should I take Biochem for the MCAT?

[ra233]

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I was just wondering if it was worth my time and the headaches to take Biochemistry in preparation for the MCAT.

Ryan

 

[jackieMD2007]

I was just wondering if it was worth my time and the headaches to take Biochemistry in preparation for the MCAT.

Ryan

You should take biochem because it is awesome. 😀
I am biased though b/c I was a biochem TA.

 

[darkblue0210]

I was just wondering if it was worth my time and the headaches to take Biochemistry in preparation for the MCAT.

Ryan

yes, I would recommend it. I took it two semesters before (I am going to take MCAT this Aug.) and it's extremely helpful. When you prepare for the BIO section, you will see a lot enzyme kinetics and Amino Acid questions. If you have Biochem before, you will find it fairly easy for you to grasp the concepts. I am not, however, saying that you won't be able to understand the materials without Biochem, it's just that biochem will save you a lot of time. And if you don't need too much time to study those things, you can then use those time to study Verbal or other areas.

Biochem is a cool class, you will be amazed by what your body can do. Take it!

 

[ra233]

okay, you convinced me. I had been told that is not worth it by other premeds, but whatever helps, I'm all orver it.

Ryan

 

[Monkeymaniac]

Ok, I have a question. My shcool provides me two introductory biochemistry classes. I meet prerequsites for both courses, so it's purely up to me which one to choose. Here's the descriptions for the two classes.

Could you guys tell me your opinions on which one would be better in terms of helping me being prepared for MCAT??

MCB 354 Biochem & Phys Basis of Life
ntroduction to biochemistry and structural biology emphasizing the physical and chemical properties of macromolecules.

MCB 450 Introductory Biochemistry
Chemistry and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, and coenzymes and their relation to the regulation and processes of organisms, cells, and subcellular components.

 

[anka24]

Ok, I have a question. My shcool provides me two introductory biochemistry classes. I meet prerequsites for both courses, so it's purely up to me which one to choose. Here's the descriptions for the two classes.

Could you guys tell me your opinions on which one would be better in terms of helping me being prepared for MCAT??

MCB 354 Biochem & Phys Basis of Life
ntroduction to biochemistry and structural biology emphasizing the physical and chemical properties of macromolecules.

MCB 450 Introductory Biochemistry
Chemistry and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, and coenzymes and their relation to the regulation and processes of organisms, cells, and subcellular components.

Take the second one. Metabolism is important and it sounds more like my biochem class.

 

[Monkeymaniac]

Take the second one. Metabolism is important and it sounds more like my biochem class.

Thanks. I'll take your advice 🙂

 

[hb2998]

You should take the MCAT for Biochem.

Taking the MCAT before Biochem really helped me in my biochem class. Biochem asks you to memorize a lot of details, and at times you loose sight of the big picture, but the MCAT is all about the big picture. (And trust me, the "biochem" material is not hard). It’s maximum 1 lecture for Princeton review and Exam krackers. If you're one of those people who says I have to take biochem before the MCAT, trust me, you don't need it, you'll be better off taking a general biology of the cell course. Also, biochem passages aren't hard, the experiments are straight forward. Biochem is a great refresher course for Acid base chemistry, and enzyme kinetics you'll know really well (as opposed to well by just reading the Princeton books).

As for my comment above, you'll have to memorize some basic numbers and concepts for the MCAT, this will give you a great headstart for biochem, and introduce you to the big picture idea of biochemistry, where as they love to have you memorize stuff that they know for a fact you will not recall 15 minutes after the midterm. (Case in point: we had to memorize the Phi and Sci angles for alpha-helix, 3.10 helix, pi-helix. Trust me, it wasn't pretty since neumonic systems are difficult to put together for numbers!)