Is it necessary to memorize the structure of all the carbon sugars like Arabinose, Xylose, etc.?

[medprospect22]

Obviously I know you have to memorize glucose, galactose, ribose, etc. but I was curious about the more extraneous sugars if it was necessary to memorize their structures?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[yeasureyoubetcha]

F no

 

[Astra]

Obviously I know you have to memorize glucose, galactose, ribose, etc. but I was curious about the more extraneous sugars if it was necessary to memorize their structures?

Know everything in the Kaplan section for Carbs and you will be fine!

 

[NextStepTutor_2]

Obviously I know you have to memorize glucose, galactose, ribose, etc. but I was curious about the more extraneous sugars if it was necessary to memorize their structures?

No, most of the biochemistry details you see in biochemistry will never show up on the MCAT. The little that does is almost always related to being picture stuff, regulatory steps, alternate pathways or shunts, and the primary metabolic/anabolic pathways the AAMC has listed on their outline. Start with those (Glycolysis ----> TCA ----> ETC) and work your way out to the Hexose Monophosphate Shunt and Fatty Acid metabolism.

Do not go off learning a bunch of details that the exam will never ask you about. This is not a biochemistry exam, it is the MCAT. The exam is so new no one can state with any certainty what level of details are needed to score well. Err on the side of caution and learn as much of the primary pathways and pathways on the outline as you can but do not go chasing down every last co-enzyme and intermediate related to these processes. Efficiency is the name of the game on the MCAT and then in medical school, I assure you. There will always be more to learn, get the important stuff down first.

Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[Gladiolus23]

No, most of the biochemistry details you see in biochemistry will never show up on the MCAT. The little that does is almost always related to being picture stuff, regulatory steps, alternate pathways or shunts, and the primary metabolic/anabolic pathways the AAMC has listed on their outline. Start with those (Glycolysis ----> TCA ----> ETC) and work your way out to the Hexose Monophosphate Shunt and Fatty Acid metabolism.

Do not go off learning a bunch of details that the exam will never ask you about. This is not a biochemistry exam, it is the MCAT. The exam is so new no one can state with any certainty what level of details are needed to score well. Err on the side of caution and learn as much of the primary pathways and pathways on the outline as you can but do not go chasing down every last co-enzyme and intermediate related to these processes. Efficiency is the name of the game on the MCAT and then in medical school, I assure you. There will always be more to learn, get the important stuff down first.

Hope this helps, good luck!

So would you say memorizing the structures in all the pathways is unnecessary? For example, the structures for fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, PEP, DHAP, 1,3BPG etc etc. Is this level of detail required?