How does undergrad physiology contrast to medical school physiology?

[Masonh928]

While I know what there's an immense difference in taking, for instance, a semester of physiology during undergrad, but what if I were to major in Physiology/Anatomy ? Would majoring in Physiology still be little compared to Medical School Physiology? Just as a note, I'm not just considering this for medical school; I find physiology very interesting.

(Sorry, if I sound ignorant...)

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[WedgeDawg]

Med school physiology covers physiology as it relates to medicine and thus emphasizes pathological physiology which basically means you have to understand normal physiology first. Undergrad physiology will likely not cover pathology in anywhere close to the level of detail that will be covered in med school.

 

[Masonh928]

Even if you major in Physiology? That's just very surprising to me I suppose...

 

[efle]

That's just very surprising to me I suppose...

It's common. I majored in Neuroscience for example and only had a couple classes that focused on neuro diseases and disorders, most classes looked at cell-level neurophys that would be very useless to med students

 

[WedgeDawg]

It's common. I majored in Neuroscience for example and only had a couple classes that focused on neuro diseases and disorders, most classes looked at cell-level neurophys that would be very useless to med students

I'm in neuro right now and unfortunately (fortunately?) that cellular level neurophysiology is not useless.

 

[efle]

I'm in neuro right now and unfortunately (fortunately?) that cellular level neurophysiology is not useless.

Really? Hard to imagine why Med students would need to calculate Nernst equilibriums and such. The medically related neuro classes I took were all interested in either very basic understandings of neurodegenerative diseases or system level effects like the loss of certain brain regions

 

[WedgeDawg]

Really? Hard to imagine why Med students would need to calculate Nernst equilibriums. The medically related neuro classes I took were all interested in either very basic understandings of neurodegenerative diseases or system level effects like the loss of certain brain regions

We do Nernst stuff - that's pretty basic. You learn a lot more physiology than what is absolutely necessary day to day (or so it might seem), but (as I'm told) it's important. I'm not a clinical student yet, so I can't comment personally on the in-hospital usefulness of certain information, but we learn it and have to know it.

 

[efle]

We do Nernst stuff - that's pretty basic. You learn a lot more physiology than what is absolutely necessary day to day (or so it might seem), but (as I'm told) it's important. I'm not a clinical student yet, so I can't comment personally on the in-hospital usefulness of certain information, but we learn it and have to know it.

I guess that figures, since you're expected to learn all sorts of overly in-depth biochem stuff all over again too

 

[WedgeDawg]

I guess that figures, since you're expected to learn all sorts of overly in-depth biochem stuff all over again too

It's all relevant to someone but not every tiny little detail is going to be relevant to every physician once they choose a specialty; however, the majority is relevant to everyone.

 

[bethygean]

I'm not in medical school yet, but I've almost completed my undergrad and can tell you that most schools don't offer degrees in anatomy/physiology (if they did that would have been my major) but it is different in the depth of material that is talked about. Also, I'd imagine that in medical school they would also relate physiology to biochemical concepts and how to relate those to patient care. It seems that once biochemistry is involved everything becomes much more in depth as you can understand the reasoning behind chemical processes


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[Instatewaiter]

While I know what there's an immense difference in taking, for instance, a semester of physiology during undergrad, but what if I were to major in Physiology/Anatomy ? Would majoring in Physiology still be little compared to Medical School Physiology? Just as a note, I'm not just considering this for medical school; I find physiology very interesting.

(Sorry, if I sound ignorant...)

I think the distinction will be the speed and breadth in which you will cover physiology. This goes for most of medical school... It moves very rapidly. So what you might spend a week or even two on in undergraduate will be covered in a lecture or two and you will be expected to know the same (or a deeper) level detail in medical school.

In addition, the focus will be on medically relevant topics rather than whatever minutia the PhD wants to teach you in undergraduate physiology.

 

[Masonh928]

I'm not in medical school yet, but I've almost completed my undergrad and can tell you that most schools don't offer degrees in anatomy/physiology (if they did that would have been my major) but it is different in the depth of material that is talked about. Also, I'd imagine that in medical school they would also relate physiology to biochemical concepts and how to relate those to patient care. It seems that once biochemistry is involved everything becomes much more in depth as you can understand the reasoning behind chemical processes


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Yeah, Indiana University offers it.

 

[bethygean]

Yeah, Indiana University offers it.

That's great


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[darknecrosforte]

Exercise physiology and exercise science is probably one of the more popular "medically-relevant" physiology degrees. Not to be confused with kinesiology though...

 

[Law2Doc]

Most semester-long college courses contain only a few days to weeks of material at the med school pace. So major in what you enjoy-- any attempt at "getting a leg up" will be very short lived if at all.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

My major was basically physio and I took some additional physio and neurobio classes. So far it's been extremely helpful (only an MSI so I can't really say).

 

[Law2Doc]

(only an MSI so I can't really say).

Bear in mind that the "dirty little secret" in med school is that the grades in the clinical years, especially the first year, barely count --they have very little bearing on your future. It's foundation, and some of that stuff is fair game for step 1, but how you do isn't going to make or break you career-wise as much as the rotations later in med school.
So if you majored in it in college and then re-covered it in med school you just got foundation for the foundation. You won't get much of a leg up but even if you did, so what -- the guy who learned it in med school and did better on Step 1 is still going to get better interviews, even if you aced that first year course.

So this is why you should major in what you enjoy, even if it has little to do with what you'll be doing in med school. Especially if it has little to do with what you'll be doing in med school. In fact, it might pay to take courses in college you won't be retaking in more detail later so you get the benefit of learning more things. Major in business with a minor in spanish and you'll be far better off as a physician, career-wise.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Bear in mind that the "dirty little secret" in med school is that the grades in the clinical years, especially the first year, barely count --they have very little bearing on your future. It's foundation, and some of that stuff is fair game for step 1, but how you do isn't going to make or break you career-wise as much as the rotations later in med school.
So if you majored in it in college and then re-covered it in med school you just got foundation for the foundation. You won't get much of a leg up but even if you did, so what -- the guy who learned it in med school and did better on Step 1 is still going to get better interviews, even if you aced that first year course.

So this is why you should major in what you enjoy, even if it has little to do with what you'll be doing in med school. Especially if it has little to do with what you'll be doing in med school. In fact, it might pay to take courses in college you won't be retaking in more detail later so you get the benefit of learning more things. Major in business with a minor in spanish and you'll be far better off as a physician, career-wise.

Well my school has no grades at all so I definitely agree with you there. However, if you are interested in science, or physiology specifically, there is no reason not to pursue that in undergrad just because you'll cover it again in greater depth in med school. I agree that it's probably the better plan to choose whatever you enjoy most to study in undergrad though.