Guest geekpunk Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 I'm and OOP applicant applying this year but my Organic Chem pre-requisite class was only one semester. This is all that was required for entrance into my home-province medical school. Not a full 6 credits that's required by UBC. However, it was a comprehensive Organic Chemistry class which covered all topics and was more than enough to tackle the Organic Chemistry presented on the MCAT. Should I email someone from Admissions about this or should I not even bother applying? I'd hate to be rejected outright because of a lack of a measly 3 more credits in Organic Chem. In addition, I have completed courses in Biochemistry and Pharmacology so that might make up for it? Honest advice would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lex Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 It's my guess that you'll have to complete a full 6 credits in biochem but, as in any case of credits and equivalency, you'll have to contact the admissions department. If you think that other courses fullfill the requirement, you'll need to provide syllabi to admissions and/or the chemistry department at UBC. After that, it's up to them to decide if they deem the courses you've taken as equivalent to the prereqs. I wouldn't hold my breath though because pharm, biochem, and organic chem are all fairly different in perspective. Good luck and make sure you ask about sending syllabi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 Hi there, I second the above if the admissions criteria haven't changed that much as a full 6.0 credits in organic chemistry used to be required by UBC. However, the good news is, even if you don't have the full complement of credits now, you can still submit a valid application this year by registering for 3.0 credits (one half course) of organic chemistry, which you would need to complete in this academic year, i.e., by May. UBC allows applicants to do this with any of the pre-requisite courses. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kaymcee Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 In BC, the typical second year organic chemistry "routine" is two half-year courses that span the entire year. The first one in the fall is an introductory course: nomenclature, functional groups, substitution and elimination reactions, stereochemistry, and the beginning of covering some molecule types. The second course continues on from the first, using the basics learned therein, and completes the survey of the various typical organic chemistry molecule types. It also includes a lab component, which I believe is important for the UBC prerequisites. So, if your school put all this into a single semester in an attempt to punish their students, I'm very sorry for you, and I hope that UBC will recognize the pain you went through. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scrubbed Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Hey gp, I second lex's point about sending your organic chemistry syllabus into admissions to determine whether it could be deemed 6 credits of organic chemistry. UBC's prereq requirements are a bit interesting in that the organic chem requirement for UBC students, and extrapolated to other schools, consists of 1. CHEM 203 & 204, which are 3-credit organic chemistry courses designed for biochem and chem majors. or 2. CHEM 233, 235 & 205 or equivalent of full year of organic chemistry, of which CHEM 233 is a 3 credit organic chem course and CHEM 235 is a 1 credit organic chem lab, which is included in the CHEM 203/204 courses free of credits (and payment fot those credits). CHEM 205 is actually a physical chemistry course designed for life science majors. It contains little, if any, organic chemistry when I took it. CHEM 123, designated general chemistry, does contain a significant portion of organic chemistry. The other posters had good advice as well. If you do require another course, and you really want to apply to UBC, then Kirsteen's advice is appropriate. In addition, I know that Alberta lets people apply deficient of one of the prereq courses by applying for special consideration, provided they are strong candidates otherwise. I don't know if UBC is flexible like this as well. The fact that I haven't heard otherwise makes me think not. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rBurgundy Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Anyone from U of T apply before here on the form? Is Chem 138/139 enough to fill the pre reqs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geekpunk Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Well, I e-mailed admissions, and they said that 6 credits is indeed a strict requirement for Orgo. So, unexpectedly, I'll be taking "CHEM 2401: Introduction to Organic Chemistry I: Functional Groups and Stereochemistry (w/lab)" at Dalhousie this year along with my Honours Thesis! Aarrrgh... Not gonna be fun. I also despise the fact that I'll be paying ~$500 for a course that I pretty much already know the material. But I figured I should just take it anyway and get the damn thing over with! Also, I was checking out Carribean Medical School websites (as a backup plan, in case I don't get in anywhere in Canada this year) and the major ones (AUC, Saba, St. George's, & Ross) all require a full year of Organic Chemistry too. So, looks like I'm better off just taking another 3 credits of Organic. Totally regretting how I took that 1/2 year Organic Credit 2 years ago. Wish I would've known back then...:\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jochi1543 Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Must you take a course with a lab? If not, maybe a long distance course will save you time (and possibly money). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Hi there geekpunk, Just to be cautious, did you clear that intro Organic course with UBC? They might not accept it if it overlaps too much with the first half-course that you completed. If you haven't checked with them you might wish to just in case, so you don't spend the time and money on a course that may not be appropriate. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geekpunk Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Could someone tell me what course Chem 205 is at UBC? Apparently, with my 1/2 credit Organic Chem class completed 2 years ago, I satisfy Chem 233 & Chem 235 at UBC. However, I still need to satisfy UBC's Chem 205 to fulfill the Organic Chem pre-req. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scrubbed Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 /courses.students.ubc.ca/...course=205 CHEM 205 Physical Chemistry Chemical kinetics and thermodynamics and spectroscopy useful in biological, medical, agricultural, earth, and related sciences. Not for credit in Chemistry and Biochemistry programs. Credit will be given for only one of CHEM 201 and 205. As I said earlier, with the exception of some spectroscopy, there is not much organic chemistry in the course. It's easier than CHEM 201, which requires some multivariable calculus. UBC overhaaued their courses a while back, where life science majors used to take 6 credits of organic chemistry in second year. Now it makes medical school admissions a bit more troublesome for non-UBC students, who, depending on their strengths, may have to take more difficult organic chemistry courses than life science majors at UBC. So, then, you could try to ask if you could take a physical chemistry course instead. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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