quitting work for mcat/concerned with possibly retaking

[ThaDude]

A month and a half ago, I started a new full-time job at the hospital of which I've worked for 8 years. With graduate school coming to an end this spring, it was hard to turn down the new opportunity in terms the pay increase is very competitive from my previous role. Furthermore, it would provide me valuable experience towards becoming a future med student and physician. Unfortunately, I went from working 2 days/wk to 4-10 hr days, usually noon til 10 or 11p. This certainly has made studying for the MCAT a bit difficult to do after a hard evening at work and change in sleep in pattern(getting up at 5a daily prior to this job was no problem). I do tell myself to get up and try to do at least a couple of hours on those days before going in.

With the MCAT coming up, I've told myself to be confident and I will do well. Yet, part of me still wonders 'what if I don't score well?' Do I give up my job and take 3 months off to study for it again? A professor, made the suggestion to me just recently that I take time off. I responded with 'who's gonna pay my bills?' I do have a nice 401k built up from which I never wanted to touch and reserving for absolute emergencies. Yet, maybe this could be classifed as one. Another concern is that although I've been on good terms and a good employee, they don't necessarily have to hire me back once I've done my studying. Also, the scores for the May exam won't be released until after the June exam has taken place. By the time I get my scores, I would be S.O.L. when it comes to retaking it and being able to apply into this cycle still. Maybe I'm just letting negative thoughts creep in but I've always been a prepare-for-all possibilities type of person in order to reach my end goal.

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[crazy87]

Would they let you take, say, one month off?

 

[ThaDude]

Eh I highly doubt it. I don't have the vacation time built up to cover 160 hrs of time off. If I were more established in this role, I'd feel more comfortable asking To do sp without pay.

 

[Chlorini]

.

 

[crazy87]

I like the month-long (or some about of time) unpaid leave idea. But I'm biased because that's what I did. I was the same way though. Was so physically and mentally drained after work that it was difficult for me to MCAT study. Some ppl do it tho but I figured this was reallllllyyyy important so. That's why.

 

[typoncho]

I would say keep the job and ask for 3 weeks off at the end to really hit your full lengths and post-game them. Over the next 24 hours make a very rigorous schedule that includes everything you need to study with days off and everything tailored to your specific schedule. It will help having 3 days off, but I would use one of those days as an off day or a very light day. Stick to the schedule that you've made. That's what I did. I was taking 20 hrs of upper level bio and other classes, but I made a strict schedule and stuck with it and it paid off. For clarification, taking 20 hrs for me and the amount of time I needed to study for those classes equated to around 40 hrs or so a week really. If you really think you can't stick with the schedule, then don't do it. MCAT studying is VERY heavy backloaded, so if you don't put in the time early on you won't see the results in the end.

 

[ThaDude]

Being very new to my job, I didn't feel comfortable asking for extra time off. With scores not being released until late June, the next possible retake won't be until Mid July. I'm not certain that will allow me enough time to review again B/t May 23 and then. Maybe it would...

Would a retake in mid-July put me behind the 8 ball as far as any chance of secondaries and interviews this cycle?

 

[Saharon]

Speaking from experience, I wish I had quit my job back in October as I was studying for the January MCAT. I was able to take the week off before the exam, but I still didn't do too well (I also worked 70 +/- 10 hours a week). After getting my scores back, I gave myself a couple months to tie up loose ends at work and then left. I'm currently unemployed studying for the MCAT and applying to jobs so that I have something lined up for when I'm done. I think this is the better that struggling at both my job and studying (granted I also saved up money for the past few years and am able to support myself, so that's a consideration).

To answer your question, about timing. Taking the July MCAT will put you a little bit behind, for SDN standards, many of my friends who are in med school now submitted their applications in July, so they weren't verified until August.

 

[Snivellus]

I was working full-time while studying for the MCAT. While I did this for both the GRE and GRE Psych and was successful, I did poorly on the MCAT. I just did not have time to properly study for the test. I would recommend quitting work if possible.

 

[ThaDude]

Speaking from experience, I wish I had quit my job back in October as I was studying for the January MCAT. I was able to take the week off before the exam, but I still didn't do too well (I also worked 70 +/- 10 hours a week). After getting my scores back, I gave myself a couple months to tie up loose ends at work and then left. I'm currently unemployed studying for the MCAT and applying to jobs so that I have something lined up for when I'm done. I think this is the better that struggling at both my job and studying (granted I also saved up money for the past few years and am able to support myself, so that's a consideration).

To answer your question, about timing. Taking the July MCAT will put you a little bit behind, for SDN standards, many of my friends who are in med school now submitted their applications in July, so they weren't verified until August.

My exam is on Friday. My thought process is this...

Go in with confidence but after the exam, reschedule immediately for the exam in mid-July to hold a spot. If I do well on Friday, then cancel and take the loss. Otherwise, keep studying until I know my percentiles at least.

Go ahead and submit AACOMAS with one random school so I can have my transcripts verified quickly. Same with AMCAS in June.

Only hangup I have is the importance of time for committee letter to be submitted. I've seen the chart that weighs importance of all materials, but will submission of a committee letter in mid to late August put me behind for secondaries or is it mainly MCAT, GPA, ECs to that point?