Barely passed Organic Chem. Should I be worried?

snow_bear · Mar 18, 2012

What type of program are you trying to get into? I've never heard of O-Chem being required for any nursing program other than those at the grad level (NP, CRNA, etc.).

A&P at the pre-nursing school level only requires a basic knowledge of chem - you'll do fine.

Humulus · Mar 18, 2012

We had to do a bio/org chem class as a prerequisite to A&P. But it was just a intro level class. You don't need to worry at all. You could take A&P without ever having taken a chem class and easily succeed. It's only really basic stuff required for A&P. A few people in my classes were mad that we even had to take the chem and bio classes before A&P. So you'll be fine as long as the B won't hurt your application GPA.

jtboog2003 · Mar 19, 2012

Chemistry, especially Organic or Inorganic Chemistry is definitely not for everyone. Just because you barely passed Chem doesn't mean you won't do well in your Anatomy and Physiology classes. I know personally that I hate Chemistry, and so I got a B in it, only by really trying to work hard. It didn't help that I was in the class with a bunch of new high school graduates who had just taken the course like a year or two ago, and I was 22, and took it freshman year in high school (was 14) I have done really well after that, and have gotten A's in all my science classes after that. Don't get discouraged, just because you aren't acing your pre-reqs doesn't mean you shouldn't be a nurse. There are plenty of nurses who are horrible, and had high gpas, and there are great nurses who have average gpa's.

nguyency77, CNA · Mar 21, 2012

Wow, I can't believe your school requires organic chem as a nursing pre-requisite. Unless you're at the grad level, that's usually something that pre-pharmacy and pre-medical students take. My friend was pre-pharmacy and he had to take it. He got a B, but I believe he said the class average was a D. It's a very hard class, and I actually think a B is awesome for organic chemistry.

I got an A+ in chemistry (my school uses a fraction grading system), but it was inorganic and was at a very basic level. Right now I'm doing really well in anatomy & physiology, but I think it was more because I had a good handle on introductory biology. It wasn't so much the chemistry. As long as you have a basic idea of chemistry, I think you will be fine. Best wishes! :)

Humulus · Mar 21, 2012

Other than dealing with ion pumps/action potentials/and the like - all I can remember needing any chemistry for is stuff like acid-base balancing. Youll do fine.

mc0306 · Mar 21, 2012

Thanks everyone!

Ok maybe I made a mistake.... apparently its General Chem but my book said Organic chem, which is why I thought it was organic. Either way, I understood the lectures for the most part. The tests were just very tricky.

BUT my next chem class is Chem 131 Organic/Bio. So that will be my next challenge. I live in Washington and most nursing schools that I know of require 131.

jocy_anne · Mar 21, 2012

I don't know if your school is like mine (I'm from NJ and the school I'm applying to is in PA), but we're required to take either two semesters of Gen Chem or one semester of Gen Chem and one semester of Biochem. I opted to take the two semesters of Gen Chem. The first semester was all about inorganic chemistry, and now this semester is all about organic chemistry. However, I don't think it's quite as detailed as a regular Organic Chem class. It sounds like your class might be set up the same way. Regardless, if you're studying carbon and functional groups (alkanes, alkenes, ketones, etc.), you're studying Organic Chem, which is tricky even in a Gen Chem class.

Luckily, Chem and A&P are two totally different courses, so even if you're struggling with Chem (and, really, you're not because you still have a B!), that doesn't necessarily mean you'll struggle with A&P. Just keep plugging along, and see if you can form some study groups for Chem if you want to boost your grade. You may actually learn something better from a fellow student than you would from the teacher. I think you're going to do really well! Good luck to you! :)

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 21, 2012

So many schools are different with required courses. Half the schools in my area require Bio Chem for a BSN and half do not.

I will say that your performance in Chem shouldn't affect your performance in A&P. How are you doing in your other science courses? Most schools won't let you take A&P until you've completed Biology & Chemistry first. If you're acing your other sciences, you should do just fine in A&P. Anatomy is mostly rote memorization...ALOT of memorization. Physiology uses more chem background. Does your school require a separate Anatomy and Physiology course? Or do you take 2 semesters of combined A&P?

johnny depp23 · Mar 22, 2012

Organic Chemistry for nursing? lol. Anyway - A N P is easyyyyyy!!! Just make sure to review your notes and study.

momtojosh · Mar 22, 2012

i received a C+ in intro to chem 3 yrs ago...and A's in the A & Ps....hated chem......just got done doing some chem in microbio....hate it still....i just cant grasp it...anyway......i got my letter of acceptance in Feb for fall 12......

micro is my last co-req...so now all i have is the RN program....part time....each semester is less than 12 credit hrs....

mc0306 · Mar 23, 2012

So many schools are different with required courses. Half the schools in my area require Bio Chem for a BSN and half do not.
I will say that your performance in Chem shouldn't affect your performance in A&P. How are you doing in your other science courses? Most schools won't let you take A&P until you've completed Biology & Chemistry first. If you're acing your other sciences, you should do just fine in A&P. Anatomy is mostly rote memorization...ALOT of memorization. Physiology uses more chem background. Does your school require a separate Anatomy and Physiology course? Or do you take 2 semesters of combined A&P?

I am quite good at memorizing in my opinion. I have heard from other students as well that A&P is alot of memorization. Where I live Anatomy and Physiology are together, A&P 1 and A&P 2. I hope that I can do well in those.