Course Spotlight: Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

O chem. The class every science major dreads. Despite all the crazy things people say, you can get through the class. Of course it won’t come easy as some of the classes you may have taken in the past, but you can get through it! First off, the key to doing well is the teacher. You have to look for not how easy the teacher is but how he actually teaches. Do a little research and see which teacher fits your learning style. By now I’m sure most of you have heard of ratemyprofessors.com and ugakey.com, so find the teacher that you would like to be taught by and start stalking Oasis. Once you’re in the class, you’re probably wondering, “What’s next?”

Make sure you start off strong and have an attitude that you will attack the class with confidence! There are a few ways you can go about studying for this course. Some people like to read before class, while others find reading pointless. No matter if you decided to stick to notes or book, just remember to actively review the material. To succeed, every student is going to have to learn the concepts. Yep, that’s right learn the information, not memorize it. The next thing to do is to practice, a lot. Most teachers at UGA will give you problems to go through. It is really important you go through those specific problems. It may not seem like they are helping, but during the test you will realize you’re able to think through the questions more efficiently. Remember it’s important to build a foundation rather than just trying to get by.

So now that you know what to do, there’s one thing you must not do and that is consult the solution manual before you complete the questions. I’ve heard of people make this mistake before with the first test, and now I can guarantee you the first test was the last test they used this method. The solutions manual can be your best friend or your worst enemy, so be aware!

Organic chemistry is not a difficult class if you put in the effort the right way. It’s just like math problems, foreign until you start practicing, and then it’s a matter of recognizing the patterns. If you learn the material rather than just memorizing it for the test, this class will stick with you for good! It is really helpful, especially for people that are planning on taking the MCAT, DAT, PCAT, OAT or DAT. You really do not have to be a brilliant student to do well in organic chemistry, but you have to make sure you keep yourself disciplined, motivated, and organized. If you manage your time efficiently, you will still have time to do what you want and not drown yourself in this course. Acquiring these skills will not just help you with doing well in the course, but also with any profession you decide to go into whether its medicine, dentistry, physician assistants, pharmacy or optometry!