Is EK audio osmosis still relevant?

[DavetheMD]

I recently got a copy of this. Just curious if anyone has taken the MCAT recently and If they had used this to improve their score.

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[FrkyBgStok]

kind of. there are a bunch of errors, but you can find a list online about all of them. basically audio osmosis is a supplement and great for memorizing stuff in different ways. there are stupid stories that i still remember and little ways to help memorize things, but it isn't great to use exclusively.

it is basically full of little things to help remember, like the hormones of the anterior pituitary being FLAT PiG and stuff like that. Definitely worth listening to.

 

[Hemorrage]

I bought the series off a friend recently and I find it extremely annoying how they make all these annoying jokes between files..

 

[DavetheMD]

kind of. there are a bunch of errors, but you can find a list online about all of them. basically audio osmosis is a supplement and great for memorizing stuff in different ways. there are stupid stories that i still remember and little ways to help memorize things, but it isn't great to use exclusively.

it is basically full of little things to help remember, like the hormones of the anterior pituitary being FLAT PiG and stuff like that. Definitely worth listening to.

Thanks for pointing that out. Sometimes I like to take a visual rest from studying and see if I can just conceptualize these concepts in my mind and it looks like it will work for that.

I bought the series off a friend recently and I find it extremely annoying how they make all these annoying jokes between files..

Agreed. The jokes are incredibly juvenile and cheesy. Maybe some people feel like its refreshing, but I think they're a waste of time.

And doesn't one of them sound exactly like Mark Wahlberg or is it just me?

 

[Buttafuoco]

The younger sounding dude reminds me of Jay Novella and the older one reminds me of the walrus mustache guy from Mythbusters.

I listened to the tracks several times. They're not magic, but it's nice to just go over the concepts again and again casually when you're working out, driving, whatever.

 

[couldabeenadoc]

Here's what I found regarding the errors, fwiw.​

Examkrackers MCAT Audio Osmosis CD ERRORS​

CD #3 Track 17: The terms 'cohesive' and 'adhesive' are reversed when Jordan says:
"The cohesive forces of water to glass are greater than the adhesive forces of water to water. The cohesive forces can cause a water column to climb the glass of a thin test tube. This is called capillary action. If the adhesive forces are stronger than the cohesive forces, like mercury in a glass test tube, the miniscus is convexed and will be pulled downward in a thin test tube."

He should have said:
"The adhesive forces of water to glass are greater than the cohesive forces of water to water. The adhesive forces can cause a water column to climb the glass of a thin test tube. This is called capillary action. If the cohesive forces are stronger than the adhesive forces, like mercury in a glass test tube, the miniscus is convexed and will be pulled downward in a thin test tube."

All other references to cohesive and adhesive are correct.

Cohesive forces are the forces between molecules within the fluid, such as water-to-water forces. Adhesive forces are the forces between the molecules of the fluid and the container, such as water-to-glass.
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CD #4 Track 2: Coulomb's law constant is 8.9x10 to the positive 9 not negative 9.

This edit is courtesy of one of our astute listeners. Thank you for the edit.

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CD #4 Track 18: When discussing the critical angle Jordan says "If the light is moving from a lower idex of refraction to a higher index of refraction..."

Total internal reflection occurs when light tries to move from a medium with a HIGH index of refraction to a medium with a LOW index of refraction and the angle of incidence is so great that all the light is reflected back into the high indexed medium.

In the same discussion, Jon says "The larger index of refraction must be on the top of the ratio." when solving for the critical angle with Snell's law. The opposite is true. The larger index of refraction must be on the bottom of the ratio, so that the ratio is a fraction less than one.
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CD #5 Track 7: Stand alone timers are no longer allowed on the MCAT. You are limited to a watch.
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CD #6 Track 5: Jon says "The equilibrium expression changes with temperature, but is not affected by a catalyst or by concentrations." He should have said "The equilibrium CONSTANT changes with temperature, but the EQUILIBRIUM EXPRESSION does not. Neither the equilibrium expression nor the equilibrium constant is affected by a catalyst or by concentrations. "
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CD #6 track 15: Jordan says that the net heat transfer rate is proportional to... ...the temperature difference between the body and the environment raised to the fourth power. net heat transfer = sigma*epsilon*A*(T^4 - Te^4).

