Pchem important for biochemistry, molecular bio, neurochemistry?

[jpfield at attbi.com]

In article <gf44vuokvmtjpm6h8lvqiqm88frq8a2c03 at 4ax.com>,
 Richard S. Norman <rnorman at umich.edu> wrote:

> On Sat, 07 Dec 2002 03:46:51 GMT, jpfield at attbi.com wrote:
> 
> >Hi, I am an undergrad student with a limited number of science courses 
> >that i can take. Physical chemistry doesn't really excite me that much, 
> >but I do want to take it if it's useful to the above mentioned fields. 
> >Is it? How useful? I am looking to get a whole bunch of opinions and the 
> >whys and why nots.
> >
> >Thanks for your input.
> 
> The fields you describe, biochem, molecular biology, and
> neurochemistry, all would benefit from a PChem background.  On
> our campus (U. Mich - Dearborn), a BS in biochemistry requires
> PCham.  A BS in Biology does not.  If you don't get it as an
> undergraduate you may need it as a grad student.  Even if you
> do have it as an undergrad, you may still need a more advanced
> course in it as a grad student. You will be taking courses
> where the PChem would be a useful background.
> 
> On the other hand, there definitely are subspecialties in those areas
> where you could manage perfectly well without PChem.
> 
> What are you majoring in?  What graduate programs do you intend
> to consider? The grad program in Biochem at UMich specifies 
> "Applicants should have completed course work in general, analytical,
> and organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and calculus.
> Undergraduate coursework in physical chemistry, molecular and cellular
> biology, and genetics is recommended. The faculty are particularly
> interested in students with significant undergraduate or postgraduate
> research experience"  Other schools are probably similar.
> 
> 
> 

oops, Im using someone elses computer and when I changed the settings it 
didn't save, so the above person (jpfield at attbi.com) is really me.

Anyway I plan on going to grad school to study human biology on a very 
small scale (from the celluar level to the molecular level) and Im 
mostly sure it will be to study some aspect of neuroscience. It sounds 
like I should take Pchem to keep my options open, but I also really want 
to take as many neuroscience courses as possible so I can really see if 
I like it before I commit myself to a grad program.