4th year Chemistry

NaEthoxide

I'm a 4th year Medchem and was wondering any feedback on 4th year Chemistry modules?

Just to note, I'm not looking for an "easy" module, I'm finding it hard narrowing down my choices and was looking to see if any module jumped out.

Cheers

Victoria.

Sorry I'm only going into second year but I was wondering if you or any other Med chem people could help me out

I was looking at the blue book we were provided with at the start of stage 1 and it seems that Med Chem has an insane amount of core modules compared to other subject areas (8):eek: and then you have to pick at least 2 options.

I put down biochem too and got into that also but it has the same modules as in med chem anyway so it doesn't matter really as far as selecting modules.

These are the options:
Functioning of biomolecules (sem 1)
Endocrine and immune biology (sem 2)
Microbes and man (sem 2)
Drug action in body systems (sem 2)

Was wondering if any of those were a disaster or if any were particularly interesting?

Any other tips for a second year? Any heads up needed about evil lecturers

Fad

Victoria. wrote: »

Sorry I'm only going into second year but I was wondering if you or any other Med chem people could help me out

I was looking at the blue book we were provided with at the start of stage 1 and it seems that Med Chem has an insane amount of core modules compared to other subject areas (8):eek: and then you have to pick at least 2 options.

I put down biochem too and got into that also but it has the same modules as in med chem anyway so it doesn't matter really as far as selecting modules.

These are the options:
Functioning of biomolecules (sem 1)
Endocrine and immune biology (sem 2)
Microbes and man (sem 2)
Drug action in body systems (sem 2)

Was wondering if any of those were a disaster or if any were particularly interesting?

Any other tips for a second year? Any heads up needed about evil lecturers

Do NOT do Functioning of Biomolecules, it is a hopelessly bad module, lecturer is woeful, tutorials are woeful. I have nothing positive to say about it....

I dont know who's lecturing Inorganic this year, but pray it's not Albrecht!

Endocrine is supposed to be fairly hard but apparently really interesting

MissRealist

Victoria. wrote: »

Sorry I'm only going into second year but I was wondering if you or any other Med chem people could help me out

I was looking at the blue book we were provided with at the start of stage 1 and it seems that Med Chem has an insane amount of core modules compared to other subject areas (8):eek: and then you have to pick at least 2 options.

I put down biochem too and got into that also but it has the same modules as in med chem anyway so it doesn't matter really as far as selecting modules.

These are the options:
Functioning of biomolecules (sem 1)
Endocrine and immune biology (sem 2)
Microbes and man (sem 2)
Drug action in body systems (sem 2)

Was wondering if any of those were a disaster or if any were particularly interesting?

Any other tips for a second year? Any heads up needed about evil lecturers

I'm going into third year. I didn't do all your options but I did do two. Endocrine and Immune is good, and after the change in the examination last year relatively easy to pass. (It's a ridiculously high % EMQ at the end of the year with no negative marking) The labs are a bit of a joke because you write up in the labs and there's no set layout or marking scheme but that could change this year because we kicked up war about it last year... Once you're over the labs though its actually a decent module and interesting to boot! You'll do a lot of work on the different immune responses, and a HUGE amount on diabetes if last year is anything to go by. Most of your lecturers are pretty decent and there's a lot of overlap with other modules particularly biochem and even more so with Pharmacology.

Which leads me on to drug action in the body systems. That was my favourite module of second year (though I'm a pharmacology student so biased) It's not an easy module I won't lie. You do a section on the Adrenergic and Cholinergic nervous systems at the start of the year focusing heavily on adrenergic. That's followed by a huge block of lectures on cardiovascular pharm and a running tour of GI pharm and Resp pharm (2 lectures each) The advantages of the module for you are that it does relate to med chem. Taking it with endo and immune cuts down on study because a large chunk of the modules are interchangeable (saved my backside last year) The labs are the best run I had all year and they're actually good fun. The write ups tend to be harder than the norm though because you're given guidance for your intros (which can be like essays in second year) rather than being allowed to put the manual into your own words like you'll find in other modules.

