USMLE or MCAT?

[Doc2Be76]

I am currently a student at Georgia State University and I am taking the post bac premedical track. I am currently studying for my classes and I am also studying for the USMLE Step 1 just to get a jump on things. I have family members that are physicians and they have stated that the MCAT should not be that difficult to crack as I was a good student undergrad(3.3Gpa) and should focus more on my STEP 1, 2 and 3 as I am really concerned about matching general surgery or Emergency medicine. Can anybody share additional thoughts to this approach? Thanks!

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[gyngyn]

There is absolutely no reason to be studying for the USMLE if you have not yet taken the MCAT.

 

[deleted651092]

studying for the USMLE before even getting into medical school?????? what?

A 3.3 gpa is not exactly impressive, you should do everything you can to improve that and to ace your MCAT. Focus on becoming a good med school applicant before you even think about the other stuff. GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL FIRST.

 

[ZedsDed]

I have family members that are physicians and they have stated that the MCAT should not be that difficult to crack as I was a good student undergrad(3.3Gpa) and should focus more on my STEP 1, 2 and 3 as I am really concerned about matching general surgery or Emergency medicine. Can anybody share additional thoughts to this approach? Thanks!

...I don't even know where to start.
1) A 3.3 is not a great GPA (no offense).
2.) Most people think the MCAT is hard, like really hard. Your 3.3 GPA doesn't exactly scream 99th percentile either.
3.) If you want a leg up on your competition, raise your GPA. As of right now, you are barely even competitive for DO schools. If I were you, I would be concerned about even getting into med school.

 

[shewillrun]

Please don't take any offense to anything I say. I'm just trying to be honest and help. I am also in my post bacc phase. I have seen enough virtual tears on this site when it comes to the MCAT. I would NOT take that lightly. Also, a 3.3 gpa is not a competitive GPA when it comes to med school admissions. Sure...it's a decent GPA but not as competitive as you'd think.

Here is a recent article on that: http://www.medschoolpulse.com/2012/...s-the-average-gpa-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/

I see no reason to study for a test that is dependent on your acceptance to medical school. I'd worry about getting into medical school first and focusing on that MCAT score. Medical school will prepare you for the step 1 and has many resources to do so. The new MCAT in my opinion is quite brutal. I'm just saying ...get in first.

 

[Doc2Be76]

I guess I was just trying to get a jump on things, as I more apprehensive about matching than about getting into medical school. I really appreciate the feedback and my only point was that I don't want to get into medical school and then only be able to place into family or something that I a not interested in practicing. I totally understand what you guys are saying, just a bit nervous I guess.

 

[ZedsDed]

I guess I was just trying to get a jump on things, as I more apprehensive about matching than about getting into medical school. I really appreciate the feedback and my only point was that I don't want to get into medical school and then only be able to place into family or something that I a not interested in practicing. I totally understand what you guys are saying, just a bit nervous I guess.

One step at a time. But seriously, your major concern needs to be getting into med school. Plenty of people with high GPAs don't do well on the MCAT, so I'm not sure what your family is talking about.

 

[Doc2Be76]

I guess it is because I keep bugging them about what its like and what I should know. The response I usually get is know Step 1 and you should be fine, they scored 28, 30 and 33 on the MCAT so they don't stress that as much to me, but I hear you guys loud and clear and will adjust accordingly. Thanks again!!!

 

[DrMidlife]

stop talking to your family members about med school. they are not helping.

3.3 is not good. you are likely to have difficulty on the MCAT with that GPA. which is what your family would be telling you if they had good perspective.

you should be doing basic research on how med school and med school admissions work, without your family's input. and you should be working on a plan to do another year or two of undergrad, such as a 2nd bachelors in biochem or whatnot. every grade you get that isn't an A is a step away from med school.

best of luck to you.

 

[mw18]

If you're not trolling, then you are just very naive and so, too, is your family. No GPA makes the MCAT a walk in the park, and assuming that you have what it takes to study for step 1 before having any instruction on that level is just ridiculous.

I'm leaning toward a troll, because other than "Harvard vs. Hopkins vs. Mayo vs. UCSF vs. Stanford vs. Duke" threads it seems like "3.3 gpa not accepted to med school or having taken the mcat is studying for step 1 because of obsession with only slightly competitive specialties" is as bad as it can get.

