Struggling to keep peptide, steroid, and amino-acid hormones straight—or how the HPA, HPT, and HPG axes actually work? In this of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly unpack the entire endocrine system from first principles, so you’re not memorizing random facts—you’re learning the why behind every hormone and pathway the MCAT loves to test.

🔑 What you’ll learn

-Nervous vs. endocrine speed: why hormones act “slow but steady”

- Peptide, steroid, and amino-acid hormones—structure, receptors, and 2-min mnemonics

- Rough ER rule: anything secreted is built on the RER (Mike’s high-yield tip)

- FLAT PEG, AMEND, “-one/-ol” name patterns, zymogens, and more score-boosting shortcuts

- How to trace the HPA, HPG, and HPT axes—plus negative-feedback pitfalls the MCAT hides in questions

- Clinical tie-ins (hyperthyroidism, AAA, T2DM) that make details stick

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

In this week’s Jack Westin CARS Workshop, Molly and Jack work through an entire passage live (see link below). You’ll hear their unfiltered thought-process, why they slow down on certain lines, and exactly how they decide between tempting answer choices.

🔎 In this session you’ll learn to:

- Map each paragraph so you never ask “Wait… what’s the author’s point?”

- Spot subtle tone shifts and hidden comparisons that fuel inference questions

- Control timing with mini-pauses and margin notes (watch Jack model it in real time)

- Slice through trap answers by matching scope, tone, and direction

- Turn every mistake into an actionable takeaway for the next passage

🎯 Try the passage first: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/animal-language

Then hit play and follow along with Molly & Jack to refine your own CARS routine.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

In this high-yield episode Mike and Molly travel through the entire nephron—from Bowman's capsule to the collecting duct—to show how the kidneys quietly run four huge homeostatic jobs:

- Water balance (ADH / vasopressin & aquaporins)

- Sodium-potassium balance (aldosterone & the distal convoluted tubule)

- Blood-pressure regulation (the full RAAS pathway + ACE)

- Acid-base regulation (H⁺ / HCO₃⁻ handling)

Along the way we connect the dots to the cardiovascular, respiratory and endocrine systems and share memory hooks, MCAT “buzz-words,” real-life examples (why alcohol makes you pee!), and pro tips for spotting kidney questions in passages.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT CARS Podcast, Molly and Jack tackle a notoriously difficult CARS passage focused on European finance—and show you exactly how to break it down with confidence.

Try this exact passage and its questions for free: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/european-finance

👉 What you’ll learn in this workshop:

- How to handle dense, intimidating passages without panicking

- The key reading strategies to stay focused and avoid overthinking

- How to identify main ideas even when the passage seems confusing

- Why passages that feel 'hard to read' might actually have easier questions

- How to train your brain to spot the author’s argument quickly and effectively

Main Takeaway:

Even the most complex CARS passages have a clear main idea. In this case? Any international financial system in Europe must include Russia to succeed. Jack and Molly show you how to spot these golden sentences and not get lost in the weeds.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

Are negative-feedback loops really the body’s default setting? 🤔 How do Le Chatelier’s principle and the bicarbonate buffer keep your blood pH rock-steady at 7.4? In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down the science of homeostasis and chemical equilibrium—then show you exactly how to apply those concepts on test day and in medicine.

🔑 What you’ll learn

- Dynamic vs. static homeostasis—and why “set points” constantly shift

- Positive-feedback mechanisms (oxytocin, prolactin, estrogen, clotting) vs. negative feedback

- The RAAS pathway & ACE inhibitors for blood-pressure control

- Equilibrium constants (Keq) and why Km is the outlier

- Real-world crossover tips: lungs, kidneys, and systemic pH regulation

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Jack tackle a challenging passage about translating opera, helping you master unfamiliar topics with confidence.

Click here for the passage: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/translating-opera

✅ Learn how to stay focused even when the topic feels foreign or technical.

✅ Discover how to identify the author's perspective—even when you're lost in the details.

