How important is genetics?

[emaw319]

Hi everyone, long time reader first time poster here.

My university offers a cadaver practicum course where students get to do cadaver dissection and then teach anatomy from the cadavers to the Human body A&P class. I already took the human body course, which is a prereq to apply to do the cadaver team. It would be a great experience and is something that I have been planning to take ever since I took the human body course.

I'm a senior planning to apply next cycle so I'll be taking the MCAT either in the spring or early summer. If I do the cadaver team I'll be unable to take genetics (I decided on medical school kind of late which is why I haven't taken it yet).How important is it that I take genetics for the MCAT? Is it possible to sufficiently self study that material? I know that I would rather do the cadaver team as I'm confident it's a class I would enjoy, but if I would be hurting my MCAT score its not worth it. My advisor recommended I take genetics, but I wanted to see what SDN wisdom had to say. Thank you!

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[workaholic181]

Hi everyone, long time reader first time poster here.

My university offers a cadaver practicum course where students get to do cadaver dissection and then teach anatomy from the cadavers to the Human body A&P class. I already took the human body course, which is a prereq to apply to do the cadaver team. It would be a great experience and is something that I have been planning to take ever since I took the human body course.

I'm a senior planning to apply next cycle so I'll be taking the MCAT either in the spring or early summer. If I do the cadaver team I'll be unable to take genetics (I decided on medical school kind of late which is why I haven't taken it yet).How important is it that I take genetics for the MCAT? Is it possible to sufficiently self study that material? I know that I would rather do the cadaver team as I'm confident it's a class I would enjoy, but if I would be hurting my MCAT score its not worth it. My advisor recommended I take genetics, but I wanted to see what SDN wisdom had to say. Thank you!

I didnt find genetics to be too important for the MCAT. If you have a basic bio foundation it's pretty easy to teach yourself the genetics you'll need from a review book. That teaching opp sounds awesome and I'd bet adcoms would love it.

 

[DBC03]

I found it helpful, but I also found a LOT of overlap with both cell biology and biochemistry. Honestly, I thought the lab and a thorough understanding of PCR more helpful than most of what I learned in class. You can certainly teach yourself enough for the MCAT. If you don't take it (and you have already taken cell biology or something similar and biochemistry), I would focus on understanding inheritance patterns, evolution, and possibly population genetics, such as the Hardy-Weinberg principle. If you know you'll enjoy the other class, it sounds like an excellent opportunity and I wouldn't give it up for a genetics class (although I found genetics to be a fascinating class as well).

 

[jaysonr0]

Genetics is somewhat important for the MCAT, my books had it a few times but its not like its a main point of focus at any point it seems like

 

[gyngyn]

Questions on the MCAT may use concepts in anatomy or genetics but pre-existing knowledge is not required (beyond that which is taught in basic biology).