Doing Well In Pre-Med Science Courses - Advice

[zaapmed]

HI,

I wanted to know some tips that all of the people who have gone through organic chemistry, physics, biochem, etc. for MCAT/Med School have about doing well (aka getting an A!). Whatever your experiences were, what you would recommend doing/avoiding, good study strategies, any ideas/thoughts are welcome. Med school is a long road ahead and any help from those who have gone through the struggle is always great.

Thank you!

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[honey0102]

HI,

I wanted to know some tips that all of the people who have gone through organic chemistry, physics, biochem, etc. for MCAT/Med School have about doing well (aka getting an A!). Whatever your experiences were, what you would recommend doing/avoiding, good study strategies, any ideas/thoughts are welcome. Med school is a long road ahead and any help from those who have gone through the struggle is always great.

Thank you!

I would always study ahead. I never waited until the week before or two weeks before an exam. As soon as we got notes I'd study them. The info can build up fast and if you have questions you want to be able to get them answered fast. I would also go to office hours anytime I had a question. I joined study groups sponsored by my university. I would study every lecture multiple times and build a schedule so I knew how many times each week I could read each lecture. This number will vary based on how in depth the material is, etc, but you get the idea. I'd also ask others who took the class before me how they studied.
For orgo and physics-practice is also the key-use the notes but do not memorize. Understand how things work. Then practice, practice, practice. If your prof gives practice tests, use those too. Do all homework then re-do it for practice (unless the exams aren't anything like the homework, then see if there is another resource instead of redoing the hw).
Biochem: understanding is also the key. Know why things happen a certain way. But especially here, memorizing was essential. Every little detail. I wrote things out to solidify them to memory.

 

[zaapmed]

Thank you! What would you say are good tips for long term memory? A lot of the information learned in higher undergrad courses is the fundamental for more advanced stuff, so long term memory is quite helpful. Any tips on how to learn, remember, and retain the info over time?

 

[Dagrimsta1]

General concepts are usually more important than specifics, this applies to all of them.

Below are my opinions for each pre Med course. I only listed requirements. MCAT usefulness are relative to my experiences. 2x taker

Bio 1+2- easy to medium course that requires a lot of memorization and proper slide studying. Study Time (1.5 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 8.5

Chem 1 - easy to barely medium course that seems intimidating but really requires practice to master. Study time (2-2.5 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 8
Chem 2 - medium to hard course that requires lots of practice because the math can get complex. Study time (2-3 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 5

Orgo 1 - difficulty unknown because the professor means a lot. Orgo is life and you should take the time to understand the basics. Without the basics you will fail. Without practice you will fail. Use memorization you will likely fail. This is not the class go memorize but to understand the mechanisms of molecules. You'll understand what I mean when u begin. Use colored pens/pencils to draw out molecules and mechanisms alike. Pray you have a good professor. Practice makes permanent. Study time (1-4 X time spent in class) You will either love or hate this class.
MCAT usefulness: regretably 6

Orgo 2 - bout the same as Orgo 1 in all ways, note taking speed has to increase b/c those mechanisms only get longer and cooler. Robinson annulation ftw.
This is usually the precursor to Biochem 1 so no it's not useless.
MCAT usefulness: 3

Physics 1 - medium to flipping hard class, the more important and relatable course that can drive you insane (I've had dreams of free body diagrams and flying off rollercoasters). Requires massive amounts of practice. Also requires somewhat of an imagination. Study time (the more the better because you ain't getting a 90 until you can recite verses from your textbook, minimum of 3-4 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 5
Physics 2 - medium to hard course and easier than physics 1. It is much more abstract and requires much more imagination because you can't physically see the issues (magnetic field, currents, waves, etc.). Again, practice is mandatory. Study time (2-3 X time spent in class at least)
MCAT usefulness: 7

Biochemistry - medium to hard course that is similar to bio but is flavored with literally most of the sciences. A knowledge of chem, Orgo 1, and bio both 1 and 2 is highly recommended. This science is most relevant for Med school and should be taken seriously. Slide review w/ textbook supplement and khan videos. Study Time ( 3-4 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 10

Good luck

 

[Turkishking]

General concepts are usually more important than specifics, this applies to all of them.

Below are my opinions for each pre Med course. I only listed requirements. MCAT usefulness are relative to my experiences. 2x taker

Bio 1+2- easy to medium course that requires a lot of memorization and proper slide studying. Study Time (1.5 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 8.5

Chem 1 - easy to barely medium course that seems intimidating but really requires practice to master. Study time (2-2.5 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 8
Chem 2 - medium to hard course that requires lots of practice because the math can get complex. Study time (2-3 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 5

Orgo 1 - difficulty unknown because the professor means a lot. Orgo is life and you should take the time to understand the basics. Without the basics you will fail. Without practice you will fail. Use memorization you will likely fail. This is not the class go memorize but to understand the mechanisms of molecules. You'll understand what I mean when u begin. Use colored pens/pencils to draw out molecules and mechanisms alike. Pray you have a good professor. Practice makes permanent. Study time (1-4 X time spent in class) You will either love or hate this class.
MCAT usefulness: regretably 6

Orgo 2 - bout the same as Orgo 1 in all ways, note taking speed has to increase b/c those mechanisms only get longer and cooler. Robinson annulation ftw.
This is usually the precursor to Biochem 1 so no it's not useless.
MCAT usefulness: 3

Physics 1 - medium to flipping hard class, the more important and relatable course that can drive you insane (I've had dreams of free body diagrams and flying off rollercoasters). Requires massive amounts of practice. Also requires somewhat of an imagination. Study time (the more the better because you ain't getting a 90 until you can recite verses from your textbook, minimum of 3-4 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 5
Physics 2 - medium to hard course and easier than physics 1. It is much more abstract and requires much more imagination because you can't physically see the issues (magnetic field, currents, waves, etc.). Again, practice is mandatory. Study time (2-3 X time spent in class at least)
MCAT usefulness: 7

Biochemistry - medium to hard course that is similar to bio but is flavored with literally most of the sciences. A knowledge of chem, Orgo 1, and bio both 1 and 2 is highly recommended. This science is most relevant for Med school and should be taken seriously. Slide review w/ textbook supplement and khan videos. Study Time ( 3-4 X time spent in class)
MCAT usefulness: 10

Good luck

I like your outline

 

[ifnotnowwren]

I think the most important thing is to try different things until you find what works for you. Try what other people suggest, try what that one poster online did, try what your professor says, but if they don't work for you - STOP. Early on I was dazzled by "wow this person did this and scored in the 95th percentile on the MCAT, I must follow their methods to the letter!", and stuck with methods that were not working for me and were not what I needed. You will find your way. If something isn't working, try something else. But do not assume that what has worked for others is foolproof and will automatically work for you. This honestly goes for classwork too - if a lecturer isn't getting through to you, if their teaching style isn't helpful for you, if a textbook is too dense, find alternative resources to learn the material. Keep in mind that you may need to try different things and methods for different classes.

 

[zaapmed]

Any particular tips for studying Biochemistry??