Molecular Biology..

Syd, just know your major disorders. Most of the genetics questions I got were translocations or whether something was autosomal dominant, recessive, X-linked, etc.

I had 2 pedigrees that I had to determine mode of inheritance.

Our genetics professors gave us a USMLE study packet that was very good. 30 pages long. It summarized all the major disorders. Some of the hints they gave us were useful for the exam. See if your geneticists have a similar packet.

Our geneticists told us that many of the disciplines on the USMLE are cross referenced. For instance, if you get a question asking about protein translation, then that would be counted as biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology. If you get a question relating Down syndrome with increased Alzheimer's, then that would be counted as genetics and pathology and perhaps epidemiology.

Don't freak out over genetics. The Kaplan home study program (if you're doing that) covered cell bio and genetics very well. BRS Path also had a very useful genetic disorders chapter. Don't overlook the genetic immunodeficiency disorders! Those have always been favorites on the USMLE so I've heard.

Good luck on your quiz!

 

I forgot to add that I haven't heard of anyone getting a question asking them about a specific chromosome. That doesn't mean they won't ask a question like that, but I've yet to hear of them doing so.

I was told not to learn chromosomes of everything... just the major stuff (Down, the 9:22 translocation, etc.).

We were also told to learn some basic haplotypes. 90% of patients with ankylosing spondylitis have HLA-B27 haplotype and diabetes is associated with HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR4. Those were the biggies I was advised to learn.

 

some stuff that was covered: viral genomes in a restriction enzyme digestion, reassorted viral genomes and infectivity, codons and deletions, molecular basis for specific antibiotic resistance, molecular basis of specific diseases (like protein subunits), neural crest migration and its molecular basis, pedigrees, and hardy-weinberg, etc.

told you i had lots of molec. bio.
-s.

 

hi sanfilippo,
what do you mean by molecular basis for neural crest migration.
do we have to know the structure of all aminoacids.
thanks.

 

rajal,
they asked which proteins/factors are associated with this migration, but covered it up in a lengthy, tortuous experiment scenario. don't need to know a. acids, but you might want to be familiar with how to read the a codon table (high school stuff, i know, but i had it on my exam!).
-s