<p>From looking through this forum, it seems as though most pre-meds take a year of general bio before going on to cell bio. For my major we take molecular cell bio 2nd semester sophomore year and never take general bio courses. Is this going to be a big drawback MCAT-wise?</p>
<p>it’s impossible to know what’s strange without knowing the particulars of the courses at your particular school. However, no general bio before MCAT=Major, major, disadvantage.</p>
<p>philly, you would say this correct/add anything?</p>
<p>Essential for MCAT
Intro Bio w/ labs
Gen Chem w/ labs
Orgo w/ labs
Physics w/ labs</p>
<p>Helpful for MCAT
Genetics
Mol Bio
Cellular Bio
Biochem
Animal Physiology
English Writing/Lit</p>
<p>Not so Helpful for MCAT
Math/Calculus</p>
<p>Good for Medical School
Neuro
Micro
Human Physiology
Statistics</p>
<p>Would you mind ranking these courses, if possible? It’d be nice to get an idea of what courses are better than others, etc when planning my schedule out.</p>
<p>can’t comment on what’s good for med school, since i’m still a few weeks from starting</p>
<p>The standard premed requirements are indeed pretty much essential. You can get away without orgo two if you’re serious about doing some hardcore self study, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve heard of some people taking it without second semester physics, but I think this is kind of crazy.</p>
<p>I think genetics, cell bio, and physiology are the most helpful of the classes you listed as extras, in that order. One or two lit classes is not going to seriously improve your critical reading skills, and most biochem classes are immeasurably more in-depth than what you’ll encounter on the MCAT. Molecular bio i have only rarely heard of being offered as a discrete course, because, frankly, if you have genetics and cell bio as separate classes already, there’s really nothing left to cover in molecular bio. Also note that while I said the courses might be helpful, they are by no means essential, and you definitely don’t need all of them, or any of them, to do well on the MCAT.</p>
<p>“However, no general bio before MCAT=Major, major, disadvantage.”</p>
<p>That’s what I was afraid of :-/ I’ve been going through the Kaplan Premier study guide and while most of the material is stuff we brushed upon in high school biology, it’s not the same material I got in my class this year.</p>
<p>The description for our course is:
“Introduction to the molecular, physical and computational principles of cell function in the context of cutting-edge applications in bioengineering and medicine. Biological concepts include: molecular building blocks, energetics, transport, metabolism, nucleic acids, gene expression and genetics. Applications include bioenergy, synthetic biology, the human genome project, and gene circuit engineering. Labs will teach fundamental techniques of molecular biology including a multi-week module where students build and quantify bacterial gene expression system. Labs emphasize the experimental, problem solving, and analytical skills required in modern engineering and research.”</p>
<p>I’m hoping that taking systems phys this fall, while self-studying the general bio, will help bridge the gap.</p>