how helpful is endocrinology for the MCAT?

[luv2sd]

here's the course description

Introduces mammalian endocrine system. Course provides a thorough analysis and integration of chemical communication by hormones, paracrines, and semiochemicals.

I have to decide between endocrinology and biochemistry before I take the MCAT.
If possible, I would like to take a course that will help me prepare for the MCAT.

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[ADeadLois]

here's the course description

Introduces mammalian endocrine system. Course provides a thorough analysis and integration of chemical communication by hormones, paracrines, and semiochemicals.

I have to decide between endocrinology and biochemistry before I take the MCAT.
If possible, I would like to take a course that will help me prepare for the MCAT.

Biochem is probably the pick. However, don't depend on either to really help prepare you for the MCAT. Success on the MCAT is all about knowing the basic science (which courses on Biochem and Endocrinology will likely going way beyond) and doing practice problems.

 

[CubaLibre]

they will both help. i don't know which one is more high yield for the mcat on exam day, but i know that taking endocrinology certainly cut down my study time for the biology section cuz u really do learn a lot in that course.

 

[Tourterm]

Perhaps more suitable for the MCAT forum.

Hormones sometimes come up, but are not nearly as important as other topics. I would certainly not expect this course to help much at all. Courses like genetics and cell and molec would be more useful, as far as the MCAT is concerned anyway. Biochem would be of more use to you, MCAT wise.

Of course, just because a course is of minimal or no use on the MCAT doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to take it. In the end, you should really take the course you find most interesting and that you think you will do best in.

 

[dally1025]

i'd take biochem any day of the week, at least if your goal is to prep for the mcat. biochem helped me score much higher on my mcat-it helped me understand the stuff I memorized in gen chem. i never really saw a whole lot of endocrinology, at least not anything you didn't learn in intro bio.

 

[Kthanksbye]

Definitely biochem. It actually does cover many of the things that may be asked on the MCAT, although in greater detail than they will ask. All you need to know for the MCAT about endocrinology are the major hormones, where they are made and what they do. Your freshman biology book probably has a table that has all this info already laid out for you. You definitely don't need an entire class for this, an hour of making flash cards with a few main points, and drilling them a bit, will be all the endocrinology you will need.

Biochem is also a prereq or at least a highly recommended class for many med schools.

(btw, I'm a Kaplan instructor).

 

[luv2sd]

thanks for the advice guys
I'll go with biochem 😉

 

[Phoenix.]

Moving to the MCAT Discussion Forum. Thanks.

 

[MedSchoolDave]

You only need to know about 20 hormones for the MCAT. It takes about an hour to memorize.

 

[halekulani]

biochem

gives you familiarity with amino acids (BS) and laboratory techniques (BS), tons of chemistry principles and some ochem. it strengthens your chemistry and ochem no doubt.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

here's the course description

Introduces mammalian endocrine system. Course provides a thorough analysis and integration of chemical communication by hormones, paracrines, and semiochemicals.

I have to decide between endocrinology and biochemistry before I take the MCAT.
If possible, I would like to take a course that will help me prepare for the MCAT.

Endocrinology, hands-down. Endocrinology is a major component of physiology--a topic that is most-decidedly found on the MCAT. In the two times I've taken the MCAT, I have yet to see a question that really taps into my knowledge of biochemistry. This is perfectly understandable, because biochemistry is undoubtedly a course that depends solely on rote memorization rather than understanding of processes. Put yourself in the role of the MCAT question writers. If you wanted to make a question that forced test-takers to think, would you do it with a topic that requires only memorization, or would you do it with a topic that requires understanding processes?

 

[SN2ed]

For my test, biochem and molecular genetics were all over the test. I didn't have one endocrine question. Okay, I think I had one discreet.