Biochemistry for MCAT?
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Biochemistry isn't directly covered on the MCAT in so far as there are discreet questions or passages on biochem, but you WILL be at a disadvantage considering most people I know, including myself, had taken biochem beforehand. It helps give a little insight into some reactions, mechanisms, and terminology, at least. Remember, every question matters. You might miss one question on each section and go from a 30 to a 27. That would suck.
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HuntinDoc said:
there is some biochemistry on the mcat (that was covered in gen bio). get a good review book (EK) and they'll tell you ALL you need to know. No disadvantage at all.
Taking biochemistry simply gives you an edge. I found some passages much easier to understand simply because of some of the things I learned in my biochem classes. I'd recommend taking biochem, but it's clearly not required for the MCAT.
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Definitely helpful. I recall having an entire passage about hemoglobin or something that was on one of my biochem tests. You'll definitely find some passages where you'd breathe a sigh of relief if you had taken biochem. By the same token, almost any extra bio class you take will help you in some way. If I had waited a year to take the MCAT I would have also had immuno, virology, bacteriology, biochem II, and physiology courses which really would have helped. But most of these things you can get a cursory knowledge of by studying for the test. Take biochem if you have the time for it.
HuntinDoc said:
Biochem is not required AT ALL. Gen. Bio is more than sufficient.
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I've heard people at my school say you really should take biochem at all cost for the mcat b/c there's biochem on it. I couldn't dissagree more, I think most people forget that your supposed to do lipids, carbs, and proteins in orgo, but most classes don't get that far in a semester. And when they see a passage about triglycerides there like whoa that's from my biochem class. The MCAT tests over basic stuff from the 4 core classes. while taking genetics and biochem can help that's also another year's worth of time since you took your biology class. I think it's best to have the basics recently and now them well. I think it actually hurts you trying to cram advanced sci classes in before the mcat. The longer since you took the core classes the more you will likely forget. I havn't had biochem and I didn't see it once on the April mcat either.
Entirecropslost said:
There is no need to take biochem class for mcat.
Basically biochem focuses mainly on proteins and metabolic pathway. Although there is some overlap between biochem and molecular biology, molecular bio stuff that is covered in mcat is not advanced material at all.
So gen. bio would be more than sufficient.
Also, there is absolutely no need to take biochem course to learn about the biological compounds, as long as you took the 2nd part of the org. chem.
The reason is most of the biological compound reactions covered in BS section would be nothing more than simple application of aldehyde and ester compound reaction/chemistry along with other concepts covered in organic chem.
For example, the lipid synthesis/degradation from/into glycerol and fatty acids is just multiple nucleophilic addition-elimination rxns(more specifically fischer esterification rxns). Another example is the murarotation of hexose or pentose derivatives which is essentially reversible hemiacetal reaction.
Furthermore, hemiacetal reaction is just a specific case of nuceophilic addition-elimination reaction, a topic that is almost always covered in org. chem, typically utilizing 2 or 3 entire chapters of the textbook.
So, once you understand the chemistry involving carboxylic acid derivatives, there is no need to learn specific examples of biological molecules for mcat.
Also, most of the decent biochem classes usually skim the sections involving biological molecules since professors assume you already know the material or they think that the materials are simple enough so that you can just read on your own. Biochem usually focuses heavily on proteomics and metabolic pathways and controls with little bit of molecular bio stuff. And undergrad. biochem class is more or less a pure rote class(all thanks to recent division of a tradictional biochem into biochem, biophysics, and molecular bio).
Unless you are interested in biochem itself, dont take this class, since it will just make you another premed drone complaining about how boring biochem is.
