Which is the more useful class: Cell Bio or Human Phys?

[JulianCrane]

OK, I keep getting unclear answers and I've talked to many of my profs and no one wants to give me a straight answer. Which class, Human Phys or Cell Bio, is more useful for the MCAT? I've just finished taking Vertebrate Structure, and a lot of the human phys stuff overlaps, so I thought I'd take Cell Bio to learn something new. Yet, I will be taking the MCAT during that time, and I am not sure how much work is involved in that course. Also, I heard taking cell bio before biochem is great. So, any suggestions? Also, if you go or have gone through this experience at WashU, your expertise is most helpful!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[klp14]

There isn't a whole lot of cell bio on the MCAT but if you've already taken a verts class then doing something new would be more interesting for you. I had no problem with biochem (after orgo of course) but it sounds like the cell bio class would help.

 

[jwin]

the bio material on the mcat is highly variable. my mcat ended up having a lot of immunology and microbiology, so just to warn you, what is supposed to be covered on the mcat may not end up being on the mcat you actually take. however, by the volume of bio material covered on the mcat, i think that human phys is a better class. everything that you do in the class is potential mcat material, about 1/2 of the mcat bio is probably covered in the class. equally important is the level of detail, in human phys, the level of detail is not too great and therefore about the same as the mcat requires. in cell bio, you are going to cover less mcat material and in much greater detail than is required. i am sure that you will learn some useful information but when you study for human phys it will be equivalent to studying for the mcat which you might not care about now but will be quite thankful for once the semester gets going.

 

[cocoabutter]

i agree with the previous post.

 

[nero]

Originally posted by JulianCrane
OK, I keep getting unclear answers and I've talked to many of my profs and no one wants to give me a straight answer. Which class, Human Phys or Cell Bio, is more useful for the MCAT? I've just finished taking Vertebrate Structure, and a lot of the human phys stuff overlaps, so I thought I'd take Cell Bio to learn something new. Yet, I will be taking the MCAT during that time, and I am not sure how much work is involved in that course. Also, I heard taking cell bio before biochem is great. So, any suggestions? Also, if you go or have gone through this experience at WashU, your expertise is most helpful!

i found cell bio to be more useful for my mcat, helped on one whole passage and bits and pieces of other passages and questionns. all the human phys you will need can be found in the campbell biology book, there are about ten chapters on human phys an that's all you will need.....that's what i did and i had no problem with the human phys.....................

nero

 

[Mutterkuchen]

To echo my other colleagues here, the reason you cannot get a straight answer on this, is that it depends on the MCAT. They are all a little different, so cell bio might help you on one MCAT, and might not help you on another.

As I mentioned in another post, I think that a human phys course would have been helpful for me, since the MCAT likes to make its passages in a "real life application" format. You might read the questions at the end of the passage and realize that the passage did not help much. But for me, having some experience in phys would have helped me to read the passages faster, allowing me to spend more time on the questions.

I did take the TPR class at Wash U last spring, and I learned enough about the human body to do OK on the Bio section, even with a lousy bio instructor.

 

[doepug]

Cell bio.

You'll get physiology coming out of your ears during medical school. Worry about it then. The physiology on the MCAT is pretty fundamental stuff that you've gotten out of your basic bio courses anyhow. Cell bio will serve you well in college, med school, and on the boards. Don't miss out on it.

Cheers,
doepug

 

[rmp]

Hi here is my two cents:

I've just finished taking cell bio fall semester, along with Histology and Microbial Pathogenesis. They were all awesome courses and great to take together because they overlapped. But I feel I must warn you! My advanced cell biology course was a lot of work!!! The level of detail is not likely to be found on the MCAT. Basic concepts yes (organelles, spindles, filaments etc), but the specific information (clathrin or COPI/II coated vesicles, cycle checkpoints, etc) will not. Don't get me wrong, cell bio is an awesome course, and I definitely feel you should take it if your interested, just not the same semester your taking the MCAT. The work will take away from your MCAT prep. Keep in mind my prof required a 5000 - 8000 word essay (excluding references). Uugh, take care rmp.

 

[efex101]

Check out the new MCAT format supposedly they will have a lot more emphasis on subjects were cell bio will come in handy...

 

[Gleevec]

As many have said, you dont get as much cell bio in med school as u do human phys. Its prolly worth it to take cell bio then because it does form the basis of a lot of the stuff you will learn.

Also, cell bio is more learning than rote memorization (if its taught well at your school), while human phys. almost has to be rote (unless its comparative, and then its still pretty much memorizing). Better to learn concepts now and carry to med school than memorize now, forget, and memorize again.

Just my .02