Anyone here taken the MCAT?

[AM07]

If so, how long did you study for? Did you take any prep courses for it? I'm scheduled to take it in two weeks, but am not fully ready for it. I'm planning on taking it for practice, and then signing up for the Kaplan course and retaking the exam in early 2008. Just curious if medical schools really look down on people taking the MCAT more than once.

 

[ReaperX]

MCAT requires around 8 months prep time. Either your ready when you take it or your not. You may be able to skim a few basics in 2 weeks, but you should be 99% ready at this point or else 'yous be phucked.'



I was thinking about at one point being a doctor....then I realized it was overrated with too many sacrifices.

 

[Trauma1]

I had thought about being a doctor many times and i probably would have gone through with it if i hadn't met my wife when i did. I will tell you getting into medical school in this country in no easy feat by any means. You would not believe how many slots these schools keep open just for out of country applicants......so much for taking care of your own first.

Even if you can't get into an M.D. program(more competetive) school, look at a D.O. program. Pretty much the exact same as the M.D. program except for the M.D. title. One of my buddies took the mcat three times and scored a 23(about an average score) all three times. He still got into an M.D. program, however out of the country.

There is a great deal of sacrifice that goes into becoming a doctor, nurse, or any healthcare professional really. While i agree the sacrifice is significant for some, howerever being overrated....i think not......

 

[AM07]

I most likely will be going out of country. The Caribbean has established four-six very good schools that are pretty comparable to U.S. schools and only require 18-24 months down there, then you finish the clinicals in the U.S. at sister hospitals.

I understand there is a great deal of sacrifice. Giving up almost an entire decade (20s) for those who start after college is a huge sacrifice considering it's supposed to be the best time of your life, but I think I'm willing to make that sacrifice, because the benefits once you graduate are worth it.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

If so, how long did you study for? Did you take any prep courses for it? I'm scheduled to take it in two weeks, but am not fully ready for it. I'm planning on taking it for practice, and then signing up for the Kaplan course and retaking the exam in early 2008. Just curious if medical schools really look down on people taking the MCAT more than once.

I believe that if you've taken your MCAT and don't feel that you've performed well, you can opt out of submitting your score.

And yes, most schools do take into account your first MCAT attempt. Usually if you take it more than once they'll average out your score. But, anymore than 2-3x probably means "rough time getting in".

The people I know who did best on the MCAT studied for very long periods of time. A fellow anonymous board member scored a 38, but he said he studied for like 2hrs/day for a year and like 4-5hrs/day for a month or two before the test. But, there are people who just put in a couple of months and do well.

 

[Trauma1]

I most likely will be going out of country. The Caribbean has established four-six very good schools that are pretty comparable to U.S. schools and only require 18-24 months down there, then you finish the clinicals in the U.S. at sister hospitals.

I understand there is a great deal of sacrifice. Giving up almost an entire decade (20s) for those who start after college is a huge sacrifice considering it's supposed to be the best time of your life, but I think I'm willing to make that sacrifice, because the benefits once you graduate are worth it.

Yeah my buddy got accepted to into St. George University in grenada. He does his didactic portion in grenada, but does his clinical rotations in the U.S. Sounds like you are willing to make the sacrifices for the satisfaction of the end result. Good luck with everything bro your hard work will pay off.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

I most likely will be going out of country. The Caribbean has established four-six very good schools that are pretty comparable to U.S. schools and only require 18-24 months down there, then you finish the clinicals in the U.S. at sister hospitals.

I understand there is a great deal of sacrifice. Giving up almost an entire decade (20s) for those who start after college is a huge sacrifice considering it's supposed to be the best time of your life, but I think I'm willing to make that sacrifice, because the benefits once you graduate are worth it.

The only real bummer to leaving the country is you're most likely going to severely limit the number of available residencies you will be able to get in to.

You going out of country by your own will, or because you kind of screwed up your GPA?

 

[Trauma1]

The only real bummer to leaving the country is you're most likely going to severely limit the number of available residencies you will be able to get in to.

Maybe to a small degree, but residency is a learning period anyway and you're going to learn/see different things where ever you go. Once you get through that period and become an attending physician you'll have the autonomy to go anywhere you want without a problem.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

Maybe to a small degree, but residency is a learning period anyway and you're going to learn/see different things where ever you go. Once you get through that period and become an attending physician you'll have the autonomy to go anywhere you want without a problem.

