Here’s the low-down from a post-truamatic first-week stress reaction. Whatever opportunities you have to take anatomy or biochem or whatever - even if it is just renting the Standard Deviants videos - DO IT! When you get here, if you’ve had some of these things, you will be SO GLAD you did. First biochem test today. Glad I took a semester of it in undergrad, glad I reviewed it over summer, gave me a chance to coast along for the first few lectures. Wish I would have reviewed more anatomy since I don’t have much basis there.
The classes do work synergistically, and I find already that info from one helps with another class on even a subconcious level. Overall, it’s a blast, finally every class is totally cool stuff! I’ve even signed up for an elective class - sports medicine. 8 classes wasn’t enough for me??? But Hey, I’m not at MSU for nothing!! It’s great to be at the #1 DO school and at a big 10.
I’ve added a little to my diary (website below), a few thoughts on the first week, and a few thoughts (ventings) on being a med-school mommy.
Wmkayak
After sitting through my first biochem exam as well today, I will whole heartely agree…take as MANY undergrad upper level science courses as you can. My biochem has really helped me out so I could focus on Epidemiology which I have never had. Take genetics, physiology, micro, biochem, cell bio, immuno, etc…or take as many of those as you can. Believe me, you will be very happy you did.
It’s funny, I wrote almost exactly the same thing after my first set of exams last year! It’s true that these classes do definitely come in handy during the first few months of medical school.
However, once you get past first semester, the playing field is really more level. I guess the question is, how much effort is it worth to make that first few weeks/months easier?
So, I would say if you’re interested in biochem or embryology or anatomy, definitely take them and they will help. Also, pass up less relevant classes (zoology, etc) for more relevant ones. But don’t think you have to take this stuff before school starts to do well. And, if you have a chance to take time off before med school and just relax, I say go for it.
If I had one piece of advice for people starting first year, it would be to start using review books from day one along with the course syllabus. It really helps you focus on the important stuff that will come back at you again and again. And, at least in my experience, the stuff in the review books is the majority of the stuff on my exams, so if it’s not in BRS or 1st Aid, I usually don’t spend a lot of my precious brain resources memorizing lists.
Anyway, I digress. Congrats on getting through your first set of exams you guys! I’ll bet you did well (OPM’s rock!)! And remember, in a year or so you will look back fondly on these classes. 
I have to agree with my fellow MS1’s! anything that helps and yes I agree after the first semester is over it will not matter BUT the first semester IS brutal! with tons of info so anything that will help transition is WELL worth the time.