BA3, so I didn't really look into the issue. If they say a "full year physics course" then they probably want 2B03/2BA3, but if they say "a full year of physics courses", then you can probably get away with having 2A03.
Why not take physics 1BA3, it's an excellent course.

Paul

i could take 1ba3..but i struggled through 1b03 so im unsure of taking 1ba3...and i think Med phys 2a03 is different that physics 2a03

this was the one im looking at
MED PHYS 2A03 PHYSICS IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY Applications of introductory physics concepts to medicine and biology. Centrifugation; chromatography and electrophoresis; ultrasonography; confocal microscopy; photomolecular interactions and optical diagnostic techniques.

Oh that one.
I don't know about that one, and I don't know anyone who took it. It's not under the department of physics. Be careful with this, call the med schools you're interested in and verify what constitutes a physics. Don't put yourself in a situation where you are forced to take physics 1BB3 later on in your undergraduate degree (thereby needlessly taking 3 physics courses).

My recommendation: don't try to bend the rules. Take physics 1BB3 and give it your best. I don't imagine the 2nd year course will be any easier. Plus a lot of med schools don't weight marks 1st year courses that much, while your 2nd physics mark would be taken into a heavier account.

It's up to you, but i would recommend you go with the flow, and take physics 1BB3. Otherwise at the end of your 4 years you'll be chasing your tail trying to crawl through loopholes in every med school admission process, mailing different members of admissions, trying to get them to consider that as physics. Also keep in mind that med schools can change their criteria without notice, so even if they say that physics is good, later on they can just as easily say it's not good enough.

Be careful,go by the book and take the one that is guaranteed to fill that requirement.

Paul

ohhhh i seeeeeeee....so just take physics 1bb3 and try to get my mark up there
by the way..i was lookin at u of t and mac med school requirements and i didnt anything about a whole year of physics but would you recommend just taking the full year just in case of the MCAT?

Hey, thanks for all your help everyone! but did any of you guys have trouble with science courses being at the same time....in the second term, the biochem course and the biology physiology course is at the same time, but i need the physiology course because it is a prereq for the 3rd year courses..and it would suck to have to do it in summerschool, do they always only have 1 class for these types of courses? and how big are these classes?

im having the same trouble..i cant take any of my electives because they conflict with the biochem courses that we need to take

Originally Posted by Tariq

Hey, thanks for all your help everyone! but did any of you guys have trouble with science courses being at the same time....in the second term, the biochem course and the biology physiology course is at the same time, but i need the physiology course because it is a prereq for the 3rd year courses..and it would suck to have to do it in summerschool, do they always only have 1 class for these types of courses? and how big are these classes?

Tariq, it sounds to me like you have a course conflict, that sucks man.
There may be more than one section for the class (check here: https://adweb.cis.mcmaster.ca /mtt/), if there is, you are in luck. If there is no section, I'm afraid you have no choice but to drop the one that's not required. if they are both required for your program, talk to the head of your department.

Sorry man, a lot of us experience this in upper years because almost no classes have more than 1 section.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by goleafsgo13

ohhhh i seeeeeeee....so just take physics 1bb3 and try to get my mark up there
by the way..i was lookin at u of t and mac med school requirements and i didnt anything about a whole year of physics but would you recommend just taking the full year just in case of the MCAT?

True, UofT does not require full year of physics.
If those are the only two schools you will be applying for, then I guess you don't need it. If you want to apply for others too, I suggest you research their prerequisites NOW. This is the time you need to start planning these things.

As far as the mcat goes, you can learn this stuff if you take an MCAT prep course or buy an MCAT book. Physics 1BB3 would certainly help, but it will go into the material in a lot more detail than is required for the mcat.

Cheers,
Paul

Hi Paul, I have a question. I noticed that you are a biochem student and I was wondering if you took physics 1BB3 and found it helpful in your other science courses (as it says it is highly recomended)