If you could only take 1 upper level Biology course. . . .

[SoulinNeed]

---

Members do not see this ad.

which would it be, considering prep for the MCAT? Genetics, anatomy? Only one.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Hmm.. Genetics... cell biology/molecular biology is also good ( probably going to be more useful)

 

[Omar Gooding]

which would it be, considering prep for the MCAT? Genetics, anatomy? Only one.

I thought animal physiology was most helpful. Genetics would come in second.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

Obviously it's test dependent... but knowledge from 'Cell Biology' helped quite a bit.

 

[gravitywave]

only one, huh? so far as MCAT goes, it's a crapshoot. some exams have a bunch of genetics, some a bunch of biochem, some mol bio.... there's no way to know.

take the course with MCAT-related content that you know you can get an A in. consider things like your level of interest in the material, who's teaching it, and (no i'm not joking) what time it meets so you know you'll attend regularly. best to front-end load that AMCAS transcript report with high grades, assuming you're going through verification this summer.

 

[Catalystik]

Physiology.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

molec cell

 

[insane]

Cell or Genetics

 

[SoulinNeed]

Wow, it really is a crapshoot from reading this thread. Maybe I should take anatomy then, because it also counts towards pharmacy prerequisites, and that's my backup plan in life.

 

[Omni]

Physiology, hands down.
Genetics, cell bio, and all the other bio subjects are concentrated enough for you to just pick up a book and study from it. Physio is more broad and covers every part of the body, which will ease up your studying
It did for me. When I was taking the MCAT, all I had was bio 1, 2, and physio. Genetics and all the other stuff was easily learned, however physio would have required more time had I not taken it.

good luck

 

[Omar Gooding]

Physiology, hands down.
Genetics, cell bio, and all the other bio subjects are concentrated enough for you to just pick up a book and study from it. Physio is more broad and covers every part of the body, which will ease up your studying
It did for me. When I was taking the MCAT, all I had was bio 1, 2, and physio. Genetics and all the other stuff was easily learned, however physio would have required more time had I not taken it.

good luck

agreed.

And I think anatomy would be the most useless for the MCAT of all courses mentioned.

 

[SoulinNeed]

You guys recommend physiology? Would this description count?

BIO-360 Vertebrate Physiology, 4 cr. Functions and interrelationships of organ systems. Lecture and laboratory.

 

[Catalystik]

Yes.

(And i agree with Omar that Anatomy is useless for the MCAT.)

 

[ThaliaNox]

If I could only take one bio course, and I wanted it to count the most for the MCAT, it'd probably be Physiology. Human physiology as opposed to vertebrate physiology, if you can get it. Yes, humans are vetebrates, I know. But so are iguanas. Human phys would be more concentrated on the things that you are going to want to learn.

 

[Omar Gooding]

If I could only take one bio course, and I wanted it to count the most for the MCAT, it'd probably be Physiology. Human physiology as opposed to vertebrate physiology, if you can get it. Yes, humans are vetebrates, I know. But so are iguanas. Human phys would be more concentrated on the things that you are going to want to learn.

Just ask around and see what the teacher covers. My class was called animal physiology but the teacher actually taught it as human physiology.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If I could only take one bio course, and I wanted it to count the most for the MCAT, it'd probably be Physiology. Human physiology as opposed to vertebrate physiology, if you can get it. Yes, humans are vetebrates, I know. But so are iguanas. Human phys would be more concentrated on the things that you are going to want to learn.

Very true, i'd recommend trying to find at something like mammalian physiology... though i think vertebrate physiology will be useful either way.

 

[Omar Gooding]

Very true, i'd recommend trying to find at something like mammalian physiology... though i think vertebrate physiology will be useful either way.

Yea, mammalian physiology is very similar across most mammals. I think many vertebrate physiology courses are taught toward mammalian physiology.

 

[SoulinNeed]

Yeah, looking at the other course descriptions, I think vertebrate physiology is mammalian/animal/human physiology.

 

[FloatOn]

It's a tie between cell bio and physiology for me. Cell bio set a good foundation and physio covered much of what you need to know for MCAT bio...actually, nevermind, I'm going to go with physio. My physio class made reviewing that stuff for the MCAT a lot easier.

