Do you need Biochem for med school?

Biochemistry can be defined as the science of the chemical basis of life.

The main objective of biochemistry is a complete understanding, at the molecular level, of all chemical processes related to living cells.

To achieve this goal, biochemists have sought to isolate the many molecules found in cells, determine their structure, and analyze how they function.

In this brief guide, we’re going to answer the question ¨Do you need biochem for medical school? ¨ the basic concept of biochemistry and interesting facts about whether it’s used in the field of health or medicine.

Do you need Biochem for med school?

Yes, to complete the academic preparation of a general practitioner you must first study an undergraduate degree in some applied science. These undergraduate programs should be in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics.

Chemistry as a science studies both the composition, structure and properties of matter as well as the changes that it experiences during chemical reactions and its relationship with energy as a primary concept.

Is related to medicine in multiple processes. The chemistry is in medicine starting with the living being as matter and energy united.

Is part of the same study of chemistry, bringing up that the service has a composition, a structure, and some chemical properties, and in these processes.

They lead it to begin the study of chemistry in the same human being and started in a cell where there are infinite processes chemicals, from respiration thanks to the mitochondria, the Krebs cycle, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and there is the creation of proteins, fatty acids and all this is chemistry cells that have the same function form tissues, later organs, etc. 

Future doctors must understand processes at the cellular level in order to understand how the human body works. 

We have the quintessential chemical center in our body, understanding how it works and its different processes derive us from the complementary part of human chemistry and entering the pharmaceutical field with products that are used to prevent, calm, cure, or treat certain types of problems or diseases that the human being and the surrounding nature have as a causative factor.

What´s Medicine?

Medicine is the ‘science of healing’ or the practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a disease, infection or illness. Medicine is also synonymous with medicine or remedy or science that studies the diseases that affect human beings, the ways to prevent them and the forms of treatment to cure them.

Medicine, whose essential and general purpose is in the cure of the different Disorders of the Health that are manifested of different forms, as also it contemplates to all the relative thing to the Prevention of Diseases, taking like object of study the Human Being and deriving from the same one the different branches that treat specific subjects.

As it’s a science, it’s necessary to have its own method, and the first step is precisely the diagnosis, which consists of the set of techniques combined with the application of the Medical Technology that allows to compile and to analyze the set of Clinical Symptoms that a patient manifest, which will attend or will be transferred to a Medical Visit to be revised and analyzed in particular by the different specialists.

What fields of knowledge or specializations does medicine cover?

• Anatomy: The study of the physical structure of the body.
• Biochemistry: Study of the chemical components that are in the body.
• Biomechanics: The study of how the biological system is structured and functions.
• Biostatistics: Use of statistics in the biological field, especially in research.
• Biophysics: Integrated use of physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biological models to understand our biological systems.
• Cytology: A branch of pathology that studies cells in a microscopic way.
• Embryology: a branch of biology that studies the formation, growth and development of organisms.
• Endocrinology: Study the hormones and their impact on our bodies.
• Epidemiology: Is the study of the causes, distribution and control of diseases.
• Pharmacology: Is the study of pharmaceutical drugs or pharmaceuticals.
• Physiology: Study of how living organisms live, feed, move and reproduce.
• Microbiology: Is the study of microorganisms. Included in this branch of knowledge are bacteriology (bacteria), virology (virus), mycology (fungi) and parasitology (parasites)
• Neuroscience: Study the nervous system and the brain. This branch of knowledge includes the diseases of the nervous system, computational modeling; cognitive neuroscience, cellular neuroscience and molecular neuroscience.
• Nutrition: Study of how food and drink affect our health.

What’s biochemistry?

It’s a branch of science (fuses chemistry and biology) in charge of the study of the substances that are present in living organisms and the fundamental chemical reactions for vital processes. Biochemistry is a science that studies at the molecular level the characteristics, structure, organization and functions of the chemical components of living beings.

What does a Biochemist do?

A biochemist is dedicated to studying and investigating fundamentally the cell and the chemical nature of the compounds in a cell, as well as the chemical changes that take place in it and how living beings are affected if these chemical variables are altered. He does this from a molecular point of view and tries to understand and apply his knowledge to broad sectors of medicine (gene therapy and biomedicine), agrifood, pharmacology.

It is worth mentioning the performance and interpretation of human or animal clinical analysis, bromatology, toxicology, legal and forensic chemistry, microbiology, hematology, biology, and molecular genetics, among others.

The Journal of Biochemistry is a very interesting journal that deals with special reviews, data, and anecdotes from biochemists about biochemistry.

