jpandher Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Hi everyone, This is my first post I'm a student in Health at University of Waterloo, and i was just wondering is taking physics as a elective is a good idea? i would not be taking the lab (which i hear is brutal), and just wanted some input? Does it help with the MCAT, or should i leave it and take another course? And if i don't tkae it, anyone got any recommendations on a better course that i could take instead? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Well, physics is a requirement for admission to some medical schools, so I would check the prerequisites for the schools you are potentially interested in applying to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xi88 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi everyone, This is my first post I'm a student in Health at University of Waterloo, and i was just wondering is taking physics as a elective is a good idea? i would not be taking the lab (which i hear is brutal), and just wanted some input? Does it help with the MCAT, or should i leave it and take another course? And if i don't tkae it, anyone got any recommendations on a better course that i could take instead? Thanks in advance Generally all the physics covered on the MCAT is covered in the first year intro physics class. also, some schools require physics, so depending on where you plan on applying, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Intro physics will definitely be helpful on the MCAT. As an aside, physics only makes sense in light of calculus, but it never gets that far on the MCAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi everyone, This is my first post I'm a student in Health at University of Waterloo, and i was just wondering is taking physics as a elective is a good idea? i would not be taking the lab (which i hear is brutal), and just wanted some input? Does it help with the MCAT, or should i leave it and take another course? And if i don't tkae it, anyone got any recommendations on a better course that i could take instead? Thanks in advance and you are right about that lab I had to work harder on that than the actual course by far, and it really doesn't offer you ANY additional understanding of the material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Take it at another uni in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman101 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Physics is awesome! It controls everything in the world at the most fundamental level. How could you call yourself educated if you don't understand this most basic of subjects? Everybody needs to take it. At the very least you will be breaking the stereotype that bio kids can't do physics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Neill Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Physics is awesome! It controls everything in the world at the most fundamental level. How could you call yourself educated if you don't understand this most basic of subjects? Everybody needs to take it. At the very least you will be breaking the stereotype that bio kids can't do physics. Couldn't agree more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 to answer the thread topic: yes it is important. If it didn't exist, we wouldn't either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Couldn't agree more. Looks like we got a lot of physcis fans on the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Psh, biochem's where it's at baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Neill Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Love 'em both, I majored in Biochem actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Atta boy! Biochemists rule the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman101 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Psh, biochem's where it's at baby. I'm beginning to think we are polar opposites of the same thing Law. I dread biochem but love physics... Biochem is just tedious. Physics, especially modern physics, not the boring classical newtonian physics, can make your mind trip out quite literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I'm beginning to think we are polar opposites of the same thing Law. I dread biochem but love physics... Biochem is just tedious. Physics, especially modern physics, not the boring classical newtonian physics, can make your mind trip out quite literally. I won't lie. I read Stephen Hawking's briefer history of time because I was interested in learning more about the nature of time and the origins of the universe. I do love modern physics. Biochem is amazing too though... It just puts me in awe learning about how everything is so regulated, so complex, so unlikely. Life's just amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratatat Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Did you take physics in gr.12? If you did, I think doing an MCAT review (such as Examkrackers) and using old physics books is adequate. It was for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ace of Spades Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 You guys are all wrong. Chemistry rules the world! It ties everything together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 You guys are all wrong. Chemistry rules the world! It ties everything together. But, as for the universe: I am the supreme toaster of the universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Neill Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 You guys are all wrong. Chemistry rules the world! It ties everything together. Actually I would say mathematics ties everything together better than chem does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG22 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Did you take physics in gr.12? If you did, I think doing an MCAT review (such as Examkrackers) and using old physics books is adequate. It was for me. Yes siree bob, for me too. No univ level physics, only up to grd 12, but I did study my ass off for the mcats. BTW, use Nova physics alongisde EK. I found it useful. And I bought a used 1st yr physics t.b. to supplement everything. Didn't end up using it all that much except for optics! It can be done. EDIT: btw, if you want to ensure that you can apply to ALL schools, then as a previous poster said, look into the requirements for each school, esp the OOP ones. I believe UBC needs physics? But I could be mistaken, I did my research a while ago =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Sooooo, based on what I've read, you've got to get a handle on physics one way or the other considering the fact that it's required to "pass" the MCAT... I haven't done physics in uni (or HS) so me thinks this MCAT thingie is going to be a [clears throught] challenge. Gulp. Jokes aside though, any advice for somebody like me who (a) isn't doing physics at uni, ( hasn't got the greatest passion for the subject, and © needs to write MCAT. Please don't laugh at me for asking, but would a book like "physics for dummies" help, in addition to all the regular MCAT prep books (in the context of understanding physics)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG22 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Sooooo, based on what I've read, you've got to get a handle on physics one way or the other considering the fact that it's required to "pass" the MCAT... I haven't done physics in uni (or HS) so me thinks this MCAT thingie is going to be a [clears throught] challenge. Gulp. Jokes aside though, any advice for somebody like me who (a) isn't doing physics at uni, ( hasn't got the greatest passion for the subject, and © needs to write MCAT. Please don't laugh at me for asking, but would a book like "physics for dummies" help, in addition to all the regular MCAT prep books (in the context of understanding physics)? Hey there, so when are you writing your MCAT? What I ended up doing was reading NOVA and EK and doing ALL of their practice problems. In addition to that, I also used EK 1001 physics questions. It really helps you get the concepts down pat. So do a ch of EK physics, then do their mini lecture tests, and then go onto the corresponding section in 1001. Do ev other problem. If you have any mistakes, then go back and do the probs you skipped. It's very labour intensive, but it does get you in the zone prior to the MCAT. I'm pretty sure I've forgotten evth now, but it helped me when it mattered most! And I studied ev day for 4-6 hours (during the summer). I freaked out closer to my test date and upped the study time to 6-8 hours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnussey Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I'm beginning to think we are polar opposites of the same thing Law. I dread biochem but love physics... Biochem is just tedious. Physics, especially modern physics, not the boring classical newtonian physics, can make your mind trip out quite literally. Hey--I liked Newtonian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnussey Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I would take at least the intro to physics course if I were you, it would be beneficial (to a number of areas in your life, not just admissions and the mcats). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Not sure if this has already been mentioned, and it's a bit off-topic, but... Physics is hugely important in the field of medicine, whether it relates to the entire human nervous system, to the way an ECG machine works, to the fluid dynamics of the cardiovascular system, to the way medical imaging works, to the mechanics behind the skeletal system, etc. etc. Not to mention that both physics and medicine involve huge amounts of problem solving. I'm sure you all already knew all this, but perhaps there were a few of you that were wondering why you were slogging through all those physics courses in undergrad. But before you think you have to have a physics degree to be a good clinician, I'm not that good at physics, and I've been able to wrap my head around most of the clinically relevant physics-related stuff in medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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