Non-Traditional Taking the 2015 MCAT: Concerns about Biochemistry

[EuroGamer]

I suspect I am much older than many people taking the MCAT (I graduated in 2009 and currently 28 years old). But I've decided that I need to make a career change and looking forward to medical school. But because of that time, I have a very rough understanding of the material. Nonetheless, I am confident that I will be able to re-learn most of my course-work.

But, I never took Biochemistry. While I took classes that overlapped with biochemistry topics, I never studied it.

I understand that the 2015 MCAT is new and that there isn't much content-review for this exam... but what can I do about Biochemistry? Ideally, I want to take the exam in April, but won't be able to find/take a biochemistry course in time. I am very good at self-studying if only I could find a suitable textbook (with lots and lots of problems).

I heard Biochemistry is mostly memorization... which makes me feel better as organic chemistry was the same way and I found it to be easier (conceptually) than chemistry or physics.

Any feedback is greatly welcomed.

Thank you!

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[Odi]

I found Biochemistry much easier than Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, or Physics. There was a lot less application problems and more memorization type of problems similar to Biology.

You'll see occasional application problems dealing with pH buffers, enzyme kinetics, and active site reaction mechanisms but for the most part it's just memorization of molecules: amino acids, protein structure, DNA, sugars, and different cell processes like glycolosis and the Krebs cycle. Don't let the fancy name scare you. It only beats out Biology on difficulty of the material IMO.

 

[lumberjack89]

^ Agreed - I'm a non-traditional as well, though not by as many years (will turn 26 in a few months), and I did take biochem as an undergrad. I studied for the 2014 MCAT and recently took it, and I can tell ya that I think you'll be surprised how quickly things start to come back to you and/or how much you'll remember with a little "encouragement".

Even though you didn't take biochem though, I don't think you have anything to worry about, especially if you liked orgo - I'm in the same boat there, didn't really care for physics or gen. chem., but I really liked orgo, and I didn't think biochem was bad at all. There's a lot more conceptual work in biochem than there is in either gen. chem. or physicis; there's formulas and whatnot, but nothing so bad as the thermo/fluid dynamics/stoichiometry you did in chem or physics. I remember it including plenty of nucleotide sequence stuff, instrumental methods, pH curves, enzyme kinetics, etc. I think you'll do great!

 

[EuroGamer]

Can anyone recommend a good biochem textbook with tons of problems (and the answers to those problems)?

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

Kaplan has it's 2015 books out now and they do a fair job with the content. You're options, as of present, are rather limited however. If one topic is more disconcerting than another (biochem) I'd recommend getting both the new 2015 Kaplan and TPR books and using them together.

 

[futuredoc331]

This class has been great for me. I listen to these videos after my classes to get another take on it. The whole class is available and Kevin Ahern (the professor) has a free biochem textbook that you can download.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL428D02A28B56B809

You can also find Lehninger's Principle of Biochem online.