Mnemonics for the MCAT

Mnemonics - Anatomy
Mnemonics - Clinical
Mnemonics - General
 

Biology

Anterior Pituitary Hormones
"FLAGTOP"
F: Follicle Stimulating Hormone
L: Lutinizing Hormone
A: ACTH
G: Growth Hormone
T: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
O: MSH - melanOcyte stimulating hormone
P: Prolactin


Autonomic Nervous System

Sympathetic: fight or flight
Parasympathetic: rest and digest


Causes of Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

 "Maggie May Does Not Smoke"
Mutations, Migration, genetic Drift, Non-random mating, Selection.


Cell Cycle

 "Go Sally Go! Make Children!"
G₁, S, G₂, M, C
Growth phase 1, DNA Synthesis (replication), Growth phase 2, Mitosis, Cytokinesis.
 
Mitosis
 "People Meet And Talk", or
"PMAT"
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase.


Meiosis

 "PMAT x2"
Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I,
Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II, Telophase II,
(Note: 4 haploid daughter cells instead of 2 diploid daughter cells)


Developmental Stages

"Must Be Good"
Morula, Blastula, Gastrula


Fat-soluble Vitamins

"ADEK"
Vitamins A,D,E, and K


Kingdoms

 "My Poor Friend Picks Apples"
Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plants, Animals


Male Reproductive Tract (pathway of a sperm)

 "SEVEN UP"
Seminiferous tubules
Epididymus
Vas deferens
Ejaculatory duct
(Nothing)
Urethra
Penis


Molecular Genetics

 "EXons EXpressed, INtrons IN the trash"
DNA expression into mature mRNA

Pyrimidines are "CUT" from purines.
Also, "CUT the PY"
Pyrimidines include Cytosine, Uracil, and Thiamine, and are one ring structures. Purines are double ring structures.


Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation Curve

Think of an exercising muscle for a rightward shift:
Exercising muscle is:
hot,
acidic (lactic acid),
hypercarbic,
and has increased 2,3-DPG.
Exercising muscle benefits from increased oxygen unloading from red blood cells.


Scientific Method

 
Inductive Reasoning
"IS GOHH"
Induction: specific ® general. Or, Observation ® hypothesis ® hypothesis-testing.
The inductive process proceeds from specific observations to a general hypothesis.
Deductive Reasoning
"D(o)GS"
Deduction: general ® specific
The deductive process proceeds from a general hypothesis to predictions about specific observations.


Striated Muscle

"ZIAH"
Z-line, I-band, A-band, H-zone


Taxonomy

 "King Phillip Came Over From Great Spain"
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

General Chemistry

Electrochemistry
 Reduction occurs at the Cathode; Oxidation at the Anode.
Remember that the terms beginning with consonants are together, and those beginning with vowels are together.

"LEO is A GERC (jerk)"
Loss of Electrons is Oxidation, which occurs at the Anode. Gain of Electrons is Reduction, which occurs at the Cathode.


Hydrogen Bonding

 "FON"
When a hydrogen atom is attached to either a fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen atom, it can form a hydrogen bond between it and another fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen atom.


Nernst Equation

 "We minus Arty (is) enough, thank you."
E = E⁰-(RT/nF)lnQ


Quantum Numbers

 "National Library (of) Medicine Sizzles"
n, l, m, s


l Quantum Numbers

 "Sensual People Do Foreplay"
s, p, d, f

 Then it follows the alphabet: g, h, i, j, k, etc.

Organic Chemistry

Types of Reactions
"SEA MOuRNS CANned PEAs"
Substitution Electrophilic - Aromatic
Most Other Reactions - Nucleophilic Substitution
Carbonyl - Addition Nucleophilic
Pi bonds - Electrophilic Addition


Geometric isomers

"Z: Zame Zide
E: Epposite"
Z for same side and E for opposite sides

Physics

Basic Physical Quantities
"Taking Luxurious Limos More Noxious Than Cycling"
Temperature (K)
Length (m)
Luminous intensity (Cd)
Mass (kg)
Number of particles (moles)
Time (s)
Charge (C)


Electromagnetic Spectrum

"RIVUXGA"
Electromagnetic waves in order of increasing frequency:
Radio waves
Infra red
Visible spectrum
Ultra violet
X-rays
Gamma rays


Visible Spectrum

In order of increasing frequency:
"Roy G. Biv"
"Richard Of York Gained Battles In Vain"
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet
 
 
 

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