Is a Physiology class absolutely necessary?

[genessis42]

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I have all of the core pre-reqs down, and I want to take the MCAT in the September of Junior year..

I really don't want to prep for the MCAT during a normal semester in Junior year, so I'm thinking about following Sn2ed's schedule to the letter during Summer

Is it possible to MCAT prep without Physiology, pchem, or Biochem? Is it possible to self-teach the basic Physiology info while prepping?

 

[Darth]

You don't need any of them IMO. They may prove a tad helpful, but are by no means essential.

 

[genessis42]

Alternatively, I could take a Physiology class in the Spring and then Biochem(or Pchem) in the Summer semester

It seems very risky to take Upper-Science classes in the Summer, and then try to prepare for the MCAT in the Fall with a light courseload

Would May-August be good enough to prepare for the MCAT and self-teach myself any Physiology, upper level concepts as I need to?

 

[djkim]

No it is not necessarily. But it certainly helps quite a bit. I would have love taken MCAT while my physiology and biochemistry course prep materials are fresh in my mind.

Pchem - I am absolutely positive you won't need it. I have done my best to avoid that course in my undergraduate years, and I don't regret it one bit. I can never understand why anyone other than chem majors have to take that course.

 

[Textbookversion]

I have all of the core pre-reqs down, and I want to take the MCAT in the September of Junior year..

I really don't want to prep for the MCAT during a normal semester in Junior year, so I'm thinking about following Sn2ed's schedule to the letter during Summer

Is it possible to MCAT prep without Physiology, pchem, or Biochem? Is it possible to self-teach the basic Physiology info while prepping?

You need none of that. The test is gen chem, physics, mainly first semester of o-chem, some bio and a healthy amount of critical thinking. I'd just take the MCAT during the summer.

Taking a physiology or pchem class is about as useful as taking a computer programming class or an accounting class. Really you are talking about stuff that is outside the scope of the test.

 

[genessis42]

A physiology class would be helpful. I feel like its not good to Pile up upper sciences in the summer and risk a lower grade. Did any of u think it was a good decision to take it after 2nd year?

Folowwing sn2ed seems like a good idea if u have the discipline

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

P Chem: Pretty close to useless for the MCAT. There will be one or two topics in the entire course that are relevant to the MCAT, and those can be better studied on your own, at a lower level of detail than a course.

Biochem: Not necessary, but with the right teacher it's almost like a review class. You relearn many topics from previous classes, but with a more conceptual twist. It would be helpful, but not so much so that you should postpone your MCAT for it.

Physiology: Given that the AAMC list of topics has a couple of pages of physiology topics, I think this is an obvious "yes". If your freshman biology course went into detail on the kidney, heart, and lung, then maybe you can squeak by without it. But if your first year biology classes were anything like mine, then you need to take physiology. If you don't take the class before the MCAT, set aside extra time to self-study that material. Look at it early in your review and then again a month later before you start into any passages and questions on it.

 

[Mehd School]

I have taken numerous upper level bio courses: Histology, Human systems, Comparative Anatomy, Cytology, Developmental bio ... and my only regret is not taken physio before the mcat.


But you can certainly do without it. I can't imagine taking the BS section without my bio background. It would be scary.

 

[captainuzair]

No you really don't need it.
You can watch KhanAcademy videos to help you out!

 

[Elevencents]

I just started getting into the physiology portion of my prep and I am thankful I already took the class because it is making the material much easier to get through.

 

[genessis42]

I think I might end up self-studying Physiology since I can't fit it into my schedule yet..

Which books would be the best for people who didn't take a Physiology class? I think if I self-teach it before starting Sn2ed's 3 month schedule, it could work out

 

[mcloaf]

I had no physiology background when I studied and I felt totally comfortable with EK Bio in SN2ed's schedule for the subject matter, which isn't the most in depth. Frankly, yeah, there are a lot of physio topics but it's not really complicated stuff at all compared to the molecular bio/biochem. I was pretty glad I had a background in those areas when I took the test.

 

[Temperature101]

I have all of the core pre-reqs down, and I want to take the MCAT in the September of Junior year..

I really don't want to prep for the MCAT during a normal semester in Junior year, so I'm thinking about following Sn2ed's schedule to the letter during Summer

Is it possible to MCAT prep without Physiology, pchem, or Biochem? Is it possible to self-teach the basic Physiology info while prepping?

I think TBR book 1 will teach you what is needed for physio. But I believe a genetics class is absolutely necessary if you have not taken it yet.

 

[genessis42]

Yeah, my Intro Bio was mostly Cell/molecular stuff. It also had a basic outline of genetics as well, so I can manage it

For Physiology, I'm not sure if EK Bio or TPR or BR books might be enough for someone without a Physio class

Any good supplement books I can use? I want to self-teach Physio from a good textbook b4 starting Sn2ed's routine?

 

[genessis42]

bump

 

[aspiring20]

Yeah, my Intro Bio was mostly Cell/molecular stuff. It also had a basic outline of genetics as well, so I can manage it

For Physiology, I'm not sure if EK Bio or TPR or BR books might be enough for someone without a Physio class

Any good supplement books I can use? I want to self-teach Physio from a good textbook b4 starting Sn2ed's routine?

the TPR biology review book has more than enough physiology than you'll need.

take a course if you are interested in the material, but the physiology covered on the MCAT is simple enough for self-study. dont take a class JUST for the MCAT.

