William J. Mueller University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie 54751
A Selective Study Approach to Organic Chemistry for Health Science Majors
New texts in organic chemistry for non majors have been taking small steps toward making organic chemistry relevant for students in health science disciplines.' At the University of Wisconsin-Stout, a new approach to onesemester organic chemistry for students in dietetics is now in use and since its inception, has been studied to determine student interest and to follow student success after taking the course. Since the approach is radical and apparently successful, a description of the course and the rationale used to determine topics and the order of their presentation is given. Description and Rationale of Course Since students in this course are not primarily interested in chemistry per se, the course was tailored to the more specific needs of these students. Rejected were many of the traditional philosophies of teaching organic chemistry and many of the subjects traditionally taught. The bare minimum of topics necessary for student success in the succeeding hiochemistry course and in parallel courses in other disciplines (such as food science and nutrition courses) was selected. Also a simplified mechanistic approach to the study of the topics was chosen. The course was taueht bv the conventional lecture-test method simply because eificiency demands of teaching meant that individualized instruction was impossible. The outline for the course follbws 1) Bonding; introduction to reaction mechanisms; formal charge 2) Introduction to reaction mechanisms; electrophilicity, nueleophilicity 3) Aldehydes and ketones, mechanisms of additions 4) Acids and acid derivatives 5) Fats, oils; sapanificat~on 6) Alcohols, amines 7) Carbon cations and anions 8) Aldol condensation 9) IUPAC naming 10) Stereochemistry 11) Carbohydrates 12) Amino acids; proteins 13) Other biologieallv molecules (DNA, RNA, ATP, . . important . etc.) 14) Topics of general interest (drugs,plastics) The bulk of the course deals with reactions of the carbony1 group. Additions to aldehydes and ketones are studied thoroughly and the main mechanistic pathways for these additions are extended to reactions that involve the carboxyl group and its derivatives. The rationale for this choice is that carbohydrate metabolism involves carbonyl group chemistry. The formation of proteins requires the study of the carhoxyl group and its reactions. Since additions to the carhonyl group require alcohols, amines, water, and other nucleophiles, the study of these groups becomes an integral part of the course. Omitted from the course is any study of hydrocarbon chemistry. This is simply not immediately relevant to the study of hiochemistry. Also omitted are ethers and to a large extent organo-halide compounds. These compounds are covered extensively in the usual organic chemistry courses, but again they have little immediate relevance to the study of biochemistry. Soft-pedaled is the study of alkenes and aromatic systems. Again, relative importance to elementary biochem674
/ Journal of Chemical Education
istry is used to place these groups in perspective. The course does not introduce formal naming until the middle of the course. Up to that point, many structures are introduced and the names are given to them but the student is not asked to learn them. The student is ready and very willing to learn the IUPAC naming system when it is introduced. Efficiency in teaching naming is surprising. Results Student Opinion Student opinion surveys are becoming a standard part of evaluation of teaching and courses at Stout. Surveys returned by students who have been involved in this course are very favorable to the approach and the relevance of the course to their immediate needs. There were several students who took a more conventional organic chemistry course and then this one. These students all stated that the new course was much more easily assimilated and more relevant than the other courses they twk. Student Performance A short examination covering some of the topics normally found in an organic chemistry course was prepared by several faculty members and administered to students in the subsequent biochemistry course on the first day of that course. Comparison of test results for students who took this course and those who took a more conventional course showed that students from the new course averaged about 15% better on the exam than those from the conventional course. From this information, it can be said that students in the new course learn at least as much as those taught a conventional course. Some of the students from the introductory course elect to take a second semester of oreanic chemistw. Performance of students in the second semester course has improved considerahlv since the introduction of the new course. Increase in Number of Students Electing- a Second Semester of Organic Chemistry A second semester of oraanic chemistry has been offered for only three years a t scout. It is an elective for all the students enrolled. Since the introduction of the new introductory organic chemistry course, enrollment in the second semester of organic chemistry has tripled. Virtually all of the students in the second semester course this year have taken the new introductory course. Students in the conventional organic course (which is also still offered) have not elected the second semester course. Apparently, the new course and its choice of topics makes organic chemistry inviting to students whose main interest is in areas other than chemistry. Conclusions From data on student opinion and from the performance of students who have taken the course, it is apparent that the course is successful. Learning does not suffer by limiting the number of topics covered. Naming is introduced without trauma. Students can get "turned on" to chemistry by this type of course when the more conventional courses do little for them. 'See examples of current texts such as Baker. Bernard R., "Organic Chemistry," Wadsworth Publishing Ca. Inc., 1971.