The net heat transfer is actually proportional to

T^4 - Te^4) NOT (T-Te)^4

At low temperture differences, Newton's law of cooling says that the rate of cooling of a body is approximately proportional to the temperature difference between the body and the environment.
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CD #7 Track 2: While discussing melting Jon says "It is interesting to relate thermodynamics to the heat curve... ...But the enthalpy change is NEGATIVE"

Jon should have said "It is interesting to relate thermodynamics to the heat curve... ...But the enthalpy change is POSITIVE" Both enthalpy change and entropy change are positive during melting. Everything else in the track still applies. If both entropy and enthalpy change are positive, delta G depends upon temperature.
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CD #7 Track 8: Jordan says "Lewis acids: donate; bases: accept." This is backwards. Lewis acids accept a pair of electrons and Lewis bases donate a pair of electrons.
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CD #7 track 10: Jordan says that the pH of a solution with a hydrogen ion concentration of 3.6x10^-4 is 4.5. It is 3.5.
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CD #7 Track 11: Jordan says "The log of A times B equals the log A times the log of B." He should say "The log of A times B equals the log of A plus the log of B."
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CD #7 Track 26: Jon says "..the arteriole red blood cells contain fewer chloride ions than venous red blood cells."

If Jon had been thinking correctly he would have said "..the arteriole red blood cells contain MORE chloride ions than venous red blood cells."
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CD #7 Track 30: Jordan says "If delta G zero is positive, K is greater than one. If delta G zero is negative, then K is less than one." This is backwards. A positive delta G zero indicates a K less than one, and a negative delta G zero indicates a K greater than one.
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CD #8 Track 23: Jon says "...dragging the second tRNA to the P site, adn exposing the P site for yet another tRNA."
Jon should say: "...dragging the second tRNA to the P site, and exposing the A site for yet another tRNA."
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CD #8 track 23: DNA and RNA are read 5 to 3. Anticodons are an exception and they are read 3-5. This track says that the anticodon is read 5 to 3. This is incorrect. This knowledge is very unlikely to be tested by the MCAT.
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CD #9,Track 50: says that the oocyte undergoes meiosis 1 and 2 after penetration by the sperm.

This is incorrect for humans. The correct process is as follows:
"Oogenesis begins in the ovaries of the fetus. All the eggs of the female are arrested as primary oocytes at birth... ...Shortly before the primary oocyte is released from the follicle during ovulation, the nucleus divides by meiosis to become the secondary oocyte... ...The entry of the sperm causes the cortical reaction, which prevents other sperms from fertilizing the same egg. Now the oocyte goes through the second meiotic division releasing a second polar body. Fertilization occurs when the nuclei of the egg and sperm fuse to form the zygote."
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CD #12 Track 3: Jordan says "isn't there a way to add the halogen to the MOST substituted carbon?" and Jon says, "with peroxides... HYDROGEN adds the most substituted carbon"...

Jordan should say "Halogen to the LEAST sustituted carbon".
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CD #12 track 6: Hydroboration.

Jordan says, "Now is there a way to hydrate an ALCOHOL with anti-markovnikov addition."

Jordan should have said ALKENE instead?
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CD #10 Track 8: The track incorrectly reads: "nutrients are absorbed into the enterocytes of the small intestines mainly in the DUODENU

 

[FirstAndFinal]

It's helpful for at least always keeping the MCAT material on your mind. So I'll play it while walking to class/home/whatever. I use it as audible flashcards.

