TheAbsoluTurk Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Hi, I'm new to this forum. I plan to study biochemistry in the fall and I have an eye on applying to medical school once everything is said and done. Considering the new subjects added to the MCAT for 2015 and beyond, I plan to use the arts options for sociology and psychology courses. Hopefully introductory classes will be good enough for the MCAT. But I guess we won't know until 2015. Anyway, this question is for all the people who have taken the MCAT. Which science courses did you find help you the most? Besides the requirements for my own degree (which fulfill all medical school requirements like English, math etc.) I will have science electives to choose from in 2nd, 3rd and 4th year. I assume dedicating those slots to classes helpful for the MCAT and medical school would be worth the workload. I assumed the subjects would be genetics, anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, cell biology, physiology, immunology, evolutionary biology or zoology. If there are others let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas86 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Biochemistry, cell biology and physiology are all the courses that you would rlly need for mcat besides your requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacrolimus Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Last I checked, Biochemistry is not tested on the MCAT. Two semesters of General Chem, Organic Chem, Biology and Physics along with a semester (or two) of Physiology should be okay. The other science courses are way too in-depth, and while they might help you with understanding a passage in BS section, they are not a requirement by any means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitty Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Biochemistry, cell biology and physiology are all the courses that you would rlly need for mcat besides your requirements. I actually find those not very helpful for the MCAT specifically. Physiology a bit, but not nearly as helpful as Orgo, Gen Chem, physics and general biology/some parts of physiology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas86 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I actually find those not very helpful for the MCAT specifically. Physiology a bit, but not nearly as helpful as Orgo, Gen Chem, physics and general biology/some parts of physiology. yea I was assuming if op is taking his requirement courses such as orgo and etc... understanding cell bio allows him to understand passages in the mcat. atleast that what I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAbsoluTurk Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 yea I was assuming if op is taking his requirement courses such as orgo and etc... understanding cell bio allows him to understand passages in the mcat. atleast that what I believe Yes, I will be taking all of the required classes for my bachelor's degree. Thank you all for the responses. I'm getting the feeling that the MCAT varies year-to-year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savac Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Yes, I will be taking all of the required classes for my bachelor's degree. Thank you all for the responses. I'm getting the feeling that the MCAT varies year-to-year. Each test covers different material, since it's impossible for them to cover every topic on a single test. The actual amount of topics doesn't really change though. I wouldn't say that the actual spectrum of possible topics/passages/questions varies from year to year. That being said, the test is definitely very different all throughout the various testing dates each year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAbsoluTurk Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Each test covers different material, since it's impossible for them to cover every topic on a single test. The actual amount of topics doesn't really change though. I wouldn't say that the actual spectrum of possible topics/passages/questions varies from year to year. That being said, the test is definitely very different all throughout the various testing dates each year. I'm wondering how your schedule was in first year. Did you take 5 courses both terms to get the 'at least 30 credits (1 course is 3 credits) must be taken in fall and winter of a year' requirement or did you keep your first semesters light on work and go for this requirement later on? I suppose it would be easier to do that requirement early on but maybe others did it differently. My first year looks like this according to my current plans: Fall: Math (Calculus, with lab) Introduction to Cell Biology (with lab, seminar) Intro University Chemistry (with lab, seminar) Physics ('Particles and waves' 'primarily for students in life, environmental, and medical sciences.') English ('Literature in Historical Perspectives') Winter: Statistics Intro University Chemistry (with lab, seminar) Organic Chemistry 1 (with lab) Physics ('Fluids, fields and radiation' 'primarily for students in life, environmental, and medical sciences.') Writing Studies (full credit course but classified as a seminar) I think this is a lot of work and a friend advised me not to try it, but am I right in assuming taking 10 courses in 2nd, 3rd or 4th year would be just as hard if not harder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitty Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 I'm wondering how your schedule was in first year. Did you take 5 courses both terms to get the 'at least 30 credits (1 course is 3 credits) must be taken in fall and winter of a year' requirement or did you keep your first semesters light on work and go for this requirement later on? I suppose it would