How much anatomy?

[fullset]

How much anatomy is there on the MCAT? Mine is on 6/17, so I was wondering if I really needed to spend time on anatomy. Considering that mcat is testing our scientific reasoning, anatomy is a bunch of memorization.

So to all the people who recently took the mcat, how much of the BS is anatomy?

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[jm192]

I don't think there's any actual anatomy. Physiology and embryology is there. The anatomical type stuff that might be asked about it is moreso covered in the other sections.

 

[Silverfalcon]

The rule for anatomy for MCAT is whatever is relevant to physiology discussed in the AAMC guide.

So, you will have to know the systems of the kidney. But would you be asked to identify an obscure part of kidney as one of the questions? No. Instead, such details may be introduced in the passage to aid in the understanding of other relevant parts of kidney that are tested.

I would say stay away from memorizing things for gross anatomy. But knowing body parts sometimes helps to remember how body functions.

 

[fullset]

OK, I downloaded an app for mcat on iphone, and it had questions like the right subclavian artery divides into? It actually had a LOT of this artery divides into what type of questions. I hope nothing like that shows up.

 

[yamaraja808]

OK, I downloaded an app for mcat on iphone, and it had questions like the right subclavian artery divides into? It actually had a LOT of this artery divides into what type of questions. I hope nothing like that shows up.

I have taken the MCAT once before and it never had anatomy questions at that level. For example, you do need to know about the pulmonary artery and vein because there maybe a question related to oxygenated vs deoxygenated blood. However, you "do not" need to know what the median nerve of the arm innervates or the flow of blood in the circle of wilis (nothing really physiological and too complicated).

The questions are more catered toward the physiology. So you need to know about the binding of hemoglobin on the RBCs. You need to know about what happens in the blood when there is not much oxygen. Things like this.

Sliverfalcon I believe is correct in stating that anatomy is relevant to the physiology that is discussed by AAMC guide lines. So your introductory science courses and the prep books should carry you through the whole process just fine.

 

[Lokhtar]

I would say none, but that might overestimate the amount of just pure anatomy questions.

Structure X is dorsal to Don't Worry about it.

Study it in relation to physiology, that's it.

 

[Silverfalcon]

I would say none, but that might overestimate the amount of just pure anatomy questions.

Structure X is dorsal to Don't Worry about it.

Study it in relation to physiology, that's it.

Exactly. 👍

If anatomy ever appears on future MCATs, then wouldn't they be like freebies to certain degree? We will then see the prep companies making "1001 Frequently Tested Anatomy Parts" as in those SAT vocabulary for analogies in old days...