High School Preparation

While in high school, you should take as much biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics as possible. Take special advantage of courses that develop your problem solving ability and courses that give you laboratory experience.  The most important aspect of your high school education should be a solid foundation in English.  Read books!

Biochemistry is an experimental science. The biochemist learns to ask questions that can be answered by designing controlled experiments and then doing those experiments. If you enjoy working in a laboratory, you should consider biochemistry. The experimental system of the biochemist is a living organism. The biochemist wants to deduce the chemical structure of the molecules that make up living organisms. The biochemist wants to learn how these molecules function chemically within the living organism. Therefore, an interest in studying the chemistry of living organisms is essential to the biochemist.