I had friends do microbes and man. I've never taken a microbiology lecture in my life but they all enjoyed it... They're all microbiology students now in fact. There is a certain skill set required for their labs (Specific aseptic techniques, proper use of agar plates, safety precautions because you're working with microbes etc). Keeping that in mind you may be playing catch up in learning the practical skills because this is a second semester module but it shouldn't be too hard I wouldn't think.

Don't even know anyone who did your last option... Pity the last guy said it's trouble that's your only first semester option. My advice would be to even out our time table by sticking out the first semester module and taking endo and immune or to do the Pharm and the Endo together. Word of warning on the pharm though you NEED to go to your lectures.

Hope this helps

Victoria.

Fad wrote: »

Do NOT do Functioning of Biomolecules, it is a hopelessly bad module, lecturer is woeful, tutorials are woeful. I have nothing positive to say about it....

I dont know who's lecturing Inorganic this year, but pray it's not Albrecht!

Endocrine is supposed to be fairly hard but apparently really interesting

Thanks for the tip
I checked the page for that module and the guy's name doesn't feature on it but not worth the risk due to track record!

Endocrine sounds good! I think I'll chose that as one

I wish we had Mike Casey for a few lectures! He's amazing!

Victoria.

MissRealist wrote: »

I'm going into third year. I didn't do all your options but I did do two. Endocrine and Immune is good, and after the change in the examination last year relatively easy to pass. (It's a ridiculously high % EMQ at the end of the year with no negative marking) The labs are a bit of a joke because you write up in the labs and there's no set layout or marking scheme but that could change this year because we kicked up war about it last year... Once you're over the labs though its actually a decent module and interesting to boot! You'll do a lot of work on the different immune responses, and a HUGE amount on diabetes if last year is anything to go by. Most of your lecturers are pretty decent and there's a lot of overlap with other modules particularly biochem and even more so with Pharmacology.

Which leads me on to drug action in the body systems. That was my favourite module of second year (though I'm a pharmacology student so biased) It's not an easy module I won't lie. You do a section on the Adrenergic and Cholinergic nervous systems at the start of the year focusing heavily on adrenergic. That's followed by a huge block of lectures on cardiovascular pharm and a running tour of GI pharm and Resp pharm (2 lectures each) The advantages of the module for you are that it does relate to med chem. Taking it with endo and immune cuts down on study because a large chunk of the modules are interchangeable (saved my backside last year) The labs are the best run I had all year and they're actually good fun. The write ups tend to be harder than the norm though because you're given guidance for your intros (which can be like essays in second year) rather than being allowed to put the manual into your own words like you'll find in other modules.

I had friends do microbes and man. I've never taken a microbiology lecture in my life but they all enjoyed it... They're all microbiology students now in fact. There is a certain skill set required for their labs (Specific aseptic techniques, proper use of agar plates, safety precautions because you're working with microbes etc). Keeping that in mind you may be playing catch up in learning the practical skills because this is a second semester module but it shouldn't be too hard I wouldn't think.

Don't even know anyone who did your last option... Pity the last guy said it's trouble that's your only first semester option. My advice would be to even out our time table by sticking out the first semester module and taking endo and immune or to do the Pharm and the Endo together. Word of warning on the pharm though you NEED to go to your lectures.

Hope this helps

Thanks so much for your help

Second recommendation for endocrine and immune so I think I'll definitely go for that as one! Sounds really interesting! Just hope the labs have improved but anyway sounds great!

Drug Action in Body Systems sounds good and the overlap with endocrine is very appealing too of course! I had pharmacology down as my third choice so this module sounds like it would be a nice option for me

Those sound like the best match for me but yeah my only problem is that they're both semester two modules. Microbiology sounds good but it's such a pity it's in semester two it really means people will be landed with the other biochem one as it's the only semester one option.

