Are basic Pre-Med requirements enough to do well on MCAT?

[jhmast01]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am currently taking the medical school requirements and am curious if anyone has taken the minimum requirements for medical school? If so, did these classes alone prepare you enough? Or if you have taken the MCAT already and took extra classes, what are minimun classes you would suggest someone take?

Basic Requirements:
2 Semesters English
2 Semesters Physics w/ Lab
2 Semesters Inorganic w/ Lab
2 Semesters Organic w/ Lab
2 Semesters Biology w/ Lab

Let Me Know.
Thanks

 

[ofield23]

I took the minimum requirements for the MCAT and medical school and I did fine with a 32. I studied a good amount for the MCAT alone, but otherwise it was fine. I am a business major, so I didn't have time to take a lot of other credits. Good luck.

 

[ChuckRock]

Finance major, basic reqs, 34.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

The basic classes are fine, the rest is basically reading comprehension. However, other classes may help. I had THREE neuro/nervous system passages in my biology section, and since my undergrad expertise is in that field, I basically aced those questions without paying too much attention to the details in the passage. You won't be at a disadvantage with just the basic premed classes, but upper level biology *may* help, depending on your luck of the draw.

 

[KidCapri]

Take a year of A&P and Biochemistry, the biology on the mcat is geared towards these instead of general biology. And then use a good test prep course. At my university, the general classes were not taught to the mcat like a test prep course is.

 

[biggoron42]

i would recommend a course in cell biology. in my cell bio course, i learned a lot of vocabulary relevant to the MCAT and gained a lot of comfort with the types of biological concepts that the MCAT tests. and i think the confidence i gained from having that store of knowledge really helped my test taking. after all, a large part of success on the MCAT is mental.

i would also recommend an into to biochemistry course if you know the teacher is good. this helps with the same areas as cell bio, just to a lesser extent.

 

[pattayapus]

hillo there! my school is entirely geared toward getting people into med school, so i'm not sure if this is accurate, but i think the basic classes you've taken already will more than cover everything you need to know for the MCAT...if you take more classes they might help you retain the old information better, but other than that they're not necessary...if i were you, i'd buy one of those big fat review books and just basically memorize it: it'll help you more than anything else, i think. and it helps to know that the MCAT basically covers the basics--it's hard because sometimes there's so much information to retain, or you get mired in the specifics...and of course also because you're sitting on your a** for 8 straight hours! (i took it in a tiny lecture room at berkeley, sitting in those supposedly "comfy" chairs that just did wonders for my butt bone...)

oh, and either buy or get access to all the REAL practice MCATs offered by AAMC...they cost $80 or something, and unfortunately i did have to pay, but they were totally worth it...

 

[thinknofu3]

I'm a Psychology major, and so only took the necessary pre-med requirements, and got a more than adequate MCAT score. In fact, I hadn't finished my yearlong Bio sequence when I took the test last April, and still did well. I'd advise doing some sort of test prep to help you prepare for the logistics of the test, and you'll be fine.

Also - about the "real" practice MCATs offered by the AAMC, sometimes you can get them for free through your college's library (I know mine had them) - you just xerox them (and they come with answer sheets and everything), and then you can take them in your own time and write on the pages 🙂 I found that really helped me a lot. Good luck!

 

[Law2Doc]

I am currently taking the medical school requirements and am curious if anyone has taken the minimum requirements for medical school? If so, did these classes alone prepare you enough? Or if you have taken the MCAT already and took extra classes, what are minimun classes you would suggest someone take?

Basic Requirements:
2 Semesters English
2 Semesters Physics w/ Lab
2 Semesters Inorganic w/ Lab
2 Semesters Organic w/ Lab
2 Semesters Biology w/ Lab

Let Me Know.
Thanks

The prereqs are plenty. If you look at the AMCAS statistics, the average scores for non-science majors are frequently higher than the average science majors (esp. bio) anyhow. [This might just mean that too many mediocre sci majors take the MCAT, but at least it should show that folks who just took the prereqs can score quite well.] Just make sure that you have a bio course that covers all the topics on the MCAT -- this is the only class where there is some significant school variation and so there are folks better prepared on this section than others if they only had the core classes. But a good TPR or Kaplan class, and some self study, should remedy this.

 

[ND2005]

Another vote for pre-reqs being plenty.

After the fact, I could see how a biochem or cell bio class would have been useful, but it's certainly not necessary. I would say if you have time in your schedule take some of the upper classes, but definitely don't delay the MCAT/delay your application.

 

[badlydrawnvik]

Pre-reqs should definitely be good enough as long as you study the material. Taking biochem was great for me. Essentially one of the passages on hemoglobin was right out of one of my exams. Also after taking a bunch of higher level molecular bio classes I can see how they would have helped a lot. But assuming not everyone is a bio major, the majority of people get away with doing well without these classes.

 

[Depakote]

If you've had the pre-reqs you should be fine, but take a prep class. The MCAT really is about how well you can take the test. You need a strategy going in or you're boned. Plus, the prep class can cover anything you didn't get in the pre-reqs.

 

[registered user]

Yes. Study some good review material, like Examkrackers, and take a bunch of practice tests as well. 34

 

[Wahina]

Everyone is going to say that a prereq course could be helpful depending on their particular test form. But you won't know which prereq would have helped most until after you take the test. Just take the prereqs and study a kaplan/TPR book, it's all in there.

 

[kyatter]

i would recommend a course in cell biology. in my cell bio course, i learned a lot of vocabulary relevant to the MCAT and gained a lot of comfort with the types of biological concepts that the MCAT tests. and i think the confidence i gained from having that store of knowledge really helped my test taking. after all, a large part of success on the MCAT is mental.

i would also recommend an into to biochemistry course if you know the teacher is good. this helps with the same areas as cell bio, just to a lesser extent.

I concur. I remember there being a passage on my version of the MCAT with a common receptor that we studied in detail in my cell bio class.

 

[jhmast01]

Thanks Guys. Your help means a lot.