What is the relationship between biochemistry and medicine?

In order to understand the relationship of Biochemistry in Medicine, we must know that Biochemistry is defined as the science that studies living beings through chemical, physical, and biological procedures, that is, it understands the molecular basis of the chemical processes that take place in living beings, with greater importance in human beings. 

Besides, the cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of living beings and the center where chemical reactions occur. The science that deals with these reactions and chemical components of the cells is biochemistry. Biochemistry comprises areas such as cell biology, molecular biology and molecular genetics.

The purpose of biochemistry in medicine is to explain all the chemical processes of the cells and to understand when and how these processes and reactions occur. Also, biochemistry is of vital importance and fundamental in the understanding of the human body.

We can observe it in areas of medicine such as genetics, with the study of nucleic acids, physiology, which studies the functions of the body, immunology, which provides certain immunological criteria, pharmacology and pharmacy, which are sciences closely related to chemistry, since they can understand how drugs act by reacting with the components of the body. 

The main relationship between both sciences is the conservation of health and the treatment of disease. Biochemistry tries to explain in a structural way the molecules, reactions or processes that generate a disease, while medicine is in charge of diagnosing the disease.  

Biochemistry is fundamental and its studies have helped to clarify many aspects of health and disease.  

Thanks to the relationship between both sciences, it has been possible to develop preventive medicine that is responsible for preserving health and anticipating disease. Diseases start from a certain point of anomalies of molecules, chemical reactions, or processes, and it’s therefore the duty of biochemistry and medicine to maintain the state of health at its maximum.

What is the purpose of medicine and biochemistry?

The main objective of medicine and biochemistry is to maintain what is known as health, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, without leaving behind the perspective of talking about the set of intracellular and extracellular reactions that take place in the body.

In what areas does a biochemist work?

Biochemistry is an experimental science that has a promising present and a promising future, as the basis of biotechnology and biomedicine. A biochemist can work in the following areas:

• University professor: Research and teaching, in chemical and biological areas, as well as fields of application.
• Clinical and bacteriological laboratory: Analysis of samples (body fluids), blood chemistry, uroanalysis (analysis of urine), coprology (study of the faeces) and coproparasitary (study of parasites in the faeces), haematology (study of the blood), serology (study of antibodies in the blood), etc.
• Research in human immunology: Development of vaccines for human beings
• Research laboratories and creation of cosmetic products: Development of products from concept to transfer of manufacturing on a large scale.
• Quality Control Laboratories: Biochemists can perform both in the area of drug and food manufacturing.
• Microbiology research laboratories: The study of microscopic living beings (invisible to the human eye).
• Research in Biomedical Laboratory: sector related to health care.
• Publication of articles in medical and scientific research journals

What is biomedical importance?

Biochemistry and medicine enjoy a relationship of mutual cooperation. Biochemical studies have clarified many aspects of health and disease, and the study of various aspects of health and disease has opened up new areas of biochemistry.

The medical importance of biochemistry in both normal and abnormal situations is emphasized throughout this book. Biochemistry makes important contributions to the fields of cell biology, physiology, immunology, microbiology, pharmacology, and toxicology, as well as to the fields of inflammation, cell injury, and cancer.

These close relationships emphasize that life, as it’s known, depends on biochemical reactions and processes.

So, is biochemistry necessary in medicine?

Biochemistry is an experimental science that has a promising present and future, as a basis for biotechnology and biomedicine. Biochemistry is basic for the formation of transgenic organisms and foods, bioremediation, or gene therapy, and it is a beacon and hope of the great challenges. There is no doubt that the changes it will bring will greatly benefit humanity.

FAQSs: Do you need Biochem for med school?

In this guide we answered the question “Do you need a biochemist for medical school?” and the most common questions about what tasks a biochemist does, if they have any relation to medicine and if you need biochemistry for med school. 

So, are these topics interesting?

If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.

References 

‌ Become a Clinical Biochemist. (2012). Retrieved October 6, 2020, from Acbi.ie website: http://www.acbi.ie/Biochemist.htm

 RGTalent. (2019, June 18). The importance of biochemistry in medical science. Retrieved October 6, 2020, from SRG website: https://www.srgtalent.com/blog/the-importance-of-biochemistry-in-medical-science

What can I do with a biochemistry degree? | Prospects.ac.uk. (2020). Retrieved October 6, 2020, from Prospects.ac.uk website: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/biochemistry 

What is biochemistry? – Biochemistry. (2019, April 16). Retrieved from Biochemistry website: https://www.biochemistry.org/education/careers/becoming-a-bioscientist/what-is-biochemistry/