MCAT advice. Any medical students here (non-liars)?

I think you were looking for this forum.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=31

more superlative wrote:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=31

Probably the best advice I'll get. Thanks superman, didn't know that existed.

Not a medical student (in another professional school now), but I did take the MCAT and scored well on it. All I really used to study was that big-ass book from Kaplan, which is supposed to be a pretty comprehensive review of material on the test, and you can supplement with your own notes/materials from undergrad as you feel is necessary. I just went through that book one small section at a time - do one section of physics, one biology, one chemistry, etc., all the way through the book.

I also took lots of practice tests. I think that's especially important, you need to become comfortable with the test, get your pacing right, etc.

I pretty much ignored preparing for the essay and ended up doing mediocre on it, but I don't think that matters so much.

But honestly, the fact that you're doubting your desire to go to med school just because you have to take the MCAT would indicate that you need to think hard about what you really want to do. A career in medicine, starting with taking the MCAT, is not something that should be approached half-assed.

I would have responded with essentially the same post with a only a few deviations the 1st being that I am a 1st year medical student. Additionally I took the Kaplan class where I physically sat in a room and had someone instruct. This was by and large a giant waste of time, but it had the plus of forcing me to keep up with the material because it is really easy put off. The material they handed you to study was good and so were their practice tests. They had a lot of additional features, but I found my success was primarily the result of practice tests and the review material. Don't have much experience with anything besides Kaplan but I would assume its comparable and probably cheaper. The test is a pain but it's not as bad as most premeds would like to have you believe if you can reason well and like multiple choice tests. Contrary to what many people would have you believe you don't have to memorize everything covered by the test. It is an application based test where much of the information is actually contained in the prompt and it is up to you to elucidate how to apply it. I studied 1-2 hours a day most everyday over the 10 week course. You don't have to spend 7-8 hours studying for it like many would want you to believe. BTW I scored a 35N- 13bio, 12phy, 10v.

Wait til you take the USMLE wrote:

But honestly, the fact that you're doubting your desire to go to med school just because you have to take the MCAT would indicate that you need to think hard about what you really want to do. A career in medicine, starting with taking the MCAT, is not something that should be approached half-assed.

Well, I'm being pushed by family, friends, and professors to apply. I goto a generic state university. The professors here have basically said that I'll regret it if I don't try. The only other option for a biology major like me, without relocating, is getting my Ph.D. So, essentially, I'm being forced. I've found I hate research.

I got a 8, 13, 12 on a AAMC practice test, yesterday, without having taken any chemistry. Maybe I'll just order all their practice tests and do what you did.

Thanks for the advice!

Forgive me for being a pain in the ass, but pressure from others is not a good reason to go into medicine. You need to want it for yourself, otherwise you are wasting your time now and you will hate your career later. Who gives a damn what other people want YOU to do with YOUR life?

If they mean you'll regret not taking the MCAT just to see how you'll do, then so be it. I think that's kind of silly, but who the hell am I.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that this is your only option. I was a bio major too. Consider other things: pharmacy, dentistry, law school, business school, and those are just if you want to stay in school longer. Now is a shitty time for everybody in the job market, so school is a good option. It's also a big commitment. If you don't know what you really want to do yet, don't rush into something just because you feel like you have to.

End of rant.

You might have been stretching things, but if you can't handle the stress of the MCAT you're not going to like med school. The MCAT is a breeze compared to the many boards that you will have to take.

It will take you a long time to make it through your medical training. Make sure it is something you want to do. I'm 32 and still not done. I can't even remember my MCAT scores. I hardly remember what was on the test.

Thanks for your rant. I know I could regret my path leading into medicine when I finally reach the end, which is scary. I'm very academically interested, though, in it all. I just hate research, medicine seemed like the only alternative. Maybe a professor...

I do know, for sure, that I want to stay in school for as long as possible. Pharmacology, even pharmacogenomics, sounds interesting.. I dunno.

I'm just starting my junior year, so I have about half-a-year until I really have to make some decisions. Thanks for making me think! Haha and thanks for the MCAT tips, again.

I've heard they are starting to do away with the MCAT. Research has shown that it doesn't prove too much. Their biggest reliance is now on something known as the multiple mini interview (MMI).

I agree with the other posts. Don't go into medicine because you can't figure out what else to do.

I would try some other areas of research (you said you haven't taken any chemistry yet, so you must not be that far). I hated bench research, but get me in the clinic interviewing patients or out in the field taking data and I'm as happy as a clam. Research is such a broad field that its hard to say you don't like it (unless you don't like figuring out answers, in which case, medicine really isn't for you).

I liked Exam Krackers and Berkley Review the best. TBR especially for physics and chemistry. Exam Krackers for Biology. If you do a combination of the two and take all the AAMC practice tests you are fine. I'm not sure how accurate the practice test are any more, but they should be close to a predictor. I was scoring a little bit higher my last couple tests. You really don't need to *know* that much besides the basics. Think of the review books as a base phase and practice problems as intervals. The biology section is a lot more like the Verbal section now.

Also ignore the people on SDN that brag about how much they study, they are full of it. Any review class is a waste of time and money.