be easier to do that requirement early on but maybe others did it differently. My first year looks like this according to my current plans: Fall: Math (Calculus, with lab) Introduction to Cell Biology (with lab, seminar) Intro University Chemistry (with lab, seminar) Physics ('Particles and waves' 'primarily for students in life, environmental, and medical sciences.') English ('Literature in Historical Perspectives') Winter: Statistics Intro University Chemistry (with lab, seminar) Organic Chemistry 1 (with lab) Physics ('Fluids, fields and radiation' 'primarily for students in life, environmental, and medical sciences.') Writing Studies (full credit course but classified as a seminar) I think this is a lot of work and a friend advised me not to try it, but am I right in assuming taking 10 courses in 2nd, 3rd or 4th year would be just as hard if not harder? What do you mean? Taking 10 courses as above is standard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAbsoluTurk Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 What do you mean? Taking 10 courses as above is standard... Oh, I wan't aware of that. One of my friends who is studying biochemistry said it was too much work. But maybe they have other reasons for telling me that (like lack of confidence in my ability.) So it's nothing out of the ordinary then? I will try and take courses in spring/summer in order to lessen the work load in the future. Or is that bad for medical school applications? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitty Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Oh, I wan't aware of that. One of my friends who is studying biochemistry said it was too much work. But maybe they have other reasons for telling me that (like lack of confidence in my ability.) So it's nothing out of the ordinary then? I will try and take courses in spring/summer in order to lessen the work load in the future. Or is that bad for medical school applications? Yes, 5 courses at a time is standard and considered 'full-time' for all med schools in Canada. Best to just stick with 10 courses per year. Some schools won't give you weighting even if you have a missing half course in one year (like U of T). If you are worried about a particular course, you can opt to take it in the summer by itself - many schools won't count these course towards your GPA, but it varies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAbsoluTurk Posted April 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Yes, 5 courses at a time is standard and considered 'full-time' for all med schools in Canada. Best to just stick with 10 courses per year. Some schools won't give you weighting even if you have a missing half course in one year (like U of T). If you are worried about a particular course, you can opt to take it in the summer by itself - many schools won't count these course towards your GPA, but it varies. What do you mean by 'some won't give you weighting if you have a missing half course in one year'? Do you mean taking 4 courses in one term then 5 classes in the next term? Also what is 'weighting'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savac Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Oh, I wan't aware of that. One of my friends who is studying biochemistry said it was too much work. But maybe they have other reasons for telling me that (like lack of confidence in my ability.) So it's nothing out of the ordinary then? I will try and take courses in spring/summer in order to lessen the work load in the future. Or is that bad for medical school applications? You should try to take a full course load each year, in order to benefit from weighting formulas (ie. UofT) and to make that particular year eligible at all schools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitty Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 What do you mean by 'some won't give you weighting if you have a missing half course in one year'? Do you mean taking 4 courses in one term then 5 classes in the next term? Also what is 'weighting'? Weighting formulae by some schools means that if you meet certain criteria, they will drop a certain number of courses from your GPA. U of T drops one credit from each year assuming you have taken a full 5 credits (10 regular courses) per year, every year. If you miss even 1 half credit in a year, you don't get any weighting. Just take 5 each semester - it's the normal thing to do and makes it easier. Also, this is not a hugely heavy workload and will pale in comparison to med school anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachaso Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 If I don't take physiology will I be okay for the MCAT? I would rather take a fun humanities elective... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacrolimus Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Oh, I wan't aware of that. One of my friends who is studying biochemistry said it was too much work. But maybe they have other reasons for telling me that (like lack of confidence in my ability.) So it's nothing out of the ordinary then? I will try and take courses in spring/summer in order to lessen the work load in the future. Or is that bad for medical school applications? It seems like you're at the U of A (by course description), and I'm assuming you're IP for Alberta then? If you want to stick with in-province school, don't take a full course load every year. Just one year of full course load, and that I'd recommend after Year 1 so can you settle in University. Take 24 credits, and 6 in Spring (harder courses) to get the best possible GPA for U of A and U of C. The weighting formula for U of T will not apply, but I think a higher GPA for in-province >>> potentially risking a bad year for U of T. While I haven't done this, I would recommend it to others. 