Biochem still as important?

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J ROD

J ROD

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I have been told to focus more on path, pharm, and micro.

So far, I have learned I really suck at neuro pathways, biostats (saving that for last), and biochem/genetics.

The newest thread I could find was in 2004 so I was curious if biochem is still a hot topic. Especially all the pathways crap.

Genetics was my worst in school and I will do what I can out of FA but I know I will just have to take that hit. I do not have time to review an outside source and I really do not like it.
 
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of all the m1 subjects, it's the most high yield after physio. definitely know that **** if you want a 240+
 
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We didn't get hardly any biochem at my school. We're integrated. So I'm just trying to get down most of the major enzyme deficiencies and storage diseases. Beyond that, not much else aside from learning from UW explanations. After spending some time with picmonic on biochem, I'm a lot more comfortable with it. Seriously, picmonic is the bomb for those.
 
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J DUB said:
Damn it. I just want a 230 but alas......

How about all the neuro pathways.......I know the basics but get somewhat confused when it gets more complicated.
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You and I both. 230 would be great for me. We had neuro last, so I feel pretty confident about it. You need to know where the three major pathways dussicate. That way you can distinguish ipsilateral vs. contralateral symptoms based on a cord or brain stem injury. Know the major levels in the brainstem where the CN nuclei are located --> 3,4 in the midbrain, 5,6 in the pons, 7-12 (minus 11) in the medulla. Know the common stroke syndromes in the brainstem. I think there's 3 in FA or so.
 
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Obviously, there's way more. If FA doesn't make sense, you may have to go to an outside source. I don't know what's the best though for neuro.
 
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bulldogmed said:
Obviously, there's way more. If FA doesn't make sense, you may have to go to an outside source. I don't know what's the best though for neuro.
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Yeah, I get that. I mean I have to fully memorize it on second pass. But, I understand FA. I actually did decent in NA.

We had it a yr ago. Just not fresh like biochem. I just hate all those pathways.
 
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DrBaby11 said:
I had more biochem questions than pharm questions on my actual exam. Even several specific urea cycle questions. Every step 1 exam covers vastly different scopes, and I felt like 90% of what I learned never appeared. If you don't want to take chances with luck of the draw don't take hits anywhere.
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Obviously, I am praying for more pharm. But, I have really bad luck so I will probably get everything I do not want.
 
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Definitely know the biochem in FA. But I didnt get a biochem heavy exam even though I crammed all that crap in. Not a single lysosomal/glycogen storage disease. Had quite a few nutrition stuff though
 
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Keep it with you for life!
 
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bulldogmed said:
You and I both. 230 would be great for me. We had neuro last, so I feel pretty confident about it. You need to know where the three major pathways dussicate. That way you can distinguish ipsilateral vs. contralateral symptoms based on a cord or brain stem injury. Know the major levels in the brainstem where the CN nuclei are located --> 3,4 in the midbrain, 5,6 in the pons, 7-12 (minus 11) in the medulla. Know the common stroke syndromes in the brainstem. I think there's 3 in FA or so.
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I think CN V, VI, VII, and VIII all arise from the pons. That is what I learned and what is in FA.
 
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J DUB said:
Damn it. I just want a 230 but alas......

How about all the neuro pathways.......I know the basics but get somewhat confused when it gets more complicated.
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Having done all the nbmes and the free 150's, I got very few detail orientated biochem and neuro questions. 99% of them were not pathway orientated either, just random crap questions, in which the answer was usually obvious if you knew big picture. I am forgoing memorizing pathways, at the expense of making sure I get through everything.
 
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Petypet said:
Having done all the nbmes and the free 150's, I got very few detail orientated biochem and neuro questions. 99% of them were not pathway orientated either, just random crap questions, in which the answer was usually obvious if you knew big picture. I am forgoing memorizing pathways, at the expense of making sure I get through everything.
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I am going to learn what I can from the DIT videos and FA. Best I can do too. I am saving them for last.

I can never do mixed acid base either. If takes me forever to learn it and then I forget it. I can narrow it down at least.
 
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J DUB said:
I am going to learn what I can from the DIT videos and FA. Best I can do too. I am saving them for last.

