Most effective way in studying biology??

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premedicine555

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For the bio part, I understand the material, but at the same time I'm trying to memorize in case I forget certain processes... and I'm finding that it takes forever... What is an effective way to doing well on the bio section? Or is it just memorization?

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bio is a lot of rote memorization and mnemonics.

However, there are always passages in the form of an experiment, and it would be good to read a couple of basic science papers to understand the experimental process. I imagine if you took a microbiology or genetics lab you would have a leg up. These seem to be popular topics for the experiment-type passages.
 
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Initially, bio is like learning vocabulary. Repetition is key. Once you have a good foundation with the vocab, you'll be able to put the concepts together better.

One thing that helped me a lot was linking aspects of the PS section to bio. I had a good background in physio and physics, so when I thought about cardiovascular physiology, I used concepts I learned in physics about fluid mechanics and E&M to better understand the physiological principles. When I was learning about the renal system, acid/base chemistry really helped out, etc.

The MCAT is good about stuff like that (ie. it's not uncommon to see a physics passage about fluid mechanics using the cardiovascular system as the example). Things like these really helped me out, so they might work for you. It ultimately comes down to trial and error and figuring out which method helps you understand the material the best. What works for me or anyone else may not work for you.
 
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