4 courses will ease your life, and get you a good GPA. I know medical school is intense, but getting into it is even more intense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacrolimus Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 If I don't take physiology will I be okay for the MCAT? I would rather take a fun humanities elective... Pfft, Physiology is actually pretty fun, IMO. Take it! (It'll help you in med school too, I would think) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAbsoluTurk Posted April 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 It seems like you're at the U of A (by course description), and I'm assuming you're IP for Alberta then? If you want to stick with in-province school, don't take a full course load every year. Just one year of full course load, and that I'd recommend after Year 1 so can you settle in University. Take 24 credits, and 6 in Spring (harder courses) to get the best possible GPA for U of A and U of C. The weighting formula for U of T will not apply, but I think a higher GPA for in-province >>> potentially risking a bad year for U of T. While I haven't done this, I would recommend it to others. 4 courses will ease your life, and get you a good GPA. I know medical school is intense, but getting into it is even more intense. Yes, I'll be going to the U of Alberta Since there are only 3 medical schools in BC and Alberta, applying to Ontario schools isn't out of the question for me. My initial idea was to do what you're saying; take 10 courses first year then take less in following years and take spring/summer courses too. Do you take 24 credits in fall and then 6 in winter? That's amazing. Did you do that for first year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacrolimus Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Yes, I'll be going to the U of Alberta Since there are only 3 medical schools in BC and Alberta, applying to Ontario schools isn't out of the question for me. My initial idea was to do what you're saying; take 10 courses first year then take less in following years and take spring/summer courses too. Do you take 24 credits in fall and then 6 in winter? That's amazing. Did you do that for first year? No, I suggest not taking 10 in your first year unless you want to go to U of T. Take 10 in your second or third year. No, I took 24 credits during the year and nothing in Spring. I withdrew from a class in Fall (5 to 4) and since I couldn't have that year count as full course load, I decided to take 4 in Winter. It was good that I did that because I had 3 3 hour labs that sem so it worked well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachaso Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Yes, I'll be going to the U of Alberta Since there are only 3 medical schools in BC and Alberta, applying to Ontario schools isn't out of the question for me. My initial idea was to do what you're saying; take 10 courses first year then take less in following years and take spring/summer courses too. Do you take 24 credits in fall and then 6 in winter? That's amazing. Did you do that for first year? Do you think you are ready for university? If so, the best time to take a full course load is 1st year. Your classes will get harder in the later years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAbsoluTurk Posted April 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 No, I suggest not taking 10 in your first year unless you want to go to U of T. Take 10 in your second or third year. No, I took 24 credits during the year and nothing in Spring. I withdrew from a class in Fall (5 to 4) and since I couldn't have that year count as full course load, I decided to take 4 in Winter. It was good that I did that because I had 3 3 hour labs that sem so it worked well. Applications to U of A medical school require one fall and winter in undergrad to be 10 courses/30 credits according to my knowledge. So you intend to delay it to another year? Is that because it will be easier or because of your circumstances. Do you think you are ready for university? If so, the best time to take a full course load is 1st year. Your classes will get harder in the later years. I think I'm ready I'm just trying to get an idea of what is 'normal.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachaso Posted April 6, 2013 Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 I think I'm ready I'm just trying to get an idea of what is 'normal.' 'Normal' would be taking 5 courses in the fall, 5 courses in the winter, every year. Then summer courses up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacrolimus Posted April 6, 2013 Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Applications to U of A medical school require one fall and winter in undergrad to be 10 courses/30 credits according to my knowledge. So you intend to delay it to another year? Is that because it will be easier or because of your circumstances. I think I'm ready I'm just trying to get an idea of what is 'normal.' No, I'm taking 30 credits this year. Last year, I took 24 because I had to withdraw from a course in the fall, and there was no point in taking 5 courses in Winter, since 27 credits don't count for anything. It turned out very well though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitty Posted April 6, 2013 Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 'Normal' would be taking 5 courses in the fall, 5 courses in the winter, every year. Then summer courses up to you. Exactly - this is what I said above as well. Just take a full course load as it takes the question out of everything and this is 'normal'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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