James E. Davis, senior lecturer in chemistry, says that a strong foundation in chemistry is necessary before taking Chemistry 10.

"Chem 10 assumes that students have a very, very good background in high school chemistry, essentially the equivalent of most of Chem 5/7, while Chem 5/7 is for students with an ordinary year of high school chemistry, or no chemistry at all," Davis says.

Concentration Patterns

When deciding which of the higher level chemistry and biology courses to take, the student's chosen field of concentration can play a significant role.

Lee Ann Michelson, health career advisor for the Office of Career Services, says that students are at no advantage or disadvantage for medical school admission by choosing not to concentrate a science field.

"If a person has pursued an area in depth and has completed the pre-med requirements, his or her concentration doesn't have to be in the sciences," Michelson says. "It could be, for example, English."

Students who decide to concentrate in the Sciences tend to take the "more difficult" higher-level science courses in meeting their pre-med requirements, advisors say, For example, a biology concentrator will more likely take higher-level biology courses, such as Biological Sciences 10: "Introductory Molecular Biology" (B.S. 10), to fulfill both his pre-med and concentration requirements.

"B.S. 10 Provides a good fundamental background needed to understand important fundamental concepts in medicine and biology today," Desai says.

But Davis says that students tend to ignore their concentration when choosing between Chemistry 17: "Principles of Organic Chemistry" and 27: "Organic Chemistry of Life" and its counterpart Chemistry 20: "Organic Chemistry" and Chemistry 30: "Organic Chemistry" to fullfill their organic chemistry requirement.

"Regardless of their concentrations, students tend to take Chem 20/30 if they have begun in Chem 10, or if they have placed out of general chemistry," Davis says. "The students who take 5/7 almost invariably go into the 17/27 sequence largely for schedule convenience"

Adam B. Pudelko '00, vice-president of the Student Committee on Pre-med Education(SCOPE), says there is a fairly even spread between the students in the Chem 5/7, 17/27 and Chem 10, 20/30 sequences.

"The Chem 5/7, 17/27 sequence usually has a few more students because it is a more convenient track, especially for non-science concentrators, since it is spread out over two years of coursework rather than one year," Pudelko says.

Non-science concentrators must make the decision of whether to take the more difficult science courses in meeting their pre-med requirements, even though medical schools say it they do not require students to take higher level sciences.

Davis says he believes the medical schools' assertion that science courses above and beyond the minimum pre-med requirements are not necessary, noting that many pre-meds must also choose between the Physics 1a: "Principles of Physics: Mechanics", Physics 1b: "Principles of Physics: Electricity, Waves, Nuclearphysics" sequence and Physics 11a "Mechanics" and Physics 11b: "Electricity, Magcrtics and Waves".

"For the non-Science concentrator who wants to do pre-med courses, the science pattern of Chem 5/7, Chem 17/27, B.S. and Physics 1a/b is a very common one," Davis says.