Genetics?

[DreamyKid]

is it important to have completed genetics before taking the MCAT? Or is the genetics section very basic like from basic bio?

thx

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[jochi1543]

MCAT genetics can be INTENSE. I took a 300 level genetics class, and I found the genetics stuff to be very hard. You are likely to get molecular genetics more than you would the Punnett square types of questions. If you have room in your schedule, I'd recommend it. My test had a fair share of genetics.

 

[epr1]

is it important to have completed genetics before taking the MCAT? Or is the genetics section very basic like from basic bio?

thx

I'm pretty sure my test didn't have any...

hit or miss

what year are you? when do you want to apply?

 

[armybound]

Depends on the form, but I'd be prepared with at least a good basic understanding of molecular genetics.

 

[TheRealMD]

The MCAT can make even simply Punnett square type math something you'll hate for the rest of your life. However, it's not something you would want to take entire class just to get that question right anyway (even after taking my genetics class I found those questions to be time-wasters).

Personally, if you don't have to take genetics, it's not a big deal. Just focus on the review materials that you'll be looking at study the Genetics section like no other. I don't think any other part of bio is quite as annoying.

 

[baby methuselah]

i haven't had any trouble w/ any of aamc's practice test genetic q's after going through kaplan's materials. but i hear they've put more on recently. probably just hit or miss just like everything else.

 

[amartinezz43]

The MCAT can make even simply Punnett square type math something you'll hate for the rest of your life. However, it's not something you would want to take entire class just to get that question right anyway (even after taking my genetics class I found those questions to be time-wasters).

Personally, if you don't have to take genetics, it's not a big deal. Just focus on the review materials that you'll be looking at study the Genetics section like no other. I don't think any other part of bio is quite as annoying.

diddo

 

[GuzzyRon]

is it important to have completed genetics before taking the MCAT? Or is the genetics section very basic like from basic bio?

thx

It's not required but if you can take it before taking the MCAT, it can only help not hurt (esp. considering the fact that more genetics questions have been added in recent years). I had a BS form that was loaded with Genetics questions and I don't know how I would have survived it without the class under my belt.

 

[blargh]

for the 8 millionth time, NO.

my MCAT was genetics-ridden, and i did not take genetics.

 

[geogil]

Dang. I was hoping this would be memorial thread to that troll a few months ago named genetics. Long live the loudmouthed troll!

 

[armybound]

Dang. I was hoping this would be memorial thread to that troll a few months ago named genetics. Long live the loudmouthed troll!

I was waiting for someone to chime in on how great the prospects are for a genetic counselor and why med school sucks.

 

[ryandote]

is it important to have completed genetics before taking the MCAT? Or is the genetics section very basic like from basic bio?

thx

Did anybody take the Aug '06 MCAT? What you really need is a lab experience in Zebrafish genetics....

Just kidding, but there was quite a bit of genetics-related questions on both my Aug '06 and Aug '05 MCATs. I was very happy that I had taken genetics, and even more happy that I did a summer research program last year crossing D. melanogaster (Incidentally, it was with a group of other kids and we had lunch and discussed our projects once a week. Almost everybody else was doing Zebrafish experiments, so a was golden for the last MCAT...14 in BS! )

 

[ChristianJames1]

Nope. The more biology classes you take the better, but personally I had a very basic idea of molecular genetics and did fine on Bio. There won't be any discrete super complicated molecular genetics questions on the test, and if there are complicated molecular genetics questions at all they will be passage based. They will pretty much always give you enough info in those passages to figure it out. Keep in mind that a lot of non-science people take the MCAT too. Molecular Genetics is NOT prereq for med school.

 

[GuzzyRon]

Keep in mind that a lot of non-science people take the MCAT too.

You made it sound like taking the prereqs is not required for success on the MCAT....like those 'non-science premeds' simply walked into the exam hall and blasted the MCAT without any previous knowledge of the sciences whatsoever.

 

[GuzzyRon]

for the 8 millionth time, NO.

my MCAT was genetics-ridden, and i did not take genetics.

Well, this advice doesn't have much value without you telling us whether you did well on the BS section or not.

 

[etf]

Dang. I was hoping this would be memorial thread to that troll a few months ago named genetics. Long live the loudmouthed troll!

double dang!! cause i was praying that that's what this thread would be about too.

 

[Dookter]

Dang. I was hoping this would be memorial thread to that troll a few months ago named genetics. Long live the loudmouthed troll!

ha ha ha, that is what I thought when I read the thread title too!

 

[Funky]

ha ha ha, that is what I thought when I read the thread title too!

me three!

 

[coffeebythelake]

MCAT genetics can be INTENSE. I took a 300 level genetics class, and I found the genetics stuff to be very hard. You are likely to get molecular genetics more than you would the Punnett square types of questions. If you have room in your schedule, I'd recommend it. My test had a fair share of genetics.

Are you kidding? MCAT genetics is ridiculously easy, I could have done it with what they taught me in grade 12 biology.

 

[jochi1543]

Are you kidding? MCAT genetics is ridiculously easy, I could have done it with what they taught me in grade 12 biology.

Did you take the April 12 test?

 

[blargh]

Well, this advice doesn't have much value without you telling us whether you did well on the BS section or not.

sorry, i assumed my mdapps link would be sufficient. i scored 13.

 

[PreMed4Dummies]

OP: I wouldn't take Genetics just for the MCAT, I took it because its a recommended course by many med schools and I found the information I learned to be quite useful when reading medical papers with genetic correlates.