Is Anatomy necessary for a high score on MCAT? HELP!!

[El Sol]

I'm in a bit of a dilema. I have to choose between taking Functional Human Anatomy Lab or General Genetics. They are both 3cr classes, but Anatomy is really really time consuming. I want to know which one you would choose for MCAT prep. A lot of the upperclassmen that have already taken the MCAT say that Anatomy is a "waster of time" when it comes to MCAT prep. What do you guys think? Thanks a lot all.

~El Sol

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[Raj625]

Absolutely, Anatomy would be a total waste of time specifically for the MCAT, Genetics would be way more useful to have. I just took the recent Aug MCAT,and there was not even one question on the Bio section where you needed any type of remotely complicated anatomy. Any basic anatomy you need would be taught in Bio 1-2. Genetics will def help, as would immunology or molecular biology (bigtime on this past MCAT on most forms).

 

[Arsenic]

I'm in a bit of a dilema. I have to choose between taking Functional Human Anatomy Lab or General Genetics. They are both 3cr classes, but Anatomy is really really time consuming. I want to know which one you would choose for MCAT prep. A lot of the upperclassmen that have already taken the MCAT say that Anatomy is a "waster of time" when it comes to MCAT prep. What do you guys think? Thanks a lot all.

~El Sol

dude, trust me... forget anatomy for the mcat, you wont have questions on there about the female perineum

i would definitely not take anatomy just for mcat prep, its WAY too low yield for that. i'd definitely go with the genetics.

 

[Arsenic]

i forgot to mention that physiology on the other hand IS very good mcat prep. i guess you're taking the mcat in april '06 but if you could maybe take an elective physiology course sometime before then that would help.

the thing is that you never know what your biological sciences section has in store for you.... but taking a good physiology will help load you up for bear.

 

[Willow]

Having taken the MCAT in August, and having taken just about every upper level Bio class out there, I would rank them in this order of usefulness (for the exam I got, anyway):

Cell biology/physiology
Molecular genetics
Cell biology lab
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Mendelian genetics/Microbiology/Organic chemistry/Biochem/Histology
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Gross anatomy and all the rest

 

[Willow]

Listen to the wise one ^^^

Moi?

We'll know for sure soon enough (what is it now, 42 days?)

 

[El Sol]

Thanks a lot guys for your replies. I decided to go with the Genetics course for this semester. I was having a very strong gut feeling for a few days now telling me that I should NOT take anatomy now, and I'm glad that I decided not to. Thanks again and if you have anyother classes that you would suggest I take before the MCAT feel free to list them. Thanks.

~El Sol

P.S. I'm planning on taking the MCAT April 2007, remote possiblility taking it Aug 2006 with only one semester of Calc based physics under my belt. Thanks

 

[AggieJohn]

I agree with what was said above.

However, I took the MCAT this August, and I thought that anatomy was very important. I took an anatomy/physiology class this summer, and I had several questions on the bio section that I could not have answered without it. I'm not saying you have to take a class, and I do think that genetics is probably more likely to be on there. However, I do think you should study it in moderate detail because you very well may see something on muscle fibers, kidney function, brain function/neurons and the like.

 

[mshheaddoc]

From what I saw though, the TPR books and other MCAT books covered the info pretty well. So it wasn't like you needed an anatomy course to know the anatomy stuff.

Most of the stuff I saw was more physiology related then anatomy related. Or it was genetics, molecular bio, immunology, blah blah blah.

Most of the stuff also is in general bio classes. You just have to read the book (if its a good book) front to back

 

[Arsenic]

Thanks a lot guys for your replies. I decided to go with the Genetics course for this semester. I was having a very strong gut feeling for a few days now telling me that I should NOT take anatomy now, and I'm glad that I decided not to. Thanks again and if you have anyother classes that you would suggest I take before the MCAT feel free to list them. Thanks.

~El Sol

P.S. I'm planning on taking the MCAT April 2007, remote possiblility taking it Aug 2006 with only one semester of Calc based physics under my belt. Thanks

genetics is a much better choice, dont worry. a real anatomy course is way beyond the level of the mcat, anyone who has gone through a netters atlas for 10 seconds can tell you that. like people said, you can get any questions on organs or respiratory muscles etc... that may show up on the mcat out of a kaplan book or something.

besides genetics and physiology, biochem is also a great thing to take before the mcat if you can.

 

[CanadianPre-Med]

Genetics and physiology.

I would take both semesters of physics though.