Human Physiology and Biochem, MCAT 2015?

[The One Who Knocks]

Hi all,

This semester I am currently taking Cellular Biochemistry, Human Physiology, Physics 2 and an online course. I am a little worried that this would be too much in one semester, but I am not sure since school just started.

Since I am planning to take the MCAT 2015 soon, is it very important that I take biochem and human physiology before taking the new MCAT?

Thanks for any clarification and advice.

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[mr.mkitty]

Yes to both of those classes. Especially Biochemistry. I wish I had taken a human phys class before I took the MCAT, I didn't and still did well... So it's very possible to just study for human phys using prep material. But you are definitely gonna wanna take biochem beforehand.

 

[The One Who Knocks]

Yes to both of those classes. Especially Biochemistry. I wish I had taken a human phys class before I took the MCAT, I didn't and still did well... So it's very possible to just study for human phys using prep material. But you are definitely gonna wanna take biochem beforehand.

Thanks for the quick reply. So, in your opinion, do you think I should keep this semester the way it is, since it should help for the MCAT?

 

[mr.mkitty]

Yes, as long as you are prepared to study. It's very possible.

 

[mikil100]

Hi all,

This semester I am currently taking Cellular Biochemistry, Human Physiology, Physics 2 and an online course. I am a little worried that this would be too much in one semester, but I am not sure since school just started.

Since I am planning to take the MCAT 2015 soon, is it very important that I take biochem and human physiology before taking the new MCAT?

Thanks for any clarification and advice.

What is "soon" for the MCAT? Are you giving yourself adequate time to study?
Biochemistry will be immensely helpful, the other classes will help as well, but not as much.

 

[Dr.TonySoprano]

you need to have taken biochemistry for this MCAT

 

[Flashfan]

I did not have Physiology and I scored well. I would have bombed it without Biochem. Still, if you are incorporating MCAT study with your regular classes, you can sometimes use the prep material to enhance your classroom learning. I did that with my physics and biochem last semester.

 

[QuentinT88]

Don't think you need Physiology but you def need Biochem for the mcat

 

[Doctor Dream]

What is "soon" for the MCAT? Are you giving yourself adequate time to study?
Biochemistry will be immensely helpful, the other classes will help as well, but not as much.

Totally agree. OP you don't "need" to take anything like some people here are saying. I know of people who taught themselves biochem and did fine. BUT, I know taking biochem and phys helped me out a ton. You'll find the MCAT loves questions about amino acids and their interactions and enzyme kinetics (which are biochem topics). I had just taken biochem when I started studying for the MCAT and I know it helped my studying and performance on the real thing.

 

[bee17]

I also took biochem, physiology, and physics at the same time. It was a busy semester, but I think all those classes helped me on the MCAT. Biochem is a must. As long as you have good study skills and are willing to work, you should be fine. I will also echo other posters by saying that it depends on what you mean by taking the MCAT "soon." Classes will help reinforce material, but you will need dedicated time for MCAT studying in addition to your classwork.

 

[Dhooy7]

How do you prepare for the critical analysis section if you don't do as well on these kind of reading tests?

 

[Slave to the Game]

How do you prepare for the critical analysis section if you don't do as well on these kind of reading tests?

This advice really sucks, but for me the best advice would have been to read more. I had very poor reading habits when I took the MCAT, and had no endurance to read all of those long passages. Kept flitting back and forth between the questions and passage, it didn't end up well. Also, read those questions very carefully! I found that the wording of the questions can typically give you the answer when you're narrowing it down between 2 choices.

 

[Garurumon]

How much of metabolic pathways shows up on the new MCAT? Biochem 1 at my school, which I'm taking this fall, only covers up to gluconeogenesis. The other pathways like fatty acid oxidation, TCA cycle, electron transport, etc. are covered in Biochem 2 next semester. Problem is I'm set to take the MCAT on Jan 23. Would self-study suffice?