Physiology or Genetics??

[lolpremed22]

I can only take one which would be more useful for the MCAT?

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[Zenabi90]

That's a difficult question. For some, genetics is very difficult to understand. For others, genetics is a breeze but physiology is a struggle.

Judging from my TBR Bio book, Bio 1 is physiology, Bio 2 is 3/5 metabolics, and 2/5 is genetics.

Personally I would vote for Physiology. There's a reason why physiology is its own course in medicine, and genetics is a lecture in biochemistry.

 

[workaholic181]

Honestly I completely disagree with the above. Unfortunately, the MCAT is NOT really indicative of med school. So while you're correct that physio is its own course, it's not really covered on the MCAT IMO. Genetics is and genetics is usually a recommended course from med schools. They like to see that you took it and did well. I woul take genetics

 

[Ad2b]

Na+K+ATPase, ligand gated, ion channel; Ca2+, Na+, K+; SV - AV; on and on and on and on; hormones acting on this from that site; etc... physiology for MCAT. The genetics on the exam is minor.

 

[Doogie.Howser]

Physio gives you a lot of review and may touch on things you haven't learned. Like Ad2b said, genetics is minor. You can teach yourself the genetics portion in half a day.

 

[Ad2b]

Physio gives you a lot of review and may touch on things you haven't learned. Like Ad2b said, genetics is minor. You can teach yourself the genetics portion in 30 mins half a day.

Fixed it for you, Doogie!

 

[aldol16]

Physiology would be more helpful for the MCAT. The MCAT asks a lot of bio questions (on some versions of the exam) that are basic bio content-wise but are contextualized in terms of physiological systems. So it might be helpful to understand those systems and how they work. It's one of those cases where physiology isn't required for the MCAT but gives you an advantage if you've taken it.

 

[MedSun]

This thread is still relevant.

Any more votes for genetics or physio? I can only take 2 classes in the fall, biochem is one of them. What should I take as my second class? Physio or genetics?

I’m taking the MCAT in January.

 

[PopeKnope23]

Physiology! Just finished my phys course and literally everything we learned pertains to the MCAT. Genetics, which I also took, was good but the whole last 2/3 of the course was waaay too detailed for the MCAT basics.

 

[esob]

My vote goes for genetics. The amount of genetic based topics is high yield. If you don't understand how genes play a role in disease states, the central dogma and its exceptions, etc, you will be lost bio/biochem sections. On the other hand, in the thousands of questions I've done from AAMC, Uworld, NS, etc., I've not encountered any physio that wasn't part of basic bio. Everything Ad2b mentioned I was tested over in bio II, so I guess it depends on what material your bio classes covered.