Some quick advice please

[Roronoa]

I have a couple questions regarding the MCAT. BTW I go to University of Toronto Mississauga and I'm double majoring in bio and psych.

 

1. Is general first year chemistry and organic chem enough preparation for the MCAT? I'm taking 2nd year inorganic chem and 2nd year thermodynamics for my chem minor. Am I just wasting my time with these courses? Should I even bother with a chem minor? The course load is heavy for these classes (4 hour labs..). I know orgo is a must, but I'm not too sure about these other chem courses.

 

2. For my biology major which scenario am I likely better off with for the MCAT and med school later on.

 

a. Full year Human physiology OR

b. Ecology (half year) and general Physiology (half year).

 

 

Thanks!

[rmorelan]

I have a couple questions regarding the MCAT. BTW I go to University of Toronto Mississauga and I'm double majoring in bio and psych.

 

1. Is general first year chemistry and organic chem enough preparation for the MCAT? I'm taking 2nd year inorganic chem and 2nd year thermodynamics for my chem minor. Am I just wasting my time with these courses? Should I even bother with a chem minor? The course load is heavy for these classes (4 hour labs..). I know orgo is a must, but I'm not too sure about these other chem courses.

 

2. For my biology major which scenario am I likely better off with for the MCAT and med school later on.

 

a. Full year Human physiology OR

b. Ecology (half year) and general Physiology (half year).

 

 

Thanks!

 

Hi there - the material covered in those later chem courses is beyond the requirements for the mcat. Likely taking more courses in any area it would help a bit but I wouldn't be taking them just to imporove on the mcat and not if it threatened my GPA.

 

as for 2) I can't say ecology will help you much - and this is coming from someone who has an ecology minor

[Roronoa]

Hi there - the material covered in those later chem courses is beyond the requirements for the mcat. Like taking more courses in any area it would help a bit but I wouldn't be taking them just to improve on the mcat and not if it threatened my GPA.

 

as for 2) I can't say ecology will help you much - and this is coming from someone who has an ecology minor

 

 

Those chem courses really ruin my schedule though haha. If I replace them with full year human psysio my schedule becomes 100x better which should result in a higher gpa.

 

Also, I read on a few of the med school websites that they encourage you to take a "rigorous" program. Would a double major in psych and bio be rigorous enough?

[rmorelan]

Those chem courses really ruin my schedule though haha. If I replace them with full year human psysio my schedule becomes 100x better which should result in a higher gpa.

 

Also, I read on a few of the med school websites that they encourage you to take a "rigorous" program. Would a double major in psych and bio be rigorous enough?

 

I would say absolutely yes - most schools do not care what program you do, and by rigorous they do not mean go off and do some crazy program simply because it is hard and will impress them. Most of the time that is unfortunately a good way to get a low GPA and take yourself out of the running. Any normal standard honours program will do just nicely and you are even doing more than that

 

Just make sure you can protect that GPA in whatever you are doing.

[kylamonkey]

A quick note about the MCAT physical sci section...

 

This is my own opinion, but it seemed to work for me.

 

I have a pretty decent background in inorganic chem/ thermodynamics because I have a degree in geology. My physics was always really strong. I pulled off a 13 on the PS section without too much trouble- I preferentially studied for it over the BS material. I think that because so many biol/bioc/orgo major people write the MCAT, and the score is based on a curve, you can do better with less work on the PS section because more people find it difficult (or just not their thing).

 

So to sum up, a solid thermodynamics background can give you a serious leg up in the PS section, and imporve your overall mark on the MCAT by quite a bit.

 

Again- this is just my opinion!