Class choice

[jaldrete]

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Taking MCAT in May of 2013, but debating on which classes to take now.

if you have to choose between studying Anatomy/physiology and taking Genetics ( given that genetics was covered to an extent in my first Biology class). Which would you focus on?

As of now I am taking Physics, Orangic, and studying Anatomy on my own (using the materials and syllabus from the actual class at my school). I plan on doing the same for physiology in the spring.

Would you say that one topic was covered more that another? Some say focus on genetics, and others say that I can review genetics and need to focus in anatomy/physiology.

Also, I hear people discussing Kaplan vs AAMC (?). Would you recommend one over the other or both? Or is there another recommended class/method for preparing? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[hplssrmantcxox]

My exam is in 9 days (ahh lol) and to be honest, anatomy isn't really a focus on anything... You'd be wasting time studying anatomy. Physiology is a lot more important than anatomy, but if you need to know the anatomy in order to understand physio then I guess you need to learn both. (I took A&P 2 semesters so I'm not sure if it's a good idea to just skip anatomy.. but whatever.)

Genetics is pretty important and will make the genetics problems in the MCAT easier especially with some experimental passages. (Some of the problems I did in my genetics class were identical to some of the stuff I got in my practice tests).

You need to use AAMC exams definitely. The Kaplan practice tests have helped me a lot as their questions were way harder and I find the AAMC practice tests a lot more manageable as a result. I think the Kaplan course was well worth its money since I've had like craploads of practice material through their online syllabus.

 

[dontbeanegaton]

If you have a bio curriculum you'll get enough genetics for the MCAT no matter what you're doing IMO. Physiology is a major boon to the MCAT, however. Questions about the bicarbonate buffer system and hemoglobin and gas diffusion and nephrology are MCAT bread and butter.
Go physiology.

 

[gtbROX]

Genetics is a breeze on the mcat. Focus on topics like biochem, mol bio, physio/anatomy, microbio. Pay attention to key experiments and analyses of those experiments because a lot of mcat passages contain very similar experiments and logic/analyses.

 

[Leonardo Noto]

Like everyone else said, A&P is probably the better choice. With that said, the medical genetics course at most medical schools is not very good d/t time constraints. Try to take a genetics course at some point before medical school (even if you just audit the class).

Leonardo Noto
www.leonardonoto.com (nonfiction book reviews) or follow me on Twitter @DrLeonardoNoto (medical tweets)

 

[gtbROX]

If there is an option to just have physio and genetics that would be better. I've found anatomy to be just memorizing structure locations and names, and that isn't so important on the mcat. But, if you can't separate A/P just go with A/P because MCAT genetics is easy to learn on your own.

 

[Bamfu]

I have to agree with everyone else. A&P would be better for you to take than Genetics. There are a ton of Genetics problems, but they're relatively simple (most of the time). Some of the A&P problems on the MCAT can be pretty complicated. Kidney problems come to mind - feedback systems can be a real headache to fully understand if you're reading them under pressure, but if you've seen the system before, it's ezpz.