physics covered in MCAT

[lwong]

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Alright yall, picking my major and career goals took some time and I'm starting to learn about the application process for med school.

First, I'm taking calc based physics right now and it is soooo HARD for me. The other sciences courses have all been good, but physics have been the most discouraging experience. I'm still pretty worried, but I know that I love biology and chem and really want to apply them to medicine so I'm going to continue what I'm doing. However, I just wanted to see if I need to seriously try to re-study some concepts over this summer. Did anyone else have a problem with physics? Did you survive the MCAT? Any tips to absorb the right material for that section?

 

[DrBowtie]

There wasn't a need for calc based physics unless it was needed for your major or you just wanted a challenge. Some of the concepts that largely aren't covered is the modern physics and optics portions.

 

[iamlonely]

yes, in my calc-based physics class the modern physics section is not covered and you need it for mcat, though optics is covered. we used a text called-serway, and in the text the modern physics section is present. since you're already taking the course, you obviously cant switch to the other option now... I dont know if this course is better prep. than the h.s. based physics, but if you do decide to take some upper level courses(even physical chemistry) it may be helpful, also orgchem will be challenging, and this will prepare you to be challenged... you should definitely review all the concepts, because on the mcat, while they dont require any calculus or any time-consuming calculations, they do require you to understand what you learned. you can even buy some mcat physics-prep book already and work through the problems as you are reviewing the same stuff in the text.

 

[HistoRocks]

yes, in my calc-based physics class the modern physics section is not covered and you need it for mcat, though optics is covered. we used a text called-serway, and in the text the modern physics section is present. since you're already taking the course, you obviously cant switch to the other option now... I dont know if this course is better prep. than the h.s. based physics, but if you do decide to take some upper level courses(even physical chemistry) it may be helpful, also orgchem will be challenging, and this will prepare you to be challenged... you should definitely review all the concepts, because on the mcat, while they dont require any calculus or any time-consuming calculations, they do require you to understand what you learned. you can even buy some mcat physics-prep book already and work through the problems as you are reviewing the same stuff in the text.

The Serway text is really great, if u have access to a solutions manual. One drawback to the Serway text (at least the non-Calc one) is that it contains too many biomedical applications. I found it excruciating to draw vector diagrams for some of those situations (guys leg in cast, leg therapy with a bunch of weights, etc.)... luckily, the prof stuck to the traditional topics (inclined plane, ball thrown in the air, bullet coming out of rifle, oscillator, etc)... so the class turned out to be pretty good, grade-wise. Anyway, the main point as I said before, is that the Serway text contains all the traditional topics plus more. I would recommend it to anyone learning physics for the first time, if u have the solutions manual, as a supplement to an actual text. Serway does a bad job of explaining stuff. Glad I didn't have to learn mechanics from the beginning using that text.