 

[member1762]

Human Physiology is the single most useful course after Organic for the BS section. The best strategy for you may be to read the TPR or TBR section first, then buy a standard Human Phys textbook and read the sections that are MCAT-relevant (1-2 weeks max within your time allocated for BS). I don't typically recommend textbooks for the MCAT, but in this case I think the extra detail would add 2-3 points to your BS score.

 

[mcloaf]

Human Physiology is the single most useful course after Organic for the BS section. The best strategy for you may be to read the TPR or TBR section first, then buy a standard Human Phys textbook and read the sections that are MCAT-relevant (1-2 weeks max within your time allocated for BS). I don't typically recommend textbooks for the MCAT, but in this case I think the extra detail would add 2-3 points to your BS score.

Could not disagree more strongly. Using a textbook for physio is entirely unnecessary and a huge waste of time. The idea that using one will magically boost your BS score is similarly outrageous. It's not like the test covers extra, secret physio topics that the AAMC forgot to tell test prep companies about.

EK is adequate, you could supplement with another MCAT resource if you'd like.

 

[EmergentCough]

38 MCAT here... 13 BS..

Taking the MCAT without a physiology course is possible... but ill advised. Even if your physical sciences are excellent, your BS will take a hit. Just how it goes. I don't know about your general BIO class, but I have never heard of one that goes in depth about the HP axises, a concept that was variably on every mcat I took, practice or real. You could, realistically, learn all different paths of it via study guides, but you would just remember the pathway, and not fully learn the concepts, which is more apt to be tested on. Anyone can memorize stuff.

Remember, medical schools prefer consistancy over one steller score. 10-10-10 looks much better than 12-12-6.

P.S..... Stay away from examkrackers to learn something you haven't been over before. Kaplan or TPR all the way.

 

[aspiring20]

38 MCAT here... 13 BS..

Taking the MCAT without a physiology course is possible... but ill advised. Even if your physical sciences are excellent, your BS will take a hit. Just how it goes. I don't know about your general BIO class, but I have never heard of one that goes in depth about the HP axises, a concept that was variably on every mcat I took, practice or real. You could, realistically, learn all different paths of it via study guides, but you would just remember the pathway, and not fully learn the concepts, which is more apt to be tested on. Anyone can memorize stuff.

Remember, medical schools prefer consistancy over one steller score. 10-10-10 looks much better than 12-12-6.

P.S..... Stay away from examkrackers to learn something you haven't been over before. Kaplan or TPR all the way.

you dont need to learn anything about the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in any of your biology classes. you can look up what it is on wikipedia, and the TPR review book covers it very well.

i agree with you on EK. but a thorough review of the TPR biology review book (or even Kaplan) should give you more than enough info you need for MCAT physiology.

 

[mcloaf]

38 MCAT here... 13 BS..

Taking the MCAT without a physiology course is possible... but ill advised. Even if your physical sciences are excellent, your BS will take a hit. Just how it goes. I don't know about your general BIO class, but I have never heard of one that goes in depth about the HP axises, a concept that was variably on every mcat I took, practice or real. You could, realistically, learn all different paths of it via study guides, but you would just remember the pathway, and not fully learn the concepts, which is more apt to be tested on. Anyone can memorize stuff.

Remember, medical schools prefer consistancy over one steller score. 10-10-10 looks much better than 12-12-6.

P.S..... Stay away from examkrackers to learn something you haven't been over before. Kaplan or TPR all the way.

I never had a physio class, used EK for bio, and since I guess we're score dropping I ended up with a 15 in BS.

There's more than one way to approach all this stuff but you guys are making MCAT physio out to be way more complex than it is IMO.

 

[EmergentCough]

I never had a physio class, used EK for bio, and since I guess we're score dropping I ended up with a 15 in BS.

There's more than one way to approach all this stuff but you guys are making MCAT physio out to be way more complex than it is IMO.

That was my roommate on my account, but nevertheless.. I agree with both of you guys.

Unless you have a solid understanding of Organic... and at least a basic phsiology, or even genetics, course.. it would be tough to achieve the teens with your BS score.

It is doable if you are ok with getting an average 9-11. It takes a special person to be able to get 13-15 w/o a phys class, and that is probably not common, I think we can agree on that.

 

[Redpancreas]

No, I don't think it's necessary. The biggest thing for the Bio section IMO is molecular biology. Of course, physio is still necessary to be studied independently.

 

[Captain Sisko]

i took my mcat without general biology. instead i had a year of A&P and most of a year of graduate level biochemistry. i didn't think i was ill prepared. biochemistry was more helpful than physio though.

 

[genessis42]

so if EK isn't good enough for self-teaching, should I get TPR or BR Bio? I think BR Bio is a lot harder so it could help more

If I try to fit in a Physiology class in the summer with Sn2ed's schedule, it might be too much.

Should I study Phys. out of a textbook or lecture slides from the course, couple weeks before beginning MCAT prep?