Organic Chemistry is a daunting, anxiety -inducing subject for many an ambitious undergraduate. It is a required course for admission into many medical schools. It is traditionally taught in the second year although some freshmen take the course. Here at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR ) we have joined a handful of other institutions where organic chemistry is taught to first year students. Why on earth would you teach such a daunting subject, which is notorious for being a weed out course, in the first year? We believe that the Organic First curriculum has certain advantages over the traditional general chemistry first curriculum. Here's a link to a useful resource for faculty interested in the organic first curriculum.
