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How useful is undergrad genetics for med school? I'm debating whether or not I should take the class this semester.
Genetics
- Thread starter RaistlinMajere
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Have you taken the MCAT? Genetics is a component of the bio secion of the MCAT. You could probably get by without having taken genetics, though, as MCAT genetics is not terribly complicated. Good luck!
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Oh, and I am not a med student, so I can't comment on how useful it will be for med school. 🙂
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Genetics Lab was the worst class I took in college. The lecture was alright -- just like any other class. However, the lab was horrible. We worked with the damned Drosophilas (Fruit flies). We were required to come in after every 6-8 hours every freaking day of the semester. It was the worst. You can probably find some threads regarding the genetics fruit fly lab in some universities on SDN.
Regarding the class itself -- it was not difficult. Some of the things are interesting and detailed -- but I don't see them extensively on the MCATs. MCAT genetics is not that bad. I think some med schools recommend taking Genetics before matriculation. I don't think it would be a bad idea to take it. If you don't have to take the fruit fly lab, then take it. If the lab is required, put it off til the end, or a summer. The lab sucks.
Regarding the class itself -- it was not difficult. Some of the things are interesting and detailed -- but I don't see them extensively on the MCATs. MCAT genetics is not that bad. I think some med schools recommend taking Genetics before matriculation. I don't think it would be a bad idea to take it. If you don't have to take the fruit fly lab, then take it. If the lab is required, put it off til the end, or a summer. The lab sucks.
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Thanks for the replies. I've actually been fortunate enough to be accepted to a med school already. So thankfully there will not be another MCAT in my future. Though from the responses it looks like I should've taken genetics for the MCAT. I was just wondering if it would help for the genetics that I will encounter in med school.
Med school genetics isn't too toughso far but I'm really glad I had it before because now its just one less thing I need to spend a lot of time studying for. Its definately not essential though. I can also tell you that the genetic portion of the step 1 board exam is growing each year. So its definately an important subject.
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I had a fantastic intro genetics class before med school, and it's been really helpful.
Our MS1 biochem course first semester was basically mol bio, which was poorly taught and assumed all kinds of prior knowledge. I understood a lot of material only because of that previous class (e.g. RFLPs, microarrays, most of the current techniques). Also, they assume in many classes that we can easily and fluently read pedigrees, and again the previous class really helped. We will not have MS1 genetics until March.
I'd say that if you can get a good instructor who teaches modern genetics with plenty of mol bio, it's a good investment. As others have said, the USMLE increasingly emphasizes these topics. It's hard to get a good instructor anywhere in med school, and there isn't much time to learn it.
Our MS1 biochem course first semester was basically mol bio, which was poorly taught and assumed all kinds of prior knowledge. I understood a lot of material only because of that previous class (e.g. RFLPs, microarrays, most of the current techniques). Also, they assume in many classes that we can easily and fluently read pedigrees, and again the previous class really helped. We will not have MS1 genetics until March.
I'd say that if you can get a good instructor who teaches modern genetics with plenty of mol bio, it's a good investment. As others have said, the USMLE increasingly emphasizes these topics. It's hard to get a good instructor anywhere in med school, and there isn't much time to learn it.
