Which courses beyond prerqs

[HipChick]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Do you feel assisted you the most? I would post this in other areas, but seeing how many of us "premeds" obviously havent taken the MCAT, I figured I'd try posting here also.

Thanks and GOOD LUCK THIS CYCLE!

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Do you feel assisted you the most? I would post this in other areas, but seeing how many of us "premeds" obviously havent taken the MCAT, I figured I'd try posting here also.

Do you mean for the MCAT? For learning? Or, for med school?

MCAT-- you just need the core pre-reqs and then some study time. good reading skills will also help.
Med school -- biochem, stats, intro calc, psych, genetics, anthro, various other bio classes, but by no means are these necessary.
Learning -- a good liberal arts education.

 

[HipChick]

Do you mean for the MCAT? For learning? Or, for med school?

MCAT-- you just need the core pre-reqs and then some study time. good reading skills will also help.
Med school -- biochem, stats, intro calc, psych, genetics, anthro, various other bio classes, but by no means are these necessary.
Learning -- a good liberal arts education.

MCAT first. Someone suggested that i also take Biochem or genetics for the MCAT.

I have my BS and MS so I have the liberal arts education/courses no problem.

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

MCAT first. Someone suggested that i also take Biochem or genetics for the MCAT.

I am of the opinion that any further courses (such as biochem or genetics) will have a very small marginal gain in knowledge for the MCAT. I don't think they are worth it unless you are also taking them for some other reason. That said, I guess it depends on how good your intro bio course was.

 

[IonClaws]

I am of the opinion that any further courses (such as biochem or genetics) will have a very small marginal gain in knowledge for the MCAT. I don't think they are worth it unless you are also taking them for some other reason. That said, I guess it depends on how good your intro bio course was.

I disagree; I found that a course in Human Physiology was extremely helpful in my preparation for the MCAT. This would be especially true if you haven't had much exposure to organs and their functions before.

Furthermore, although these courses go beyond the minimum background you need to know, probably almost any Biology course on top of the minimum will help since you will understand the information presented in passages in a lot more depth.

 

[Itwashambone]

.

 

[HipChick]

Would the peanut gallery suggest physio instead of micro?

 

[Itwashambone]

.

 

[hitchhiker]

you'll see specific passages on immuno, endocrine, genetics, but the fundamental biology/physiology is what's going to be high yield. It's also the same section that has organic , so don't neglect organic.

My last MCAT was a huge wake up call when it came to organic, and I even aced the courses.

 

[HipChick]

you'll see specific passages on immuno, endocrine, genetics, but the fundamental biology/physiology is what's going to be high yield. It's also the same section that has organic , so don't neglect organic.

My last MCAT was a huge wake up call when it came to organic, and I even aced the courses.

would you say organic 1 or 2 more? Ill see if i can find a physi class. Ive been having issues since everything is combined anat and phys now

 

[MedPR]

would you say organic 1 or 2 more? Ill see if i can find a physi class. Ive been having issues since everything is combined anat and phys now

A&P is fine, it's the same thing just with an anatomy lab tacked on.

 

[scarshapedstar]

My MCAT asked me to identify whether a gene was undergoing positive or negative selection based on molecular clock analysis, I hope I would have known the answer to that one just from reading a few Dawkins books but it definitely helped that my school required a class on evolutionary principles.

 

[HipChick]

A&P is fine, it's the same thing just with an anatomy lab tacked on.

yeah, but all colleges seem to offer it as a two part class (A/P 1, A/P 2) when all I'd really like is phys.

 

[MedPR]

yeah, but all colleges seem to offer it as a two part class (A/P 1, A/P 2) when all I'd really like is phys.

Yea, mine is like that. In AP1 we did a lot of anatomy, but we also did neuro, and skeletal system. Because of it I know action potentials and the nervous system (as far as MCAT is concerned) like the back of my hand. Obviously it would've been nice to get both semesters in before MCAT, but I will have some of the second semester done by the time I take my MCAT on April 5.