Fetal Circulation on MCAT

[wes431]

Do I need to know fetal circulation for the MCAT? I noticed Kaplan includes it in its content but EK doesn't.

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[iA-MD2013]

Do I need to know fetal circulation for the MCAT? I noticed Kaplan includes it in its content but EK doesn't.

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/preparing/bstopics.pdf
it doesn't look like it...

 

[coffeebythelake]

I think I had a very basic question on fetal circulation when I wrote my MCAT.

 

[Vihsadas]

You should know the fetal circulation. It's one of those low-yield questions that they throw in there sometimes.

 

[BloodySurgeon]

If they do ask questions about fetal circulation, they most probably give you some background information on it. However, understanding a very basic knowledge on it may be quite useful. What you do need to know is that fetal hemoglobin has a higher oxygen affinity than adult hemoglobin. Other than that the following are helpful supplemental information:

Ductus venosus shunts blood away from the liver since it has not fully developed and directs the blood towards inferior or superior vena cava. Then from the right atria, most of the blood skips the lungs, since it is not fully developed (inflated) and into the left atria through the Foramen ovale or from the pulmonary artery to the aorta through the ductus arteriosus.

other than that... all other knowledge are too low yield to mention

 

[iA-MD2013]

If they do ask questions about fetal circulation, they most probably give you some background information on it. However, understanding a very basic knowledge on it may be quite useful. What you do need to know is that fetal hemoglobin has a higher oxygen affinity than adult hemoglobin. Other than that the following are helpful supplemental information:

Ductus venosus shunts blood away from the liver since it has not fully developed and directs the blood towards inferior or superior vena cava. Then from the right atria, most of the blood skips the lungs, since it is not fully developed (inflated) and into the left atria through the Foramen ovale or from the pulmonary artery to the aorta through the ductus arteriosus.

other than that... all other knowledge are too low yield to mention

That is the best 2 sentence summary of fetal circulation! 👍

 

[rc4ch]

If they do ask questions about fetal circulation, they most probably give you some background information on it. However, understanding a very basic knowledge on it may be quite useful. What you do need to know is that fetal hemoglobin has a higher oxygen affinity than adult hemoglobin. Other than that the following are helpful supplemental information:

Ductus venosus shunts blood away from the liver since it has not fully developed and directs the blood towards inferior or superior vena cava. Then from the right atria, most of the blood skips the lungs, since it is not fully developed (inflated) and into the left atria through the Foramen ovale or from the pulmonary artery to the aorta through the ductus arteriosus.

other than that... all other knowledge are too low yield to mention

I seriously think this is all you need to know.