courses needed for MCAT

[bbas]

I asked this on the MCAT forum but got no responses, so I'll try here. I know that only the prereq courses are needed for the MCAT, but nevertheless will you be at a disadvantage if these are the only science courses you have taken before the MCAT? From reading the MCAT forum, it seems like there are questions pertaining to upper level science courses like biochem and physiology. So, are additional classes really needed, or can this "extra" info be picked up along the way while studying for the test?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dr Durden]

I think it all can be picked up on the way to the test. I had just the prereqs, an engineering background (no, not BME), and using nothing but Kaplan's prep books did fine. Looking back though, if I could have taken any extra course it should have been physiology. Things like biochem, immunology, analytical chemistry, and p-chem couldn't hurt, but I think the benefits for the time invested rapidly start to wane.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

I asked this on the MCAT forum but got no responses, so I'll try here. I know that only the prereq courses are needed for the MCAT, but nevertheless will you be at a disadvantage if these are the only science courses you have taken before the MCAT? From reading the MCAT forum, it seems like there are questions pertaining to upper level science courses like biochem and physiology. So, are additional classes really needed, or can this "extra" info be picked up along the way while studying for the test?

You don't need any of that upper level stuff for the MCAT. The only disadvantage that you might be at is that the people who took upper level courses may have studied the topics on the MCAT for a longer period of time and have more practice with them. Hope that helps.

 

[RunMD]

I would highly suggest physiology. I'm a bio major and that wasn't a bio or pre-med requirement.

 

[AggieJohn]

I think physiology/biochem would have been helpful. I took the MCAT without these classes and have since taken them and would recommend them.