Leaving the country means many residencies shut their doors, especially those highly competitive residencies like derm, radiology, etc. I personally just find that to be a big sacrifice, unless GPA dictates I must go.

 

[Trauma1]

Residency can be quite an extensive period of time, up to five years.

Leaving the country means many residencies shut their doors, especially those highly competitive residencies like derm, radiology, etc.

Yeah it is....you have a year of internship usually followed up by 4 years of residency.....sometimes longer if you decide to take a fellowship or specialty. I don't know that i would call dermatology or radiology that competetive. The majority of docs i know found their derm and radiology rotations boring beyond belief. The toughest residencies to gain entry are surgical hands down. Hell if i was a doc i would definately be an E.R. doc. You don't ever have to take call, your schedule is pretty consistent, and you see a little bit of everything along the way.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

They've extremely competitive to get into, especially derm. Its pretty much the hardest residency to get into because it is so lifestyle friendly. Plastics is the only residency more difficult to get into than derm. Plastics > Derm >> Rad, that's pretty much the order of the top three most difficult to get into.

Surgical residencies are not that hard to get into, they're only moderately competitive because they are so harsh on your personal life. Surgical residents often are in the hospital 100-120hrs/wk. Something like Neurosurgery may be reasonably competitive, but its not horrific.

For something like Derm or Plastics, you pretty much need 250+ on USMLE Step 1&2, and be in the topmost portion of your class with good letters of recommendation.

 

[Trauma1]

When i said surgery (plastics) certainly ties into that. Many plastic surgeons were general surgeons beforehand. I think you are underestimating the competitive nature of surgery.....derm and radiology are nice cushy jobs which is why it's so hard to get into the programs, but that hardly makes those specialties more competitive than any other in the long run. Opinions will differ all around on this so i'll leave it at that. Are you involved in the medical field kwyck?

 

[Mrs. Gimpy!]

congratulations on thinking about going into the medical field. i have alot of respect for anyone in the medical field. alot of hard work and sacrafice goes into it (more than people really think)

the sacrafice is well worth it , though a lot of times it doesn't feel that way bc the schooling sucks so badly

 

[AM07]

You going out of country by your own will, or because you kind of screwed up your GPA?

GPA isn't high as I wished when I graduated in May. I am taking a year off to work and study for the MCAT. I am going to take it again in January or February after I take the Kaplan course.

As of now, I am considering endocrinology or orthopaedic surgery/sports medicine. But I've spoken to many doctors, and they say everyone changes their minds once they get to rotations and residencies, so I'm keeping an open mind.

I'm hoping to get into one of the Big 4 in the Caribbean, but we'll see. My MCAT will ultimately determine where I'm going to go.

Radiology is one of the harder residencies to get into. I know a girl who just graduated with her MD at age 24, and just started residency. She is doing radiology, and ultimately wants to specialize in neuroradiology. While it may be a cushy lifestyle compared to other fields of medicine, I couldn't sit in a room and look at X-Rays all day. I would need to see a psychiatrist after a couple months

 

[kwyckemynd00]

Yeah, God bless the carribean. Its a great place for do-overs Just be prepared to work your ass off so you can kill the USMLE if you want to be really competitive for residencies.

Ortho, huh? Bodybuilder going for ortho, how fitting. Guess you'll be the class gunner just kiddin

What was your GPA? If its anywhere above 3.4 or so and you kill the MCAT I'd say you can still get into US MD programs, if you're interested. Although, caribbean poon-tang does sound like plenty of fun if you ask me.

MD at 24, eh? Guess she went to one of them cool schools w/ the 6yr program. Those kickass. She probably didn't even have to take the MCAT seriously at all b/c she had an acceptance to school w/out it. Those lucky bastards! I'll be like 30 when I graduate, lol.

And, those radiologists can keep pretty busy at times, but it sure as hell is repetitive. That's a concern I have, but I think the millions of dollars in electronics would keep me happy enough, not sure though. The part that sucks about being a physician is that all the fun jobs aren't very lifestyle friendly! Surgery = fun = no life.

 

[Chad]

i took them for fun back in 3rd grade. i got a A++++ but i was like " no no no, i like playing kickball too much to go to med school. "