Tips from the Experts (1)
3 myths about CB:
1. It’s not important for a doctor to know.
Truth: Wrong. Many diseases have a biochemical basis. A good knowledge of CB can help you find the antidote for a child who has swallowed antifreeze, for example. J
2. It’s the hardest subject, because out of the 3 tracks, CB usually has the highest number of people going for Vivas and supp papers.
Truth: CB does usually have the highest number of people going for Vivas, but some of these are actually distinction Vivas. It is also reputed to be the easiest subject to score a distinction for. Also, for our year, CB was the only track that we didn’t have any essay CAs for, so some people found the essay style in the Pros difficult to handle. Basically, with the right approach and lots of hard work, it should be manageable.
3. There are too many enzyme names to remember for CB.
Truth: Precisely! You don’t have to remember all the enzymes in every single pathway. The pathways are provided in a booklet during exams, minus all the enzyme names of course. We all have limited brain capacities. Pick out those enzymes which are important to memorise. For a good guide as to which are important, listen during lectures! Lecturers tend to repeat important points. Also, those that are clinically important should be taken note of as well. J
Getting started:
Textbooks
There are two main recommended texts for CB: Mark’s, Mark’s and Smith’s (MMS), and Lippincott’s. Some seniors use other texts like Devlin, but it’s all a matter of personal preference. Lippincott’s is very clear and concise. Information is presented in point form which I personally find easy to comprehend and memorise. Lots of useful summary diagrams for memorizing as well. However, MMS has a more clinical approach. The case studies in MMS have been reputed to be favoured by the lecturers as exam and CA questions. There are also some extra information that are not found in Lippincott’s. Information is presented in a prose style. Take a look at both books in the library or from your seniors to see which suits your style more. It’s entirely a matter of personal preference.
My recommendation: I had the privilege of having a senior loan me her MMS for the year. I bought a Lippincott’s. For pre-lecture reading, I suggest you read MMS for a clinical picture of the topic. However, this can be pretty heavy for a first-time read. Lippincott’s will do fine as well. I prefer Lippincott’s for studying, but take a look at the clinical cases in MMS at some time in your entire year.
The lecture notes are usually in powerpoint format. If you’re like me and don’t like powerpoint notes, use the notes as a guide to the important points of the topic, and then study those points in your textbooks. However, some topics are better studied using the notes, especially Prof Sit K.P’s notes for detox. All you need to know are inside the notes.
Lectures
Listen! Enough said.
Studying
Don’t get overwhelmed by all the metabolic pathways. Always look at the big picture (as Prof Raj says)
Don’t get sidetracked and think that only metabolic pathways are important in CB. In fact, metabolic pathways probably take up about half of the CB paper. The other half is usually composed of topics like nervous transmission, genetics, etc. These topics can be easy to study because they are shorter and less confusing than metabolic pathways.
Such topics include:
For metabolic pathways, you don’t have to remember every single step. For each pathway, ask yourself these questions and make sure you know them:
Basically, if you can answer these questions, you know the pathway quite well. It may be useful to do a compare and contrast of certain pathways, e.g. glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Study smart, not just hard. You don’t have to memorise every single thing, or rather, you can’t. Ask your seniors for help when you’re not sure how to proceed.
Lee Yi Yong, M1 02/03
Tips from the Experts (2)
Many think the CB track requires immense memory work but just as is true for any other subject, understanding and integrating of information helps one to retain facts over a longer term and with less difficulty. The keyword is hence consistency. Read up conscientiously the textbooks and notes after each lecture. Understand and integrate the information learnt to retain the facts. Those who read their textbooks and notes for the very first time just before each CA remember the facts for the CA but do not recall them later since most topics are covered within the first semester. The common lament is the need to learn everything again.
The CA and the final paper are approached differently as the former consists of multiple choice questions whereas the latter consists of essay questions. Often, the CA requires one to recall minute detail i.e. either you know it or you don’t. Whatever printed in your notes can be asked! Some questions require selecting the best answer out of five correct options. The final paper requires a bigger picture and less detail. Don’t try to remember everything like what you did for the CA. Remember the essential things. The syllabus states what is essential and what is not.
For the distinction viva, questions from within and out of the syllabus have been asked. So make sure you are at least certain of the facts that are within the syllabus. Don’t be caught dumbfounded! Bear in mind they want a big picture and not so much of detail. Don’t smoke your way through questions you don’t know. Admit your ignorance and make an intelligent guess.
All the best for the year ahead!
Kenneth Huang Wenjie, M1 02/03
Biochemistry MCQs: These are normal MCQs, no marks are deducted for wrong answers.
Biochemistry essay questions: The first and last time you’ll encounter these essay questions will be during the first professionals. Do check out past year essay questions, otherwise you might be shocked the first time you encounter these essays.