NIH summer internship vs. MCAT studying

[HarperHarper]

I was wondering if I could please get some advice for summer internship vs MCAT studying plans, etc.

I’m currently a third year, bio major, planning on applying in my 4th year (taking a gap year).
Below are some of my stats:
cGPA: 3.52, sGPA 3.2. I was getting mostly A’s , then got C+ for physics II and genetics, hence the dramatic drop in GPA. But my GPA should increase after this semester.

Extracurricular:
-NIH Summer research internship
-Volunteer at family medicine
-Teaching assistant
-EMT
-Research at school lab
(I do not have any substantial clinical volunteer or shadowing experience)

I am planning on taking the MCAT this summer. I have started studying last winter, and due to my laziness, did not feel prepared to take the test then. I need a lot of review, especially in physics since I do not have a grasp on the subject.

I have gotten another NIH summer research internship at Bethesda, MD. My question is, for the summer, it is advisable to
A) devote most to all of the time to study for the MCAT for 3 months to ensure a good MCAT score (light clinical volunteering on the side), or
B) would taking on the NIH internship and study for the MCAT at the same time be a better choice.

If I were to choose internship + MCAT, which the internship requires 8 weeks in length, when is a better time to take the MCAT?
1) I’ve started reviewing since mid March, I could study from May-June without distraction, and take the end of June MCAT, then start internship.
2) Study the MCAT a few hours day during the internship, and then use the last month in August to study and then take the Aug. test

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pandemia]

Like me you too lack shadowing and clinical volunteering experience. Your cGPA seems fine however your sGPA needs a bit of work. But if you score well on the MCAT it could make up for your sGPA.

As for your MCAT, do the internship as you get the experience and at the same time study for your MCAT. If you are going to do this then you should allocate as much time as possible towards your preparation so you should push the test date to august.

Mind answering my post too?

 

[HarperHarper]

I'm just concerned that I won't have enough time to study each day during the internship, since it's 8 hrs + 2hrs commute. Then when Aug comes around, I won't have any cushion time to delay the test.

Either the early or late test date, I only really just have 1 month of solid all I can study in a day time, prior to that it's just ~3hr study a day.

I'm not confident in studying for the MCAT at all b/c of what happened with physics, which I took over the summer, and it just went by so quick.

Like me you too lack shadowing and clinical volunteering experience. Your cGPA seems fine however your sGPA needs a bit of work. But if you score well on the MCAT it could make up for your sGPA.

As for your MCAT, do the internship as you get the experience and at the same time study for your MCAT. If you are going to do this then you should allocate as much time as possible towards your preparation so you should push the test date to august.

Mind answering my post too?

 

[Knocked Up]

It is very hard to do both productively at the same time.

If you want to get into medical school next year, dedicate 100% to the MCAT. Read, read, read every minute you can, it's a reading test.

In order of importance to adcoms:

MCAT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>being a lab tech at the NIH

A low MCAT will not be made up for by any type of research. A high MCAT makes up for everything (assuming you have things that can be looked down upon).