Hey,

Can I please get some reviews, advice and overall summary from anyone who is in Honours Biochem (Biomed specialization)?

I need help asap as i have to make my decision in the next few days.

Thanks

Hey, I've answered a similar question in a previous post. Here's the link
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...1#p ost142481
Hope that helps.

Hey Saskia,

I'm currently going into my third year of the Honors Biochemistry (with Biomedical specialization) co-op program here at mac. If you are trying to decide between biochem specialized in biomed and biochem core then i might be able to offer some advice as I also had to go through this decision process.

In second year, the students in biochem specialized in biomed and biochem core are required to take the same mandatory courses. However, in third year in the biochem specialized program, you are only allowed to take 3-6 units of electives while in the biochem core program, you can take 18 units of electives. So if you are really interested in completing a minor or simply wanna try many different courses in other faculties, then this MIGHT be a better option. Also, if med school is an option for you in the future, then taking easier electives MIGHT help with your GPA. I keep emphasizing "might" because I'm a firm believer in the theory that if you "like" studying a specific subject, then you will not mind working hard at it and thus excelling at it no matter how hard the course is.

Now I also have to talk about the course load in third year. Im not exactly sure how it would be for a biochem core student, but for me, my first semester looks disgusting lol (second semester im on my coop placement). I have on average of 12.5 hours of labs per week. However, I am really interested in research so I do not mind being in the lab for so long each week.

So in the end, in making your decision I would say, you have to look at the options and evaluate them based on: your own interests and your goals for your future. Also if you can, try to get the opinions of other upper years in the biomed specialization and upper years in the biochem core program or any other program that you are interested in. Also, academic counselors might be able to help you out too. Check out the courses that are required for each program and see if they interest you. Macinsiders has course outlines from the past that you can check out too.

I hope I helped and good luck in making your decision.

Originally Posted by username19

Im not exactly sure how it would be for a biochem core student, but for me, my first semester looks disgusting lol (second semester im on my coop placement). I have on average of 12.5 hours of labs per week. However, I am really interested in research so I do not mind being in the lab for so long each week.

Third year first semester for biomed isn't that bad. If you don't mind me asking, what other courses are you taking besides Biochem 3P03.

I'm also taking Biology 2EE3 and Chem Bio 2A03. I know Chem Bio 2A03 isnt required for 3rd year for us co-op students but i just wanna take it to get it over with.

I'm taking Chembio 2A03 this year too! I skipped out on it last year, lol. Bio 2EE3 labs are a joke btw, similar to Bio 1A03, so its not too bad. But 3P03 is definitely most of your week. It's fun and hard, lol. And although it says 8 hours a week on the timetable, chances are you'll be putting in more than that. The structure of the course is:
first 3 weeks of sept.- discuss your project with your group and TA and write up proposal
end of sept to early nov- do your project. This is the cool part cuz sometimes you're only in lab for like an hour, while other times your there till the end. Depends on what your doing.
last few weeks- start writing your final report, progress presentations, prep for oral examination

I'm pretty nervous about Chem Bio 2A03. I heard it can be a pretty annoying/boring/hard course. Hopefully it'll be different. And about the oral exam for 3P03, is it like preparing you for a thesis defense?How is it formatted?

Its a new prof for Chembio 2A03, before it was Brennan, and now its Britz-McKibbin, so yea, hopefully it will be different. The oral examination for 3P03 is 3 questions that they ask you, one about the field that your project deals with, one about your results, and one about future work. But yea, its kinda intimidating. You're basically just speaking to Felicia, Adam and 2 other TAs (not your own) and they stare at you with a blank face, LOL. As long as you know your stuff you'll be okay.

A new prof but still same lab coordinator. chem bio 2a03....just get that shit over with....

Thanks for all your help, I am sensing that the BioChem-biomed program is more directed towards a career in research rather than med? Please correct me if I am wrong though.

Currently I am in Honours Life Sci and a possible minor in Music. I really like some of the courses in Biochem too but I guess I am wondering if I should be concerned about the ability to maintain my gpa for professional school?

Thanks again

Originally Posted by Saskia

Thanks for all your help, I am sensing that the BioChem-biomed program is more directed towards a career in research rather than med? Please correct me if I am wrong though.

You're correct.

Originally Posted by Saskia

Currently I am in Honours Life Sci and a possible minor in Music. I really like some of the courses in Biochem too but I guess I am wondering if I should be concerned about the ability to maintain my gpa for professional school?
Thanks again

I don't necessarily think that you should be 'concerned' about your marks in biochemistry, because that's entirely up to you. There isn't a ridiculously high jump in difficulty from level 1 science to level 2 biochemistry, but if you you slack off and take your foot off the gas pedal your marks will drop. I pretty much tell this to all students interested in entering the biochemistry program and worrying that their marks will drop: if you put in a fair and genuine amount of work into your classes, you'll get a competitive GPA for professional/graduate school. There are students in the specialization who have gone on to several professional schools such as dentistry, law, med and optometry. Put in the work and effort, and you'll do just fine.

I'm not sure what kind of professional school you are referring to, but for me, I am still keeping med school an option and will go ahead and do my mcats and apply for med school. If med school does not work out for me, I think I would still love to do a masters in biochemistry and maybe even a phD. As far as your GPA goes, I know people that took orgo and 12ed both of them simply because they loved the course and loved studying orgo. So (i think) it all depends on your interests.

Just wondering, to those of you in upper year biochem (biomed), how hard is it to get 12's and more specifically in those research/lab based classes.