✅ Practice spotting comparisons, cause-effect relationships, and tone shifts—critical for high-scoring answers.

✅ Build the mental flexibility needed to handle any weird CARS passage the MCAT throws at you.

💬 Jack and Molly show you exactly how to slow down, think critically, and answer strategically—without getting overwhelmed.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

Feeling like you’re drowning in O-Chem, extracurriculars, and MCAT prep? In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly sit down with Dr. Sona Vasudevan, professor of biochemistry at Georgetown University and director of a top post-bacc program, to unpack why the pre-med journey feels so overwhelming — and what you can do about it.

We dive into:

- The hidden emotional toll of pre-med life

- Common mistakes students make with time and stress management

- Practical strategies for navigating coursework, applications, and burnout

- Why mentorship (or the lack of it) makes or breaks success

If you’re feeling stuck, scattered, or just plain exhausted, this is the episode for you. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this with a fellow pre-med warrior.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

In Episode 14 of the Jack Westin Podcast, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about fluid dynamics within the respiratory and cardiovascular systems for the MCAT.You'll learn how real-world physics—like Boyle’s Law and pressure gradients—directly impact lung ventilation, gas exchange, and blood circulation across the body.

✅ Understand the "why" behind O₂ intake and CO₂ removal (and how biochemistry plays a role)

✅ Master the mechanics of inspiration and expiration (and why breathing isn't just about air!)

✅ Learn how ventilators work and apply these concepts clinically

✅ Break down heart flow circuitry (Right Atrium → Lungs → Left Atrium → Body) without memorizing

✅ Debunk common myths about blood pressure in capillaries and veins

💡 PLUS: Real clinical connections to motivate your studying—including how abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) develop, and why vein valves are critical for blood return.

This is the kind of critical thinking and systems-level understanding the MCAT demands—and we’ll show you how to master it.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

Ever felt lost in a philosophical CARS passage about art, symbolism, or abstract metaphors? Today’s workshop is exactly what you need. In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Jack and Molly work through a challenging passage about the "Mother Mound," unpacking the complex ideas and hidden reasoning the MCAT loves to test.

Click here for the passage: https://jackwestin.com/daily/mcat-practice-passages/cars-practice-passages/mother-mound

✅ Learn how to decode symbolism and focus on the author’s deeper purpose.

✅ See how to stay grounded even when the language gets flowery or confusing.

✅ Practice identifying main ideas and logical flow in dense, abstract writing.

✅ Build the mental endurance to tackle the hardest CARS passages with confidence.

💬 Jack and Molly demonstrate live how 129+ scorers read, think, and approach abstract passages — without second-guessing or overthinking.

If philosophical or literary CARS passages usually throw you off, this workshop will show you how to approach them strategically—and come out ahead on test day.

Whether you're just starting your CARS prep or fine-tuning for the real MCAT, this workshop will give you practical tools to think faster, stay calm, and answer smarter.

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep

In this episode, Mike and Molly breaks down everything you need to confidently tackle fluids on test day. From understanding pressure and density with relatable examples (like suitcases, watermelons, and sleeping on nails!) to mastering Bernoulli’s equation, Venturi effect, and fluid continuity, you'll finally grasp the intuitive logic behind fluid dynamics.

✅ In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to clearly define fluids, density, and pressure for MCAT-style questions.

Real-world applications of pressure and hydrostatic pressure (watermelons, nails, soda cans!)

Exactly how Bernoulli’s equation and the Venturi effect work—and how airplanes fly because of it.

The importance of fluid speed and pressure (continuity effect) to help you solve complex MCAT passages.

🎯 Practice Tip:

After watching, visit JackWestin.com, explore the AAMC outline, and practice applying these concepts directly to MCAT questions.

🔔 Next Episode: Circulation and Respiration—stay tuned for more MCAT mastery!

Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at [email protected]! 📱

📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com

🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions

👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses

🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring

📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat

👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep