Anatomy and Physiology investigates the structures and functions of human tissues, organs and organ systems, including the skeletal, muscular, nervous, system, circulatory or cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory and urinary systems. The course also examines the interplay and mechanisms of the systems. The MCAT content outline, which helps students prepare for the MCAT, indicates that Anatomy and Physiology is a key premed course, and lists all the human systems and subtopics related to those systems.
Microbiology involves the study of microorganisms and bacteria that cause immunity problems and human disease, including host responses to microbial pathogens and the mechanisms of pathogenicity. Associated topics may include cancer research, immunology, virology and infectious diseases. The MCAT content outline lists microbiology topics including fungi, virus structure, viral life cycle, prokaryotic cell bacteria structure, growth and physiology and genetics, as well as a long list of eukaryotic topics ranging from defining characteristics of organisms to apoptosis, or cell self-destruction.
Biochemistry is the study of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids and their metabolism, including the biochemistry of contractile systems and the biosynthesis of amino acids and nucleotides. Related topics include drug metabolism, neurochemistry, biological membranes and transport and many others directly related to medicine. The MCAT content outline suggests that this is a valuable course, listing topics that cover the biological molecules listed above and others.
Molecular biology covers the principles of cell function at the molecular level. The MCAT content outline lists molecular biology topics that cover enzymes and metabolism, including DNA structure and function, control of enzyme activity and basic metabolism.
Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. At the premed level, it delves into Mendelian and molecular genetics and covers prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, nucleic acid and recombinant DNA. The MCAT outline study topics include Mendalian concepts, meiosis and genetic variability, natural selection and speciation, and many subtopics that would be covered in a genetics course.