Hate chemistry and still do med?

[lan418]

One scenario i commonly see at my university(possibly goes on in other universities also):

 

Person 1: So what are you studying?

 

Person 2: I want to go medical.

 

Person 1: oh, what classes are you taking?

 

Person 2: ::says various courses:: And im taking chem.

 

Person 1: oh, how do you like it

 

Person 2: i HATE chem

 

It is possible to go pursue a medical career with a resentment for chemistry? Chemistry is so important to medicine and it seems most of the undergrads want to go medical because of financial stability for the job. Do you think it's possible for them to still carry on with medicine with no desire for chemistry and just "tough" it out? I mean, a person cant like medicine without having a fond interest of chem, right?

[mezarashi]

Well true. It's difficult to go into a career hating a subject that is fundamentally important in understanding your trade. However, if you can get over "hating" it and understand it whilst hating it, this is all right.

 

Take for example math. Many probably hated math when you were in elementary. But as adults, all of us (I hope) know how to do simple arithmetic, and we can use it to perform our daily chores to go on with life comfortably. . Something similar happens in the more "difficult" sciences in university. Once you get so used to a certain subject, whether you hate it or not, you are able to do it and use the knowledge to achieve your ultimate goal. I remember myself and my hate for mathematics, Fourier and Laplace transforms particularly. They have become but common terms I take intuitively in my trade of electrical engineering.

 

As a doctor though, I doubt you'll be adding chemical formulas for a living. The chemical and biological processes are just fundamental knowledge you'll need for diagnosis and most importantly the proper prescription of drugs while understanding their effects on the human body. I know many doctors who more or less do this on experience.

[insane_alien]

i'm not really a big fan of math but i'm doing an engineering couse that has a lot of maths but i know it will be worth it. i suppose it should be the same thing for you with chem. if you can understand whats being said and do the work then you will be fine.

 

its chemical engineering i'm doing btw.

[Psion]

If life and college goes my way, I plan on becoming a neurosurgeon or something close to that, because it's a growing field and we need them in Illinois.

 

However, I would like to say that only a fool would not recognize the necessity for learning chemistry and its application to the human body.

 

Previously states it is needed for the comprehension of the drugs your are going to prescribe to your patients or else drugs you may take into consideration. However, a doctor does have many other uses besides the current field of study they are going in.

 

Understanding how compounds can effect the human body is why chemistry becomes one of the most important things.

 

You don't want to be a doctor and give someone pure calcium like a fool. That would only blow up their body. It's calcium carbonate.. not Calcium.....

 

 

There is another importance. In case you get rejected as a doctor or somehow screw up somewhere and lose your license, you could always become a biochemist.

[PiLoT]

most people start off hating chemistry. sometimes you just have to take more classes to see that chemistry is so diverse.

[PiLoT]

by med i assume you mean MD but if you want to do medicinal chemistry for pharmacy school youd better luv it

[zyncod]

Ahh, nobody remembers much chem beyond molarity and simple reaction equations. And for orgo, the only useful thing is the ability to understand the relationship between name and structure. But here's a test - next time you see your doctor, ask if they remember what a Grignard reagent is - a pretty basic organic chemistry thing - I guarantee they won't. Chemistry is a bitch and it's boring; the only stuff that the doctors need to know is the biology.

[lan418]

I understand what you're saying but why go through all those rigorous courses of chem when you're only going to use a small percent of knowledge from chemistry? Im a microbio major at University of Florida. Our "critical" tracking courses consists of chem 1, 2, organic 1, organic 2 and biochem

[Pharm_Teg]

It's not a matter of whether you can stomach Chem. It's a matter of whether you can do well in it. There are aspects of Pharm School I don't like but I adapt and move on. I believe Chem classes are weeder courses. Many people repeat them. You won't get into Med, Pharm, or Dental school with anything less than a B in your core science classes. IMO, it's about learning new concepts, understanding, and then applying them. Professional programs want people who can learn and understand new concepts. Just my 2 cents.

[Labrador]

I am taking Microbiology at college (1st year) and I don't like chemistry that much (especially physical chemistry and thermodynamics ) though I have it. I am expecting to change to medicine or dentistry (even nursery) next year, so I won’t have to take all this heavy doses of chemistry and mathematics in its purest forms. I really prefer anatomy, physiology, cell/molecular biology and stuff rather than chemistry, physics and math...