Reapplicant MCAT / Grad School / Active Duty Question

[cosmiccarbon]

I graduated with a degree in biology in 2010 with a 3.4 science and a 3.6 overall. The first time I took the mcat (2009) I scored a 21. When I took the mcat again for the second time (2010) I got a 23. I applied to two interviews and two rejections.

I started a two year M.S. in biology program and completed the first year before being called up for active duty military service. While on active duty, I took two University of New England courses and did very well.

I recently returned from active duty and have been studying for the January 2013 exam date. I flat out do not feel prepared, I'm very dated on topics like physics and general chemistry. I leave again for another tour of duty in February 2013 and will be gone for 9 months (returning Dec 2013).

• Should I even be attempting to apply for the application cycle starting in 2013?
• Seeing how I've taken the MCAT two times already, should I hold off until I'm 100% ready for the exam?
• Will medical schools care if I left my masters program?

Any advice / feedback is greatly appreciated!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DrMidlife]

Thank you for your service.

Should I even be attempting to apply for the application cycle starting in 2013?

I vote no, more below.

Seeing how I've taken the MCAT two times already, should I hold off until I'm 100% ready for the exam?

Yes, absolutely do not take the MCAT if you aren't sure you can improve your score.

Will medical schools care if I left my masters program?

Active duty is a perfectly good reason to leave, but you'll need to have a good story for why you didn't go back.

You really, really need to break 30 on the MCAT to give yourself a strong MD app. (People will say you can get a much lower MCAT and get into DO school, but this just contributes to the DO stigma. Kill the damn MCAT. Show yourself that you can master hours-long multiple choice exams before you start med school. Conquer it.) It doesn't sound like you're there, so waiting on the MCAT makes sense.

Let's say you magically break 30 in January 2013. I am concerned about how you'd manage an app year when you're on active duty. Come June 2013, will you have your app ready to submit, your LORs ready to submit? Will you have time to turn around secondary apps (with essays) quickly? Will you be able to go on interviews?

I think you should be considering a return to your grad program, either before or after spending some good hard full time months on MCAT prep. Such as:
Jan '14 come back, take a class or two, start MCAT prep
April '14 kill the MCAT
June '14 apply to med school
June '15 finish masters
August '15 start med school

Best of luck to you