I can never do mixed acid base either. If takes me forever to learn it and then I forget it. I can narrow it down at least.
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I don't think you should leave it for last. Get over with it now, i think it will take more time than you're anticipating. I did the same and rushed through it the 1st time and now i'm paying the price. Understand the pathways and it actually becomes interesting. Draw out the pathways a couple of times and you will get it, I sucked at biochem but it's all coming together now, it helps you understand the other subjects better too.
 
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does anyone have any good outside resources/ youtube vids for biochem? specifically the cycles....
FA biochem is just not doing it for me....
 
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FYI, I barely had any biochem on my exam. Just a couple of glycogen storage diseases, one about galactosemia, and another about vitamin B12. That's all I remember. It was kind of disappointing to be honest.

But every exam can be different.
 
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CherryRedDracul said:
FYI, I barely had any biochem on my exam. Just a couple of glycogen storage diseases, one about galactosemia, and another about vitamin B12. That's all I remember. It was kind of disappointing to be honest.

But every exam can be different.
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I wish I had your exam

I think those three things are pretty much the only biochem I remember at this point, lol
 
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Just took mine on the May 13th and I got maybe 5 biochemistry questions on the whole exam with very little micro/pharmacology. Most of the exam was pathology > physiology > ethics/biostats > anatomy and embryology (had about 15 each). I was banking on a pharmacology/physiology/pathology/biochemistry/microbiology heavy exam but it looks like lady luck had other plans. My estimated score was in the 250s on UW and NBMEs but I will be lucky if I break 230 I'm feeling.

PS. Had a lot of treatment/followup questions regarding next step in management which I had to take an educated guess on. I've been told they recently changed the question pool this May 11th or 12th.
 
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am i the only one who wants a biochem heavy test? of course I'm biased, having done 5 years of grad work in microbial biochemistry, but still 🙂
 
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notbobtrustme said:
am i the only one who wants a biochem heavy test? of course I'm biased, having done 5 years of grad work in microbial biochemistry, but still 🙂
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Yes, you are.

I had a UWorld question last night to the effect of "which of these amino acids would demonstrate three pKas"? That was it. No other clues or anything. COME ON, WHO GIVES A RAT'S @*$?
 
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PharMed2016 said:
Just took mine on the May 13th and I got maybe 5 biochemistry questions on the whole exam with very little micro/pharmacology. Most of the exam was pathology > physiology > ethics/biostats > anatomy and embryology (had about 15 each). I was banking on a pharmacology/physiology/pathology/biochemistry/microbiology heavy exam but it looks like lady luck had other plans. My estimated score was in the 250s on UW and NBMEs but I will be lucky if I break 230 I'm feeling.

PS. Had a lot of treatment/followup questions regarding next step in management which I had to take an educated guess on. I've been told they recently changed the question pool this May 11th or 12th.
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Sounds just like my exam.
 
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CherryRedDracul said:
FYI, I barely had any biochem on my exam. Just a couple of glycogen storage diseases, one about galactosemia, and another about vitamin B12. That's all I remember. It was kind of disappointing to be honest.

But every exam can be different.
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No enzyme kinetics?
 
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J DUB said:
Obviously, I am praying for more pharm. But, I have really bad luck so I will probably get everything I do not want.
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Hey man Biochem is not something to skip or ignore. I know it sucks but just sit there and pound it into your head. You're more likely than not to get a decent amount of Biochem questions. I think the best way is to just read the first aid Biochem section over and over again and keep drawing out the pathways.
Neuro man I don't know what to say other than I HATE NEURO WITH A PASSION.
 
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After doing three NBME's, including 15 and 16, and the free 150 from the last two years I can say, yes, you better know your biochem.
 
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I probably had like 20 biochem Q's, not including genetics. They were mostly conceptual instead of having you know an exact pathway. I only remember having one where they outlined a huge pathway and asked "What enzyme should be in the place of 'x'?". A lot were vitamin deficiencies. Unfortunately I got ZERO lysosomal storage diseases, but I did get I think 2 on glycogen storage. I also got a couple basic lactose/fructose/galactose intolerance questions.

Biochem should be easy points. It's the anatomy, genetics, and physio that can really screw you. I have no idea what you could do to prepare for anatomy, just hope you remember something from class...they really came up with some weird stuff there.
 
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