I need to teach myself MCAT orgo and physics (never took courses)

[Qwe55]

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Pretty much what the title says. I need to teach myself Orgo and Physics because I never took those courses in university. What would be the best method to go about this? Do I need to get an indepth text book (not solely for MCAT), or will a MCAT based prep book be enough (I've read good things about TBR).

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

These are required courses for medical school. Take the courses then take the MCAT.

 

[PiBond]

I strongly recommend taking the courses as they're abstract enough (at times) to require a professor.

But to answer your question:

Track down some online videos (perhaps on youtube) for each subject. Textbooks will definitely help but do some research on which ones are the best. I prefer Organic Chemistry By Brown, Foote, and Iverson and I think that Giancoli's Physics books are pretty good too.

Test prep companies (especially Berkeley Review) have enough in their materials to give you a cursory overview. Don't go with Exam Krackers if you're learning the material for the first time.

Best of luck

 

[Qwe55]

These are required courses for medical school. Take the courses then take the MCAT.

I'm Canadian and these aren't required for Canadian med schools (at least not directly, since the MCAT is).

 

[RogueUnicorn]

piss-poor plan. don't do it.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I'm Canadian and these aren't required for Canadian med schools (at least not directly, since the MCAT is).

Still doesn't seem like a great idea, but I echo Pi Bond. I'd nab the Berkeley books

 

[JFK90787]

I pretty much taught myself physics and o chem. I took both in college but my college physics was MUCH easier than anything on the MCAT (I.E come into class with constant acceleration equations on an index card, plug and chug-type stuff). And for O chem I just forgot everything in that class within 5 minutes of taking my tests.

I used TPR and just asked questions on this site whenever I got stuck. I think TPR is very thorough without being confusing, but it will take you a few months of studying if you're doing it on your own. Most people on here will probably reccommend Berkley, which I have no experience with

 

[Qwe55]

I was able to find lectures of both semesters of Organic chemistry offered at a university here, so I plan on watching these. Is the second semester needed as well? Here are the course descriptions.

Intro to Organic Chemistry 1
Course description:
A survey of reactions of aliphatic and aromatic compounds including modern concepts of bonding, mechanisms, conformational analysis, and stereochemistry.

Course topics:
Chemical Structure Families. Chemistry Nomenclature. Alkanes. Chirality. Stereo Nomenclature. Alkyl Halides. Alkenes. Alkynes. Aromatics.


Introduction to Organic Chemistry II

Course description:
Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds and amines with special attention to mechanistic aspects.

Also how in depth is the physics covered on the MCAT? I recall reading that high school physics is enough.

 

[wanderer]

Both semesters or organic are needed. Keep in mind that you should know lab techniques as well, which often aren't taught in lecture portions. This is especially true for organic chemistry.

For physics check out the MIT videos. They're good for the concepts but for the calculations you'd probably want to use a textbook.

Brown, Foote, and Iverson is okay in terms of the depth required for the MCAT, but there were a lot of little tips that I learned from my professor that were not in the text.

Even if Canadian med schools don't explicitly ask for those courses, they may want to know why you didn't take them, although a current Canadian med student would know better than I what is and what isn't important to them.

 

[Longshanks]

I was able to find lectures of both semesters of Organic chemistry offered at a university here, so I plan on watching these. Is the second semester needed as well? Here are the course descriptions.

Intro to Organic Chemistry 1
Course description:
A survey of reactions of aliphatic and aromatic compounds including modern concepts of bonding, mechanisms, conformational analysis, and stereochemistry.

Course topics:
Chemical Structure Families. Chemistry Nomenclature. Alkanes. Chirality. Stereo Nomenclature. Alkyl Halides. Alkenes. Alkynes. Aromatics.


Introduction to Organic Chemistry II

Course description:
Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds and amines with special attention to mechanistic aspects.

Also how in depth is the physics covered on the MCAT? I recall reading that high school physics is enough.

Both semesters are equally important. Some here argue that Orgo I is more important, but I feel the majority of MCAT question are on Carbonyl groups and reactions... that is covered in Orgo II... though the basic information fundamental to all organic chemistry questions is in Orgo I (obviously).

Not taking college level physics is setting you up for failure. Its not much more "difficult" or "advanced", but it is in more detail than high school physics. It was also such a long time ago since you've last done physics, so you should get back in the habit of it.

Not finishing pre-reqs before the MCAT, even if the schools you're applying to don't require it, is a plan for selling yourself short or worse, failure. The MCAT requires these courses and skills, so learn them.

 

[gymtanlaundry]

that's weird. you should just take them, you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage if you don't

 

[Friendly]

I'm Canadian and these aren't required for Canadian med schools (at least not directly, since the MCAT is).

People have done it, but I would not recommend it. Take a prep course at least. I took the MCAT in 2004 with absolutely zero background in physics (never took a single class in my life) and I tanked on that section. Now, I made it into medical school (even got an interview at the U of T), but my PS subsection score was 5 points lower than my average on practice exams. Do not take this lightly. You want to take this exam once, and I submit to you that you are at a massive disadvantage right now.

P.S. I also used the MIT online physics lectures - excellent, but not that helpful for the MCAT and not a good use of time.

 

[Qwe55]

People have done it, but I would not recommend it. Take a prep course at least. I took the MCAT in 2004 with absolutely zero background in physics (never took a single class in my life) and I tanked on that section. Now, I made it into medical school (even got an interview at the U of T), but my PS subsection score was 5 points lower than my average on practice exams. Do not take this lightly. You want to take this exam once, and I submit to you that you are at a massive disadvantage right now.

P.S. I also used the MIT online physics lectures - excellent, but not that helpful for the MCAT and not a good use of time.

So you made it into med school even though you tanked the PS section? Or was that just your first attempt.. and then you started studying? What materials did you use to study physics? Why were the MIT lectures a waste of time?

 

[Friendly]

So you made it into med school even though you tanked the PS section? Or was that just your first attempt.. and then you started studying? What materials did you use to study physics? Why were the MIT lectures a waste of time?

That is what I said. I took the MCAT once. Personally, I thought it was harder than the USMLEs (more material in the latter but the former is a test type you are good at or you are not). I used MIT lectures online (good for understanding the subject matter but they do not give you the concepts the same way that the MCAT will test you). I also used a commercial prep course study packet. Like I said, I did it all wrong. Don't copy me.

 

[Qwe55]

That is what I said. I took the MCAT once. Personally, I thought it was harder than the USMLEs (more material in the latter but the former is a test type you are good at or you are not). I used MIT lectures online (good for understanding the subject matter but they do not give you the concepts the same way that the MCAT will test you). I also used a commercial prep course study packet. Like I said, I did it all wrong. Don't copy me.

Hmm well you did end up making it into med school, and since that's the end goal how can I not copy you lol 😀. Seriously though I've already started watching the organic lectures, and I'll do the same for physics, and then after that I'll start the actual MCAT studying. So I won't be going into it without any knowledge. Btw what score did you end up getting on that first MCAT?

 

[assturtle]

Personally, I would recommend against this. when I prepped for the mcat, every book I reviewed was just that, a review. I never would've learned the stuff cold from it.