MCAT recommended Biology courses

[YankeesfanZF5]

Hi all I am a bio major and going into my junior year. I was wondering what bio classes you would recommend taking before the MCAT or bio major classes that you thought helped you on the MCAT? Yes I know you should only need general bio for MCAT but I am rusty. I took AP bio in high school and haven't had a bio class since, been busy with generals and other prerequisite courses!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[OGLoc23]

I'm told Biochem is essential.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

Hi all I am a bio major and going into my junior year. I was wondering what bio classes you would recommend taking before the MCAT or bio major classes that you thought helped you on the MCAT? Yes I know you should only need general bio for MCAT but I am rusty. I took AP bio in high school and haven't had a bio class since, been busy with generals and other prerequisite courses!

I should have cell bio and genetics done before the MCAT just wondering if maybe I should take anatomy and physiology in place of the other ones.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

I'm told Biochem is essential.

Yup definitely taking that next semester! Thanks for the reply

 

[wanderingorion]

The A&P content is not too in depth on the MCAT, so you don't HAVE to take the class before the exam. I didn't and I did well on the bio portion.

 

[sd328]

I think out of the bio classes, A&P will help you most for the MCAT

 

[TheBiologist]

Topics:

Introductory Biology Level:
Basic Human Anatomy & Physiology (NO need to take full A&P course)
Molecular Biology of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and Nucleic Acids
Cell Bio: Membranes, organelles, signalling
Genetics: Mendelian genetics, evolution, and modern genetics (watson-crick)
Micro: Viruses & Bacteria/Prokaryotes mainly

First semester Biochemistry Level:
Reactions of Cabs, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids - think 'applied organic'
Enzyme Kinetics/Enzyme function and regulation
Metabolic pathways & bioenergetics (think krebs, glycolysis, ATP etc.)

Among other topics include stuff from orgo and gen chem, obviously organic reactions, as well as stuff like thermochem and reaction diagrams and rate laws for kinetics

The biochem stuff IMO is way easier than my biochem course I took, and frankly, if you taken general biology it would likely be possible to teach yourself the topics in biochem

Source:
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/mcat-2015-bb-overview/

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...bcf8-b6470a8ff273/mcat-bb-content-outline.pdf

 

[born2run]

Morphology & Function (similar to A&P) really helped in my opinion. It was definitely helpful to have an understanding of organ systems.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[FutureDrOcean]

Hi all I am a bio major and going into my junior year. I was wondering what bio classes you would recommend taking before the MCAT or bio major classes that you thought helped you on the MCAT? Yes I know you should only need general bio for MCAT but I am rusty. I took AP bio in high school and haven't had a bio class since, been busy with generals and other prerequisite courses!

I have a 522 MCAT, and I attribute that to taking a lot of coursework relevant (including soci and psyc) to the new test. I also AP'd out of general bio. BUT I had covered essentially that material and more in: Biochemistry I / Cell Biology / Genetics.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

I have a 522 MCAT, and I attribute that to taking a lot of coursework relevant (including soci and psyc) to the new test. I also AP'd out of general bio. BUT I had covered essentially that material and more in: Biochemistry I / Cell Biology / Genetics.

So take cell bio, genetics and biochemistry this year before the MCAT? Just wondering would anybody think it would be bad to take physiology before anatomy? Which would be more beneficial physiology or cell bio?

 

[FutureDrOcean]

So take cell bio, genetics and biochemistry this year before the MCAT? Just wondering would anybody think it would be bad to take physiology before anatomy? Which would be more beneficial physiology or cell bio?

I have yet to take an anatomy and physiology class in my life. The prep books do a good enough job. Def take cell bio.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[cisel]

Follow-on question, sorry to step on your thread!

I only have room for one, cell bio or genetics. Any suggestions on which one I should take for mcat applicability?

In the EXACT same situation as you right now . I'm taking the MCAT in January, so I can only add one additional science class to this upcoming semester (I will also be taking biochem this fall).

 

[deleted785918]

I only took physiology and biochem and got a 132 on the bio section of the MCAT. I also studied from Khan Academy quite a bit, but it's definitely possible to do well without taking those courses/being a bio major, so don't worry!

 

[cisel]

I only took physiology and biochem and got a 132 on the bio section of the MCAT. I also studied from Khan Academy quite a bit, but it's definitely possible to do well without taking those courses/being a bio major, so don't worry!