 

[bananaz]

I wouldn't use it as a primary study tool but I thought it was a decent way to review material during time that would otherwise be wasted (e.g. on long drives). The attempts at humor really are excruciating though, and not in a clever nerdy way either.

 

[Dr.TurkandJD]

i have been listening to it for hours. It might be a LITTLE helpful, but somewhat of a waste of time!

 

[typicalindian]

Sometime's they will say a corny joke or two that will end up sticking with you so it helps you remember little facts. There won't be any harm in using it though.

 

[Buttafuoco]

The jokes are generally pretty bad, but I have to think that they help the pacing. If they were just to run through only relevant information in half the time, I have a feeling that it would just feel like they were droning on and on.

 

[lilqu]

People are too quick to criticize a great work.
Firstly OBVIOUSLY it's still relevant - it is also VERY helpful.
Secondly, like any test prep item you want to use it in CONJUNCTION to other prep material. They even tell you that at the start of the audio - it is pretty much the EK books in a shorter, quickfire way.

Use it with other prep material - it is great on the road, or while working out/exercising/falling asleep etc.

The Jokes are fine, they aren't meant to be funny - the stupidity of them causes you to remember the concept it is trying to get across.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I bought the series off a friend recently and I find it extremely annoying how they make all these annoying jokes between files..

The jokes are horrible, but they work to give your brain a break for the next topic. That's about it. If the chapter contained no small breaks, the brain would easily tune out over the middle, whereas this way it has many pauses to help remember the entirety much more easily.

 

[RetailBoy]

People are too quick to criticize a great work.
Firstly OBVIOUSLY it's still relevant - it is also VERY helpful.
Secondly, like any test prep item you want to use it in CONJUNCTION to other prep material. They even tell you that at the start of the audio - it is pretty much the EK books in a shorter, quickfire way.

Use it with other prep material - it is great on the road, or while working out/exercising/falling asleep etc.

The Jokes are fine, they aren't meant to be funny - the stupidity of them causes you to remember the concept it is trying to get across.

Agreed

 

[dmf2682]

I thought the jokes were awesome and laughed out loud at most of them the first time through. It did get old after 20 times through though.

 

[chemhead123]

Its not a silver bullet, but it is really the only method of pure audio we have for the MCAT right now. Its another way to get the information into your head... so why not?

I think it is good and don't mind the jokes, but I certainly don't laugh anymore...nor did I ever really.

EK, if you are listening when you make a new one for 2015, cut out the crappy jokes.

 

[Messier83]

I know this is an old thread but figured I'd weigh in.

For the modern MCAT I found it helpful as I am not a bio major. From the real MCAT I can remember at least two questions that could have been answered using what I learned from these cd's.

The bio section especially helps you see things on a larger scale and the relationships between parts that you may miss from the more detailed content providers. Basically I'd argue it's an excellent supplement, especially since it's audio so you can do it when you're working out or driving.

And the jokes? Come on give these guys a break. It's MCAT content and I think especially given the material these guys did a good job. It's good-natured fun with an otherwise dismally dry subject.

 

[ayocaptain628]

I know this is an old thread but figured I'd weigh in.

For the modern MCAT I found it helpful as I am not a bio major. From the real MCAT I can remember at least two questions that could have been answered using what I learned from these cd's.

The bio section especially helps you see things on a larger scale and the relationships between parts that you may miss from the more detailed content providers. Basically I'd argue it's an excellent supplement, especially since it's audio so you can do it when you're working out or driving.

And the jokes? Come on give these guys a break. It's MCAT content and I think especially given the material these guys did a good job. It's good-natured fun with an otherwise dismally dry subject.

ty for your comment
really helpful ^^

 

[Sed8&Intub8]

I agree with what @Messier83 said. I think it's good to use if you are at the gym or driving, some of it might osmose if you casually listen to it might be helpful. But definitely not your primary study resource. Their jokes are so corny and annoying that you might remember a few things.

But be aware of the errata