UPDATE on Microbiology or Cell Biology!!

[UrSexyLatinDr]

Ok, As some of you may know I am struggling on either choosing micro or cell bio.

Here are the descriptions that are on my school schedule:

Microbiology:This course covers development of the science of microbiology through modern times; anatomy, morphology and physiology of microbes; techniques of cultivation and identification; growth control measures ( physical, chemical, chemotherapeutic) plus isolation and disposal techniques for contaminated materials; medical microbiology ( disease and infection, host defenses/immunology, epidemiology and public health measures); water microbiology( treatment, testing, and hazards); food and dairy microbiology ( emphasis on safety and sanitation); as well as aspects of industrial microbiology. Attention is given to theory as well as to practical application.

Pre-requisite: General Inorganic Chemistry

Introduction to Cell Biology:
This is a general course on cell biology. The basic biochemistry, structures, functions, genetics, growth and developmental of animal, plant, and microbial cells will be covered.

OK, there are the descriptions guys, which class should I take? Remember, I took my intro bio class already, I am not a science major, so which one will help me out more on the MCAT or future? Also, which class you guys think carries more difficulty and work?

Eduardo

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[McEntrye]

I am a micro major, so I have taken both types of classes;

Micro: More interesting, and easier

Cell Bio: Harder, boring, but more useful on MCAT

 

[SnudgeMuffin]

I took both. I can't really say which is more useful for MCAT. Micro is easier. Cell bio is very detailed and requires lots of memorization. Good luck!

 

[Mr.D]

Eduardo,

Don't worry too much about which one to take, just take the course which you think you'll enjoy and do the best in. Remember, the material that you're expected to understand for the MCAT is the 1st and 2rd year stuff (ie. Gen Bio,O-chem,Gen Bio,Physics), so any other stuff is merely extra for your own personal gain. Just make sure that when you study for the exam you use some good prep books like Kaplan or PR (no need to take live instruction, unless you want to spend ~$1100) and have some of your old science books at hand simply for further clarification. In the end, the material that you need to know to do well on the MCAT is the stuff mentioned above and LOTS OF PRACTICE EXAMS. I was a biochemistry major and took all the required courses along with upper division neuroscience, immunology, developmental biology, and cell biology and it didn't really help me at all. All the material to answer the questions correctly in the passages are either directly or indirectly in the test or from head knowledge which you should know. The latter part is the stuff you learn from the prep books or stuff you should have learned in your introductory classes. Take care and good luck.

 

[Mr.D]

Duh! I said general bio twice - I meant to say general chem, general bio, physics, and o-chem. Also make sure you take all the required labs (both for the MCAT and to satisfy the medical school requirements) b/c the MCAT science passages are usually are written from an experimental standpoint, meaning that familiarity with experiments and laboratory procedures is crucial to understanding what the passage is trying to prove or demonstrate. This is where research experience also comes in handy (but of course is NOT a requirement).

 

[rxfudd]

Like I said earlier, you'll get a lot of superfluous information in cell bio which won't be on the mcat. In micro, you'll get some immunology, which MAY be on the mcat. You should be able to do quite well without either class, though. I'd take a music class instead.

 

[sandflea]

i agree with rxfudd--you don't need these classes to do well on the MCAT, so take advantage of your time in college and take a course in something else. you'll be immersed in science for the rest of your life.

if you're hell-bent on taking another science course (even though you don't need to), then i would actually recommend a physiology course, because you'll get physiology questions on the MCAT. BUT, you don't need to take an entire physiology course to do well on the MCAT. get your hands on an MCAT review book (kaplan or PR or something) and it will teach you all the physio you'll ever need to know for the MCAT. heck, it will teach you all the cell bio and micro you'll ever need to know as well. so don't bother with another science course since you've gotten the basic bio prereq out of the way: take a philosophy course or something--you're only in college once.

 

[Kritenoel]

is one of the professors better then the other? I had a really great cell experience, and micro was awful - all due to the person teaching, not so much because of the material. Both are things you can get the "basics" of pretty quickly. (I'm at a small school, we only have one section of each class - prof's played a big role in what I took). Good luck!