So you didn't take genetics or cell bio, correct? Thanks!

 

[deleted785918]

So you didn't take genetics or cell bio, correct? Thanks!

I did not take genetics or cell bio, but keep in mind, I'm only n=1. I have heard that people find those classes to be beneficial for the MCAT, but I'm here to reassure you that you can also do well without them.

If I were you, I would take the course in which you find the material to be more difficult, because you'll gain the most from that course and have an easier time studying that material when the MCAT rolls around. It's impossible to predict which subject will be covered more on your particular exam day.

 

[Swish16]

Molecular & Cell bio, human physiology, and genetics should be enough. Consider a neuroscience and a microbiology class too.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[FutureDrOcean]

Follow-on question, sorry to step on your thread!

I only have room for one, cell bio or genetics. Any suggestions on which one I should take for mcat applicability?

Take Cell Bio.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[summergirl]

Follow-on question, sorry to step on your thread!

I only have room for one, cell bio or genetics. Any suggestions on which one I should take for mcat applicability?

If you take genetics, you'll boss the small fraction of genetics questions on the MCAT without even reviewing genetics. If you take cell bio, you'll have a better understanding (note the difference in word choice) of a large proportion of questions on the MCAT. I took both and I'd recommend genetics if you already took intro physio, or cell bio if you didn't take physio.

 

[aldol16]

Biochemistry is essential for the new exam and in terms of other bio classes, you should look into upper-level seminar-style classes that teach you how to read and interpret data from the primary literature. This is a key skill to have for the new exam and is a key skill that many pre-meds lack. Acquire that skill and you're ahead of the curve.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

If you take genetics, you'll boss the small fraction of genetics questions on the MCAT without even reviewing genetics. If you take cell bio, you'll have a better understanding (note the difference in word choice) of a large proportion of questions on the MCAT. I took both and I'd recommend genetics if you already took intro physio, or cell bio if you didn't take physio.

In most prep books that I have seen physio seems to be a large component of the bio section. How does cell bio help with that? I'm taking cell bio this fall.

 

[rolliespring]

Aside from all the recommendations above I'd suggest you take some classes involving reading primary research papers and get used to the research techniques (SDS-PAGE, gel electrophoresis, western blots etc.). Know how to interpret their graphs.

 

[summergirl]

In most prep books that I have seen physio seems to be a large component of the bio section. How does cell bio help with that? I'm taking cell bio this fall.

Besides the actual cell-related knowledge, which is on the MCAT, cell bio includes lots of famous experiments on how they discovered each piece of information, which is very useful for the MCAT.

 

[RN MD 2017]

Besides the actual cell-related knowledge, which is on the MCAT, cell bio includes lots of famous experiments on how they discovered each piece of information, which is very useful for the MCAT.

I'm glad you said this, because it is true for genetics as well. Those experimental design topics are HUGE for the MCAT.

 

[WizzyWatkins]

Would these Biology MCAT flashcards be enough to cover all of the Biology material on the MCAT?

*A small portion of them aren't that good.

Take a look here...

https://quizlet.com/116813456/flashcards

Thanks in advance.

 

[nm06003]

Biochem > genetics > cell bio > physiology


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[deleted804295]

Reviving this thread:

My University offers separate anatomy and physiology courses but doesn't offer a course that has both anatomy and physiology.

I skimmed through AAMC's functional concept 3 and I would say I know about half of the stuff here from my biology courses. Is it worth taking these two separate courses or should I just use prep books especially since I already know half of the stuff here.

 

[MedicalDoge]

Reviving this thread:

My University offers separate anatomy and physiology courses but doesn't offer a course that has both anatomy and physiology.

I skimmed through AAMC's functional concept 3 and I would say I know about half of the stuff here from my biology courses. Is it worth taking these two separate courses or should I just use prep books especially since I already know half of the stuff here.

Are you able to take one of them? If so, physiology would be much more useful. They'll never ask you to name a bone, but they will definitely ask you about the physiology of the kidney and pancreas! I took physiology and did well

 

[lull]

Biochem > genetics > cell bio > physiology

More like biochem > physiology, cell bio > genetics

All you need to know from genetics is in a general biology course. Take cell bio and physiology if you have a hard time learning things on your own. Anatomy is absolutely unnecessary.