Did anyone else had these type of situations? They're 2 different cases

[alexfoleyc]

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1.) So, I noticed that "premed" preqs courses dont always cover everything that you need to know for the MCAT. I was thought that premed required courses were there to expose you to all of the material covered on the mcat. However, I was reviewing my syllabus and noticed that some very important mcat topics are not even mentioned! Instead, we are covering material not essential to the mcat. So, in that case, are you basically on your own?

2.) As far as shadowing goes, Im having a hard time finding a doctor to shadow. Seriously, I literally had 3 docs laugh at me saying that "dont you ahve to be a medical students to do that?" I really want to shadow an ER doc or a cardiologist, but no luck. They gave me that look as it were to say, "alright, kiddo, go play with your power rangers and come back when you get your MD." What to do in that situation?

 

[DNM]

With #2 do you have a pre-med council or anything that helps with stuff like shadowing? They might be able to help.

Also they apparently just updated this site, but if you sign up for a pre-med login (I'm assuming it's free) it directs you to local physicians who are willing to have students shadow them.

http://ilearn.osteopathic.org/login.cfm

Good luck!

 

[DrWookie]

1.) So, I noticed that "premed" preqs courses dont always cover everything that you need to know for the MCAT. I was thought that premed required courses were there to expose you to all of the material covered on the mcat. However, I was reviewing my syllabus and noticed that some very important mcat topics are not even mentioned! Instead, we are covering material not essential to the mcat. So, in that case, are you basically on your own?

Are you talking about the prereqs to apply for medical school? There isn't technically a physiology course required for medical school, but I definitely had passages on the MCAT related to kidney function, cardiology, the reproductive system and a couple others. The prereqs for medical school are not designed to prepare you for the MCAT specifically.

I would say physics and O.chem though are pretty well covered in the classes you take...though it depends on who teaches the class and what their goals are. People who teach the "prereq" courses in many cases are NOT just teaching the class for people who are premed students. O.chem will be taken by people OTHER than those who want to go to medical school,so they can't just teach what is required and nothing else.

Biology on the other hand can vary widely. I took all the necessary "prereqs" for medical school (and well beyond that in biology) and none of my courses covered kidney function, cardiology, the reproductive system etc... which were all represented in my practice exams and on my real thing. They definitely relate some of the biology questions to physiology, and physiology is NOT a prereq for medical school. Granted, I learned all of the basics I needed to teach myself about these systems, so it was very easy to teach myself what I didn't already know (My dad is a cardiologist, so that part was easy).

 

[njbmd]

My pre-med courses more than covered what I needed for the MCAT. My General Biology covered more than enough physiology for that test. You don't have to take a course in something to get coverage. Download a list of topics from the MCAT site and pull out an encyclopedia if a topic or two isn't in your General coursework. After General Biology, I didn't take another biology course as I was a Chemistry major. There was no biology above my General Biology and no Physics above my General Physics course. Granted, I did attend the number 1 public university in the country.

 

[funkymunkytoes]

1) No. My pre-reqs covered more than enough for the MCAT.
2) Yes.

 

[DrWookie]

My pre-med courses more than covered what I needed for the MCAT. My General Biology covered more than enough physiology for that test. You don't have to take a course in something to get coverage. Download a list of topics from the MCAT site and pull out an encyclopedia if a topic or two isn't in your General coursework. After General Biology, I didn't take another biology course as I was a Chemistry major. There was no biology above my General Biology and no Physics above my General Physics course. Granted, I did attend the number 1 public university in the country.

General biology courses will vary from school to school.

There was 0 physiology in my general biology courses. The focus of general biology at my school was basic molecular/cell/biochemistry (like an intro) and genetics.

It isn't a factor of how good of a school you went to, it is how they wish to organize their classes and what they want to teach. Some schools (or teachers specifically) will make sure they cover everything on the MCAT because they know a lot of people will want to take it, others won't. My physics teacher would always pause and say things like "And this is very important for the MCAT" and made sure we knew that. My biology teachers would never mention it. We tend to produce more graduate students out of the biology department at my schoo, which may explain it.

 

[ParthVader]

1. No, I feel like my professors are covering everything on the MCAT thus far...But different schools have different teaching methods for the basic classes.

2. YES... I'm trying to find a doctor to shadow as well, and everytime I try to contact one they just go "yah ok.... you're an undergrad.. AND a freshman." Sadly my pre-med advisory program doesn't help with shadowing... But hopefully I'll find a doctor to shadow before the summer begins.. GL w/ your search as well

 

[moirae]

#1. My calc-based physics did not cover "light and geometric optics" or sound topics that are required for the PS section of the mcat. I did learn those topics in my AP physics, but it has been a while. You could try looking at your textbook for your class to see if the topics are covered; if they are you can read on your own.

#2. If you are in contact with doctors during your volunteer experience, you could try getting to know them more before asking about shadowing.