MCAT 2015 BioChem Carbohydrates

[MiasmaticHelium]

Hey folks,

I'm prepping for the June 19th, 2015 MCAT and have covered almost everything except biochem's last 3 chapters.

On to the point: For Biochem carbohydrate metabolism consisting of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogensis, glycogenolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, krebs/citric acid cycle, electron transport chain, should we be going after memorizing every detail or focus on the big picture? So far, I've managed to memorize the key players in glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. I know the purposes, stimulation, and set backs for the other processes.

I'm wondering if this is enough? I can't tell if Kaplan is going overboard or not, but some of the details seem difficult to memorize.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DocConk]

Big picture is always a must, with the subsequent goals being the mastery of details. Obviously, you won't memorize every detail or even close to every detail but that's the goal through repeated practice passages on the topic.

 

[MiasmaticHelium]

I see. Also memorized all the affinities. Anybody know of good Biochem practice passages? Kaplan's book doesn't seem to have enough practice.

 

[DocConk]

I don't think Kaplan books are very good for practice questions either. Fine for content though!

 

[mikil100]

Main idea is high yield. Knowing all the specific details will be hard to put to working memory with all your other studies, and will not yield many (if any points). Thats my opinion.. we have so much to learn, you've got to triage details.

 

[MiasmaticHelium]

Thanks for the responses. I assumed that was how to go about that chapter, but I haven't taken the new AAMC exam yet. So, I really have no idea how much detail is required...especially considering some chapters do emphasize memorizing the details.

 

[newbeginnings]

On that note, do we need to memorize all the steps such as enzymes for each step? Kaplan sometimes focuses on 5 specific enzymes/steps to memorize for certain biochemical pathways, but there's still a lot of little details, some of which are bolded for biochemical pathways... I know the old MCAT didn't require all the nitty gritty details, but how is everyone else going about memorizing the reactions?

 

[nonamechemist]

I don't think it's necessary to memorize all the enzymes for all the metabolic pathways. For example, do know that gluconeogenesis is sort of reverse of glycolysis except for 3 highly exergonic, irreversible steps that utilize different enzymes such as the phosphofrutokinase in the glycolytic pathway, to ensure a futile cycle doesn't occur. Also, oxaloacetate is an important molecule that participates in multiple reactions such as combining with acetyl coa in the Krebs cycle, urea cycle, gluconeogenesis, amino acid synthesis, etc. Sure, it doesn't hurt to memorize but it's a pain without putting your knowledge into use. It eventually comes down to practice, practice, and practice!!! A lot of these passages tell you the background, and with time, after reading a ton of these and solving problems, these fine details will stick in your head.

 

[kkrules2014]

I feel the same way about the last 3 chapters in Biochem. I'm probably going to read through the chapters instead of making flash cards like I've been doing. Then study the diagrams of the different pathways. Do you guys think this will be sufficient?

 

[MiasmaticHelium]

I think the only enzymes worth memorizing in glycolysis are the big ones: hexokinase, glucokinase, phosphofructokinase (PFK 1 and 2), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, 3-phospoglycertae kinase, and pyrvuate kinase (as mentioned in Kaplan). However, I'd only memorize everything about Hexokinase, glucokinase, and phosphokinase. I'd simply know the basics for the latter enzymes.

 

[GCSDOC]

Hey folks,

I'm prepping for the June 19th, 2015 MCAT and have covered almost everything except biochem's last 3 chapters.

On to the point: For Biochem carbohydrate metabolism consisting of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogensis, glycogenolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, krebs/citric acid cycle, electron transport chain, should we be going after memorizing every detail or focus on the big picture? So far, I've managed to memorize the key players in glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. I know the purposes, stimulation, and set backs for the other processes.

I'm wondering if this is enough? I can't tell if Kaplan is going overboard or not, but some of the details seem difficult to memorize.

I am wondering this as well as I am through all chapter but the last few in the Kaplan Biochem book. Based on previous passage scope on the old exam, the level of detail in these last few Kaplan chapters seems like a lot and something that would be difficult to remember on test day given all the other content we need to know...any other thoughts on memorizing specific pathways, enzymes, etc?

 

[premed-molecule]

Can anyone who has taken the MCAT confirm the statements regarding knowing the Biochem enzymes?!

 

[Sosick22]

I always feels it pointless memorizing all the enzymes. I feel it's more purposeful knowing the ins and outs of the enzymes associated with the regulatory steps. That's just me though.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I wonder if anyone who read this thread when it was first posted regrets not looking at something like the isomerase enzyme and possible mechanisms for the conversion of 6-P-Glc to 6-P-Fru. It seems like a perfect obscure piece from a common pathway where they could test how well you reason through information rather than feed back information you memorized.

And not necessarily that exact step in the glycolysis pathway, but something detailed like that where if you understand mechanisms and enzymes, then you could reason out what is going on.

 

[Gutsy]

Hello! It's been a couple months since this post went up. For those who have taken the new MCAT, how much detail of the enzymes in the metabolic cycle should we know? Thank you!

 

[greatrisk001]

I'd like to know this as well, because the last few kaplan chapters are really detailed