Biochemistry vs. Molecular Biology/Immunology

[Casey]

I am going to be going to McGill university this Fall, and I am trying to decide between these two programs.

 

I contacted the university, and both programs receive a lot of exposure to research opportunities (a factor that I took into consideration when narrowing down the programs).

 

I'm wondering if anyone who has personally taken either of these programs could help me make a decision.

 

My favourite subjects have been:

- Biology I and II

- Organic Chemistry I and Solution Chemistry

 

My strengths (in terms of studying) are more sided with memorization. I'm not too fond of calculations (Calculus II-level stuff).

 

I've taken a look at the course lists and they both seem like really interesting programs. My end-game goal is medical school at McGill. I am hoping anyone who has taken either of these undergraduate degrees (not necessarily at McGill) and got accepted into medical school can describe how the program aided them in their final decision to enter a career in medicine.

 

Thanks.

[apache]

honestly, i took psych and know biochem in and out, imin pretty well... honestly though, thinking about say the citric acid cycle... i cant memorize it cold turkey, i know it (mostly) because i took advanced organic chem and can reason through the various reactions.,, you can even do immunology research in psychology, since immunomodulatory molecules, and immune system dysfunction are well, lets say immunology and endo will revolutionize neuroscience... so multidisciplinary approaches are there, and are cooler (sequestering immunomodulatory molecules responsible for downregulating receptors which prevent against impulsive aggression... just saying, thinking is fun, and yeah, research with an end point tends to have a better career endpoint

 

I am going to be going to McGill university this Fall, and I am trying to decide between these two programs.

 

I contacted the university, and both programs receive a lot of exposure to research opportunities (a factor that I took into consideration when narrowing down the programs).

 

I'm wondering if anyone who has personally taken either of these programs could help me make a decision.

 

My favourite subjects have been:

- Biology I and II

- Organic Chemistry I and Solution Chemistry

 

My strengths (in terms of studying) are more sided with memorization. I'm not too fond of calculations (Calculus II-level stuff).

 

I've taken a look at the course lists and they both seem like really interesting programs. My end-game goal is medical school at McGill. I am hoping anyone who has taken either of these undergraduate degrees (not necessarily at McGill) and got accepted into medical school can describe how the program aided them in their final decision to enter a career in medicine.

 

Thanks.

[shantytown27]

Studied biochemistry at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Did fair a bit of stuff on citric acid cycle, glycolysis, photosynthesis and all the enzymes involved in the process so there is a lot of memorization involved which fits your requirement. But some of the more complex concepts can be tricky. I was able to do research for two summers and hated it. Third year got a marketing gig at one of the big pharma companies which I enjoyed.

 

Personally, I'd do immunology. I got bored with biochem to be honest.

[apache]

honestly, this isn't a personal attack, but this is why that student wrote that article regretting his grades, if you take advanced organic chemistry you can quite easily think through the citric acid cycle.

 

besides, immunology only gets interesting when we challenge ourselves to really rise to the challenge of not just labelling ptsd induced fibromyalgia something we can toss ssri's or amphetamines at.

 

most people get bored because they never investigate to the level where they can tie absolute fundamentals to predict differential clinical outcomes, or with regards to drug design, a clever immunologist with a stong chemistry background is going to find a way to exclusively activate the rather side effect free cascade of prednisone... but honestly... few get to the point where they see the tremendous advantage of conceptual manipulation, understanding the rules rather than memorizing specific outcomes... it's funny, because honestly, while lacking lab skills (and ironically having a bioengeer bud who does drug delivery etc,), there's a good chance that extreme depth will lead to ideas which algorithmic processes have missed in exchange for expediency, and the illusion of absolute objectivity... this is why i'm obsessed with outcome measures in the most nebulous disciplines... because those thousands of extra hours aren't just information you add, you have to learn to manipulate, synthesize, generate advantages and disadvantages... iuno, you can be dr a and treat with b, or dr. provide someone with relief after 20 years... for, it just took a few simple attentional tests of dichotic listening to greatly improve someone who stuttered for 20 years, never met him, but then again, you have to think in terms of systems, not binary associations and isolated pieces.

 

Studied biochemistry at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Did fair a bit of stuff on citric acid cycle, glycolysis, photosynthesis and all the enzymes involved in the process so there is a lot of memorization involved which fits your requirement. But some of the more complex concepts can be tricky. I was able to do research for two summers and hated it. Third year got a marketing gig at one of the big pharma companies which I enjoyed.

 

Personally, I'd do immunology. I got bored with biochem to be honest.

[preppy038]

I am going to be going to McGill university this Fall, and I am trying to decide between these two programs.

 

I contacted the university, and both programs receive a lot of exposure to research opportunities (a factor that I took into consideration when narrowing down the programs).

 

I'm wondering if anyone who has personally taken either of these programs could help me make a decision.

 

My favourite subjects have been:

- Biology I and II

- Organic Chemistry I and Solution Chemistry

 

My strengths (in terms of studying) are more sided with memorization. I'm not too fond of calculations (Calculus II-level stuff).

 

I've taken a look at the course lists and they both seem like really interesting programs. My end-game goal is medical school at McGill. I am hoping anyone who has taken either of these undergraduate degrees (not necessarily at McGill) and got accepted into medical school can describe how the program aided them in their final decision to enter a career in medicine.

 

Thanks.

 

If you're not good with thinking logically + understanding (which calculus requires a lot of) and good with memorization, you should probably avoid biochemistry.

 

The "difficult" courses from biochemistry at McGill that people routinely say are the physical chem + anal chem lab + biochem lab (3rd yr).

 

Personally i found biol202 to be pretty tough (genetics) and you can't do it with pure memorization.

 

The other courses you probably can get by with memorization although some of the courses are really tough.

 

If you want to get good GPA, you should probably avoid biochem.

 

the easiest major at McGill by far is Anatomy/Cell Biology. Some of their courses are really really easy... (i believe one of the courses they give you some coloring books to study anatomy). And since you're good with memorization this major is probably at your advantage.

[peachaso]

I find immunology to be more interesting...