High Yield MCAT Topics Checklist
BIOLOGY
Cytoskeleton Components Classical and Molecular Genetics
Extremely
Anatomy & Life Cycles of Bacteria and Viruses Enzymes
Important
Important
Mitosis and Meiosis Cell Membrane
Organ Systems Nervous System
(Reproductive, Respiratory, Digestive, Muscular, Skeletal, Endocrine System
Integumentary, Circulatory, Excretory, and Lymphatic ) Central Dogma of Biology
DNA Biotechnology
BIOCHEMISTRY Keep in Mind: Generally, most of Biochem is very important.
Structures, Properties and Metabolism of Carbs, Fats, Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration
Extremely
and Proteins
Important
(Prokaryotic cells, ETC, TCA, and Glycolysis)
Important
Gluconeogenesis, Beta-Oxidation, Lab Techniques (Reducing/Non-Reducing SDS-PAGE, PCR, Blots, Cation
Pentose Phosphate Pathway and Anion Exchange, Ligand affinity)
Structures, Properties, and Metabolism of Enzyme Inhibitions and Kinetics (Michaelis-Menten)
Nucleic Acids Amino Acids
Membranes Structures, Chemical Properties + 1-Letter Abbreviations + 3-Letter Abbreviations
Note: Be prepared to do a lot of calculations with scientific notation without calculators and keep an eye out for concepts that can be linked to biology and healthcare
PHYSICS
Light and Optics Circuits
Extremely
Important
Sound and Wave (Photon Numbers vs. Energy of Photons) Kinetic Molecular Theory
Important
Radioactive Decay Units and Conversions
Energy and Force Fluids
Electromagnetism (Relationships Between Pressure, Diameter, Resistance)
(Connection to Circulatory System)
GENERAL CHEMISTRY
Equilibrium
Periodic Trends
Bioenergetics (Free Energy, Entropy, Enthalpy)
Extremely
Important
(Electronegativity, Atomic Size, etc.)
Important
Gases and Pressure (Ideal Gas Law)
Redox Reactions
Solubility and Molarity
Electrochemistry Basic Chemistry Math
(Electrochemical Cell) (Balancing Equations, Scientific Notation, Units (SI and conversions))
Acid/Base (pH, pI, and Buffers)
Stoichiometry
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Types of Isomers (Disastereomers, Anomers, Enantiomers, etc.)
Extremely
SN1 vs SN2 Reactions
Important
Important
Aldol Condensation Lab Techniques (NMR, Chromatography, IR, Distillation, etc.)
Nomenclature (IUPAC) Functional Groups
Bonding (Carbonyl Group)
SOCIOLOGY
Social Determinants of Health Functionalism vs. Conflict Theory vs. Symbolic Interactionism vs.
Extremely
Important
Important
Healthcare Disparities Social Constructionism
Cultural Relativism vs. Ethnocentrism Roles, Groups, and Status
Dramaturgical Theory Social Institutions
PSYCHOLOGY
Stereotype vs. Discrimination vs. Prejudice Social Perception (Halo Effect, Just World, Primacy/Recency)
Sensation and Perception Classical and Operant Conditioning
Attribution Theory
Extremely
Important
(Signal Detection Theory)
Important
Memory Research Design and Interpreting Statistical Data
(Storing and Retrieval)
Psychological Disorders
Theories of Motivation Neurobiology and Neurotransmitters
Identity and Development Theories (Piaget and Kohlberg)
Biases (Cognitive Bias)
Theories of Emotion
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