Study Saturday: How to Succeed in General Chemistry I

General Chemistry I is often the prerequisite that causes the most anxiety for pre-PT students. It is quantitative, fast-paced, and builds on itself relentlessly. But it is also very learnable with the right approach. Most DPT programs require two semesters of general chemistry with labs (8 credit hours), and these courses must be designed for science majors or pre-health students, not survey-level introductions.

Why DPT Programs Require Chemistry

Chemistry is not just a box to check. It provides the molecular-level foundation for courses you will take in your DPT program:

• Pharmacology: understanding drug mechanisms, absorption, metabolism, and interactions with body tissues
• Physiology: cellular processes, acid-base balance, electrolyte chemistry, and buffer systems that maintain homeostasis
• Exercise physiology: how cells produce energy (ATP, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation) and how the body responds to physical stress
• Tissue healing: the biochemical cascades involved in inflammation, wound healing, and tissue repair

Beyond content, completing general chemistry demonstrates your ability to handle rigorous quantitative science coursework, which admissions committees view as a predictor of DPT success.

What You Will Cover

A standard Gen Chem I course typically includes:

• Matter and measurement: classification of matter, units, significant figures, dimensional analysis
• Atomic structure: subatomic particles, isotopes, atomic theory, quantum numbers, electron configurations
• Periodic trends: atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity, electron affinity
• Chemical bonding: ionic vs. covalent bonds, Lewis structures, resonance, VSEPR theory, molecular geometry, polarity, hybridization
• The mole concept: Avogadro's number, molar mass, percent composition, empirical and molecular formulas
• Stoichiometry: balancing equations, mole-to-mass conversions, limiting reagents, percent yield
• Reactions in aqueous solution: solubility rules, precipitation reactions, net ionic equations, acid-base reactions, redox reactions, molarity
• Thermochemistry: enthalpy, calorimetry, Hess's Law, standard enthalpies of formation
• Gases: gas laws (Boyle's, Charles's, ideal gas law), Dalton's law, kinetic molecular theory
• Intermolecular forces: London dispersion, dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonding, phase diagrams

Study Strategies That Work

Practice problems relentlessly. Gen Chem is more like a math class than a memorization class. Reading notes and re-reading the textbook will not prepare you for exams. Solving problems is the single most effective study method. Rework textbook examples, seek extra problem sets, and time yourself under exam conditions.

Use the "Givens and Goal" technique. For every problem, write down what information you have (givens) and what the question asks you to find (goal) before attempting a solution. Then identify which equation or concept connects them. This structured approach prevents the most common exam mistakes.

Study 1-2 hours daily, not in marathons. Gen Chem moves fast and each topic builds on the previous one. If you fall behind, the material compounds quickly. Short, consistent daily sessions significantly outperform cramming for both understanding and retention.

Pre-read before lecture. Even skimming the headings, figures, and key terms in the assigned section before class transforms lecture from a first exposure into a reinforcement session. Most students skip this step, which puts them at an immediate disadvantage.

Show all work. Document every step in problem-solving. This earns partial credit on exams and, more importantly, helps you identify exactly where mistakes occur when reviewing.

Build concept maps. Connect related topics visually. Atomic structure relates to bonding, which relates to molecular geometry, which relates to intermolecular forces, which relates to properties of matter. Understanding these connections helps you solve problems that cross topic boundaries.

Master vocabulary first. Chemistry has its own specialized language. If you do not understand terms like "stoichiometry," "empirical formula," or "enthalpy," everything downstream will be confusing. Make flashcards for new terms as they appear.

Take labs seriously. Hands-on experiments anchor abstract concepts. Observing color changes, precipitates, and gas formation makes reactions tangible in a way that textbook descriptions cannot replicate. Read the lab procedure before arriving so you understand what you are doing and why.

Free Resources

Video lectures:

• Khan Academy Chemistry covers the full Gen Chem I curriculum with self-paced videos and practice exercises
• Professor Dave Explains offers a comprehensive general chemistry series using whiteboard explanations and 3D molecular models
• The Organic Chemistry Tutor (despite the name) has extensive Gen Chem content with step-by-step problem walkthroughs, with over 5 million subscribers
• CrashCourse Chemistry has 46 engaging episodes good for initial exposure or review
• MIT OpenCourseWare 5.111SC provides the full MIT Gen Chem course with lecture videos, notes, problem sets, and exams with solutions

Free textbooks:

• OpenStax Chemistry 2e covers the full two-semester sequence, peer-reviewed and completely free
• Chemistry LibreTexts hosts 24+ free general chemistry textbooks including remixed versions of popular commercial texts

Interactive tools:

• PhET Interactive Simulations from the University of Colorado provides free interactive simulations for atomic structure, balancing equations, gas properties, and solutions
• Wolfram Alpha lets you check answers, balance equations, calculate molar masses, and solve stoichiometry problems

Recommended Textbooks

• Chemistry: The Central Science by Brown, LeMay, Bursten et al. (Pearson, 15th edition) is the most widely adopted Gen Chem textbook in the U.S.
• Chemistry: A Molecular Approach by Nivaldo Tro (Pearson, 6th edition) takes an atoms-first approach with strong visual emphasis and the "Sort, Strategize, Solve and Check" problem-solving framework
• Chemistry by Raymond Chang and Jason Overby (McGraw-Hill, 14th edition) is especially accessible for students who feel intimidated by chemistry
• OpenStax Chemistry 2e by Paul Flowers et al. is free and covers the same scope as commercial texts
• Preparing for Your ACS Examination in General Chemistry from the ACS Exams Institute is essential if your course uses the ACS standardized final

Apps Worth Using

• Anki for spaced repetition flashcards covering vocabulary, reactions, and concepts
• PhET Simulations for interactive exploration of atomic structure, molecular geometry, and gas behavior
• Wolfram Alpha for checking calculations and verifying balanced equations
• PTABLE is a free, interactive web-based periodic table with orbital diagrams, isotope data, and trend visualization
• MolView for free 3D molecular structure visualization

How This Connects to DPT School

When you study acid-base balance in your DPT physiology course, you will draw on the chemistry of pH, buffers, and equilibrium. When you learn about muscle energy systems in exercise physiology, you will understand ATP production because you learned thermochemistry and reaction energetics here. When you encounter pharmacology, the concepts of molecular structure, polarity, and intermolecular forces will help you understand how drugs interact with receptors and cross cell membranes. Chemistry is the invisible scaffolding beneath much of your DPT curriculum.

This is part of our Study Saturday series, where we break down how to succeed in each PT school prerequisite course. For an overview of all prerequisites, see understanding PT school prerequisites.