General or Specific Biology??

[GoingForward]

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In both offering the best preparation for the DAT, and to best serve you in dental school, which major/selection of courses would be most beneficial? I am at the junction of Junior year, so this is my last chance to make a decision.

The general Biology route would give me Genetics, Ecology, Botany, Evolution Biology and Molecular Cell Biology. Broad Spectrum.

The more specific version, which my school calls molecular and microbiology, would give me Molecular Biology I and II, Immunology, Microbial Metabolism, etc.

The problem with the molecular biology path, is the molecular cell biology is more advanced, so I would not have met the prereqs to take it until after I take the DAT. Also, you generally take Immunology in the place of Genetics.

On the other hand, the Molecular Cell Bio class for regular Bio majors is less intense or at least less specific (it only deals with eukaryotic cells, whereas the other deals with prokaryotic too), BUT, I could take this cell bio course before e Dat. On the other hand, I have no idea what if any benefit Ecology, Evolution and Botany would do to help a predental student.

Basically, Biology is very broad, with no specific emphasis on human factors, like the molecular versions of the major. So would a wide range (plants, animals, and that junk) be better or worse to the overall picture. Any advise????

 

[MAR89]

I can't really tell you which will be most helpful in dental school, but I think the general consensus is that Biochem, Micro, Anatomy, Physio, and Cell Bio are the upper divs that adcoms most like to see. So I'd recommend whichever path leads best to those. In terms of DAT preparation, I wouldn't stress about not having taken molecular cell bio beforehand...I doubt the DAT goes into that much depth. So long as you take a year of general bio, you should be fine. You'll probably end up relearning it all anyways 😛

 

[GoingForward]

Thanks.

Yea, I will take Anat, Physio, Micro and Biochem wither way. That's also confusing, is Molecular Biology DIFFERENT from cell Biology? What's the difference, we don't have a class called cell biology.

 

[dentalWorks]

In both offering the best preparation for the DAT, and to best serve you in dental school, which major/selection of courses would be most beneficial? I am at the junction of Junior year, so this is my last chance to make a decision.

The general Biology route would give me Genetics, Ecology, Botany, Evolution Biology and Molecular Cell Biology. Broad Spectrum.

The more specific version, which my school calls molecular and microbiology, would give me Molecular Biology I and II, Immunology, Microbial Metabolism, etc.

The problem with the molecular biology path, is the molecular cell biology is more advanced, so I would not have met the prereqs to take it until after I take the DAT. Also, you generally take Immunology in the place of Genetics.

On the other hand, the Molecular Cell Bio class for regular Bio majors is less intense or at least less specific (it only deals with eukaryotic cells, whereas the other deals with prokaryotic too), BUT, I could take this cell bio course before e Dat. On the other hand, I have no idea what if any benefit Ecology, Evolution and Botany would do to help a predental student.

Basically, Biology is very broad, with no specific emphasis on human factors, like the molecular versions of the major. So would a wide range (plants, animals, and that junk) be better or worse to the overall picture. Any advise????

I am not in dental school yet, but the few dental/medical students I've spoken with always suggest to get a good undergrad background (if possible) in pathology....

 

[LaughingGas]

Thanks.

Yea, I will take Anat, Physio, Micro and Biochem wither way. That's also confusing, is Molecular Biology DIFFERENT from cell Biology? What's the difference, we don't have a class called cell biology.

Molecular Biology is usually about Central Dogma (DNA->RNA-> Protein and techniques related to it)
Cell Biology is very broad, depending on school and professor. Sometimes covers the specific of inside of nucleus or cover the basic biology part of cell but in much detail.