📖 Notes
LESSON 15 OF 16
MDCAT Biology — High-Yield Topics & Strategy
High-Yield MDCAT Biology
Based on 10 years of MDCAT past-paper analysis, these eight topics appear most often — prioritise them first if you're short on revision time.
Past-Paper Frequency
Eight Topics That Repeat Every Year
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Cell Organelles & Functions
Nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, ER, Golgi, lysosomes — structure AND function for each.
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Mitosis vs Meiosis
Mitosis: 1 division, 2 identical diploid cells. Meiosis: 2 divisions, 4 non-identical haploid cells.
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DNA Structure & Replication
Double helix, antiparallel strands, semi-conservative replication, key enzymes.
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Enzyme Kinetics (Km, Vmax)
Low Km = high affinity. Competitive inhibition raises Km; non-competitive lowers Vmax.
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Blood Groups & Genetics
ABO codominance, Punnett squares, sex-linked inheritance.
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Cardiac Cycle
Systole vs diastole, valve function, cardiac output = HR × stroke volume.
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Action Potential
Resting -70mV, depolarisation (Na+ in), repolarisation (K+ out), refractory period.
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Digestive Enzymes
Amylase, pepsin, lipase, lactase — substrate, product, and location for each.
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If you're short on time
These eight topics account for a disproportionate share of MDCAT Biology marks every year. Revising them first, even before a full syllabus pass, gives the best return on limited study time.