It's ok though I think because out of the 8 core set for both semesters they're not distributed evenly so I have to take more cores in semester one so that will allow me to do both options in semester two

Thanks for your help

NaEthoxide

Sorry for the late reply. I did functioning of Biomolecules, Endocrine and immune biology and drug action in body systems.

I can see from the above posts, that most has been covered and things have changed since I did them.

My fav was the pharmacology on drug action in body systems. I found it interesting and the labs were enjoyful and different. There is alot of learning required with most pharm modules, but if you were thinking of doing medchem in the future, you should do it as you will have to do some in 3rd year most likely and you won't have the basics down. would be a nightmare imo.

The endocrine module was interesting from what I can remember but was also hard. I think we had a small MCQ and 2 out of 3 essays to write. I'm glad I picked the module though.

The functioning of biomolecules is hard to comment on. I LOVE chemistry so much, but looking back at it, I didn't gain anything from it. Actually I think its been my worst module results from a chem to date (did even better in inorganic ). It didn't have labs as far I remember. I just remember learning equations and subbing them and rearranging them. Its your call.

Overall, 2nd was the worst year for me. I found that there was loads of work and I didn't find it half as interesting as I thought I would. If you end up feeling the same, just stick in there! cause 3rd year is AMAZING! Best year to date. Everything gets so much more interesting!!!!!!!! I Love medchem

I hope some of that helps!

Victoria.

NaEthoxide wrote: »

Sorry for the late reply. I did functioning of Biomolecules, Endocrine and immune biology and drug action in body systems.

I can see from the above posts, that most has been covered and things have changed since I did them.

My fav was the pharmacology on drug action in body systems. I found it interesting and the labs were enjoyful and different. There is alot of learning required with most pharm modules, but if you were thinking of doing medchem in the future, you should do it as you will have to do some in 3rd year most likely and you won't have the basics down. would be a nightmare imo.

The endocrine module was interesting from what I can remember but was also hard. I think we had a small MCQ and 2 out of 3 essays to write. I'm glad I picked the module though.

The functioning of biomolecules is hard to comment on. I LOVE chemistry so much, but looking back at it, I didn't gain anything from it. Actually I think its been my worst module results from a chem to date (did even better in inorganic ). It didn't have labs as far I remember. I just remember learning equations and subbing them and rearranging them. Its your call.

Overall, 2nd was the worst year for me. I found that there was loads of work and I didn't find it half as interesting as I thought I would. If you end up feeling the same, just stick in there! cause 3rd year is AMAZING! Best year to date. Everything gets so much more interesting!!!!!!!! I Love medchem

I hope some of that helps!

Great to hear from another person that did Functioning of Biomolecules continuing on with the opinion that it isn't the best. Definitely going to try to avoid it now. I love chemistry too especially organic but if it's a really poor module it may be best to avoid if it wouldn't be a disadvantage later on. If it's an option and not a core though that kind of implies that it wouldn't be hugely detrimental to leave it out

I think I'll definitely go with the pharm one and endocrine They sound really interesting and everyone is saying they were the best success out of the 4 choices.

Thanks for the advice about sticking out 2nd year! I can see already from looking the modules up that nearly every single one seems to have labs with it so it looks like it'll certainly be busy. Did you find that you were overwhelmed with the amount of extra lab time or were you ok? Seems like a big step up from last year, about double the labs. I enjoy the time in the lab but it would be tiring enough I'd say having labs on a few consecutive afternoons.

Thanks so much for your help

Fad

Victoria. wrote: »

Thanks for the tip
I checked the page for that module and the guy's name doesn't feature on it but not worth the risk due to track record!

Endocrine sounds good! I think I'll chose that as one

I wish we had Mike Casey for a few lectures! He's amazing!

Yeah, he wasn't the module coordinator last year either, it was Willhelm Reisse, he did mainly lab things. But tbh, after the problems last year, I'm not sure Albrecht will do Inorganic again.

Organic in first year was my favourite part about first year, chemistry in second year was dire for me

Do the physical chemistry module in the first semester! It's supposed to be quite interesting and not overly difficult (Also the labs are supposed to be great!)