Classes before MCAT - Human Phys/Genetics/Biochem?

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Hi everyone. I am a rising sophomore and I'm just planning out my schedule for the rest of undergrad. I plan on taking the MCAT in January 2014, which is right after winter break in Junior year. This gives me all of summer before Junior year to study, plus through the semester and winter break.

For the summer before junior year, I plan on taking 1 science course. Which one will be most beneficial for the MCAT? Human Physiology, Biochem, or Genetics? I will have completed the following science courses by then:

Gen Chem (AP)
Bio 1 (w/ lab), 2 (w/lab), and Cell Bio (no lab)
Orgo 1, 2 (both with lab)
Physics 1, 2 (both with lab)

Please let me know what you think! thanks

btw - i am not planning on taking Microbiology, at least before MCAT. Would that be OK?

Originally Posted by bluebillion

Hi everyone. I am a rising sophomore and I'm just planning out my schedule for the rest of undergrad. I plan on taking the MCAT in January 2014, which is right after winter break in Junior year. This gives me all of summer before Junior year to study, plus through the semester and winter break.

For the summer before junior year, I plan on taking 1 science course. Which one will be most beneficial for the MCAT? Human Physiology, Biochem, or Genetics? I will have completed the following science courses by then:

Gen Chem (AP)
Bio 1 (w/ lab), 2 (w/lab), and Cell Bio (no lab)
Orgo 1, 2 (both with lab)
Physics 1, 2 (both with lab)

Please let me know what you think! thanks

btw - i am not planning on taking Microbiology, at least before MCAT. Would that be OK?

Micro wont really help that much. I have heard that taking physiology is really good (especially is you didn't get a good foundation in general bio). But, if you didnt enjoy orgo that much Biochem may be quite helpful.

Originally Posted by bluebillion

Hi everyone. I am a rising sophomore and I'm just planning out my schedule for the rest of undergrad. I plan on taking the MCAT in January 2014, which is right after winter break in Junior year. This gives me all of summer before Junior year to study, plus through the semester and winter break.

For the summer before junior year, I plan on taking 1 science course. Which one will be most beneficial for the MCAT? Human Physiology, Biochem, or Genetics? I will have completed the following science courses by then:

Gen Chem (AP)
Bio 1 (w/ lab), 2 (w/lab), and Cell Bio (no lab)
Orgo 1, 2 (both with lab)
Physics 1, 2 (both with lab)

Please let me know what you think! thanks

btw - i am not planning on taking Microbiology, at least before MCAT. Would that be OK?

Human Physiology is definitely the course I would take. You learn about 80% of the MCAT bio section just in that course. Genetics is important too - I would take both classes if you could.

Originally Posted by kimicurtis

Micro wont really help that much. I have heard that taking physiology is really good (especially is you didn't get a good foundation in general bio). But, if you didnt enjoy orgo that much Biochem may be quite helpful.

Biochem won't help - it is too specific. In physiology, you will learn the basics of glycolysis, ETC, krebs cycle, etc that is sufficient for the MCAT.

For the semester before MCAT, I am planning on taking NO science classes to devote 100% to MCAT. Would anyone recommend taking 1 science course (genetics, for example) during this time to help prepare me further? Or would I be better off doing it on my own?

thanks

Psychology, Sociology, and Biochemistry if you want bonus points.

What will be different about the MCAT exam in 2013 and 2014?

If you plan to take the MCAT exam in 2013 or 2014, please note that the Writing Sample section will no longer be part of the exam. In its place, a voluntary, unscored trial section will be added to the MCAT exam starting in January 2013. These unscored questions within this trial section will come from one of the content areas that will be added to MCAT in 2015. These include psychology, sociology, and biochemistry. Including the trial section, the 2013 and 2014 total testing times will be the same as 2012. The trial section will be administered under standard conditions for all examinees. Examinees that volunteer to participate, and put forth a good faith effort, will be compensated. Please note that admissions officers will continue to receive Writing Sample scores from exams taken in 2012 and prior.

Originally Posted by bluebillion

For the semester before MCAT, I am planning on taking NO science classes to devote 100% to MCAT. Would anyone recommend taking 1 science course (genetics, for example) during this time to help prepare me further? Or would I be better off doing it on my own?

thanks

Like I said - I am very thankful I took Physiology and Genetics prior to my MCAT (which is coming up in 3 days). Physiology more so.

Human Anat/Phys and Genetics pay huge dividends

Personally, my biochem class was extremely extremely great prep for the MCAT. My intro bio classes didn't give me the breadth and depth necessary to tackle the MCAT and I really understood the material when I took them and got As in both. I did however take the chemistry version of biochem. For the record I am not a biology major. I am curious as to why people feel physio helped them since I believe systems and anatomy really don't show up on the MCAT all that much. At the same time protein synthesis, deeper examples of the central dogma, feedback mechanisms, how cells function internally and as groups, etc seem to show up a decent amount. My biochem class went into great depth a lot more subjects the MCAT makes us responsible for than I feel a physio class would. Just out of curiosity, what did you guys get in physio that isn't covered in biochem but helped?

With that said, having physio when you start med school will definitely give you a leg up! That and the TBR physio books (first set) is solid stuff!

Originally Posted by EnginrTheFuture

Personally, my biochem class was extremely extremely great prep for the MCAT. My intro bio classes didn't give me the breadth and depth necessary to tackle the MCAT and I really understood the material when I took them and got As in both. I did however take the chemistry version of biochem. For the record I am not a biology major. I am curious as to why people feel physio helped them since I believe systems and anatomy really don't show up on the MCAT all that much. At the same time protein synthesis, deeper examples of the central dogma, feedback mechanisms, how cells function internally and as groups, etc seem to show up a decent amount. My biochem class went into great depth a lot more subjects the MCAT makes us responsible for than I feel a physio class would. Just out of curiosity, what did you guys get in physio that isn't covered in biochem but helped?

With that said, having physio when you start med school will definitely give you a leg up! That and the TBR physio books (first set) is solid stuff!

I agree with Engnr. I definitely felt way more comfortable with the BS section after taking Biochem. I felt more familiar with a lot of the orgo/bio-orgo questions, even if the material wasn't directly tested. I was also able to apply a couple of quick shortcuts based off what I learned in Biochem.

Genetics was helpful too, but MCAT doesn't go into too much depth as they do in Genetics courses ... . If you can master those computational abilities with the basics of genetics.. you will be set for the genetics being tested on the MCAT.

So my advice is to do Biochem. But it's up to you and you may want to talk with people that you personally know who have recently taken the actual MCAT.