Wow, it really is a crapshoot from reading this thread. Maybe I should take anatomy then, because it also counts towards pharmacy prerequisites, and that's my backup plan in life.

You definitely do not need any anatomy for the MCAT.

 

[Morsetlis]

All I know is there were frogs in my mam phys labs.

 

[assturtle]

For me, cell biology is a no-brainer. Lots of questions revolving around this for me.

 

[Sammich117]

I think I'll jump on the physiology bandwagon.

Or biochem (since not everyone considers that a prereq)

 

[nonsciencemajor]

just general bio, general chem, orgo, physics

thats all i had and studied (using berkeley review) and did very well on the MCAT

you have to remember that I think the test is written assuming you have had only these subjects. With so many different majors who are premed, the writers of the exam cant assume you have had cell bio, physio, biochem, blah blah blah. But they do assume you have had the pre-req's, so that is essentially what gets tested.

All the cell bio was covered for me in gen bio I class. All the physio I needed to know was covered for me in my gen bio II class. Biochem was kinda built in throughout the course.


But if you are so inclined to take one upper level bio course, I would recommend physiology. But again, I dont think it will help you as much on MCAT as it will to set a solid foundation before entering med school. I am starting in August, and this is the first time I am doing an upper level bio course, and it is physio. And I can really see how it is the framework for everything you will learn in M1.

 

[ThaliaNox]

just general bio, general chem, orgo, physics

With so many different majors who are premed, the writers of the exam cant assume you have had cell bio, physio, biochem, blah blah blah. But they do assume you have had the pre-req's, so that is essentially what gets tested.

If the OP wants to take another class, it is silly to try and talk them out of it. It certainly won't hurt them, and it will probably help. At the least, physiology is another run through material which is heavily touched on for the MCAT. Yes, you could learn it by studying for the MCAT, but if you already have touched on it a few times, it will come faster, easier and more naturally.

As for not assuming you've had other classes, that's true. Instead they'll give you a complicated passage which is essentially biochemistry or highly specific physiology. If one has seen the material before, it's a heck of a lot easier digesting those passages.

 

[nonsciencemajor]

If the OP wants to take another class, it is silly to try and talk them out of it. It certainly won't hurt them, and it will probably help. At the least, physiology is another run through material which is heavily touched on for the MCAT. Yes, you could learn it by studying for the MCAT, but if you already have touched on it a few times, it will come faster, easier and more naturally.

As for not assuming you've had other classes, that's true. Instead they'll give you a complicated passage which is essentially biochemistry or highly specific physiology. If one has seen the material before, it's a heck of a lot easier digesting those passages.

but to take courses (other than general bio, chem, orgo, and physics) to help prepare for MCAT is essentially a waste of time in my opinion. Berkeley Review writes EXCELLENT prep books for each of these subjects, and I think tuition money and time could be spent mastering these books rather than taking a class.

But classes help to prepare for med school. I am taking a grad level physio class this last semester before med school starts in August, and I know at the very least at the end of the class it is a confidence booster having taken this class before going in to med school.

 

[nonsciencemajor]

here is the link where you can buy the books

http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/home-study.html

i agree it is expensive, but it so worth it.... I as a non-science major understood every word of these books, and did very well on the MCAT because of these books, the practice tests, and the official practice tests.

 

[SoulinNeed]

I'm taking the class because I need one upper level bio class to get into the med school I want to go to.

 

[nonsciencemajor]

I'm taking the class because I need one upper level bio class to get into the med school I want to go to.

i would strongly recommend physio..... it is the best upper level science course to take for both MCAT and setting the foundation needed for med school.. biochem, cell bio, anatomy are all marginally covered in physio anyways

 

[dtharmon]

which would it be, considering prep for the MCAT? Genetics, anatomy? Only one.

As far as everything I have heard, Genetics may be your best bet. Into bio courses give a nice overview of everything concerned with cell, but the test makers are beginning to focus more and more on genetics, and a background course here could save you some points!

DTH