 

[Gfliptastic]

Yeah, this real or troll????

Um...are you getting a perfect score on the MCAT?!!!??? Doubt it. I don't even know if I can/want to reply to this anymore! WTF???!!

I've NEVER EVER heard of someone studying for Step 1 w/o even having taken an MCAT. Especially when Step 1 doesn't cover a single damn thing the MCAT does! Considering...um...I've done both. And I even used to teach the MCAT for Kaplan. I know. For a fact. You won't find a single question on the MCAT that is on the Step 1. Not any Qbank. NOTHING. Zero! Zilch. NADA!

Yeah. I'm done. Out!

 

[Doc2Be76]

I am definitely not trolling I just want to be prepared. I would say a bit naive but that is why I am asking the question...it may be their confidence that they are trying to instill in me but by the feedback on this forum I need to rethink my studying...the one thing that they did say is that you do very well in the post bac the MCAT should not be difficult as you are basically being taught the subject matter for the MCAT in the post bac program....I guess that's why they don't want me to be overly worried about the mcat...

 

[candbgirl]

Stop discussing this with your fam members. How old are they and how long ago did they apply? Maybe that's the problem. You will have a very hard time getting into a MD school. You should focus on DO schools if you are serious about being a doctor. And yes stop studying for the USMLE and start studying for the MCAT. You won't be a surgeon no matter how hard you study for the USMLE if you aren't accepted to med school. And you should be worried about the MCAT despite what your relatives tell you.

 

[mw18]

I am definitely not trolling I just want to be prepared. I would say a bit naive but that is why I am asking the question...it may be their confidence that they are trying to instill in me but by the feedback on this forum I need to rethink my studying...the one thing that they did say is that you do very well in the post bac the MCAT should not be difficult as you are basically being taught the subject matter for the MCAT in the post bac program....I guess that's why they don't want me to be overly worried about the mcat...

Okay, well that's probably valuable advice. Work hard in post-bacc and realize that even after the post-bacc the mcat is still incredibly difficult. And step 1 is something so far away that many people say not to worry about it until second year at the earliest (with some saying to wait until designated study time).

 

[MedWonk]

I am currently a student at Georgia State University and I am taking the post bac premedical track. I am currently studying for my classes and I am also studying for the USMLE Step 1 just to get a jump on things. I have family members that are physicians and they have stated that the MCAT should not be that difficult to crack as I was a good student undergrad(3.3Gpa) and should focus more on my STEP 1, 2 and 3 as I am really concerned about matching general surgery or Emergency medicine. Can anybody share additional thoughts to this approach? Thanks!

Wut? No. Don't study for the Step. Don't even think about the Step. Don't even utter the acronym USMLE until you're at least halfway through first year of medical school. Your only job right now should be to do well on the MCAT and develop a strong application. Don't underestimate the MCAT. Plenty of people with better GPAs have flopped on the test.

 

[Dullhead]

As user @sb247 posted in your other thread: "Ugh, your lack of technique is painful to watch. Trolling is an art and you are embarassing. Have some respect for the craft"

But wait! You're not a troll, right? I suggest that in keeping with your current game plan, you should start prepping for Step 3 first, then Step 2, and finally Step 1. Don't worry about the MCAT, you'll crack it.

You should have at least claimed an undergrad GPA of 3.9. C'mon now.

 

[Doc2Be76]

Thanks for your insightful response. I only sited my truthful stats to elicit genuine responses....but thanks for your help!

 

[MySpirit]

You may want to take an MCAT course after you do your postbacc work. Get excellent grades on your postbacc courses. Do very well on the MCAT. Also, shadow a physician and do volunteer work in a clinical setting. Be able to explain why you want to be a doctor.

 

[aztlannation]

man....OP is getting chewed up. Give the man a break! Haha.

 

[Doc2Be76]

All of you guys have been very helpful even though I took quite a beating on some responses but I would rather have correct info than continue to do things incorrectly. Thanks to all!

 

[ZedsDed]

All of you guys have been very helpful even though I took quite a beating on some responses but I would rather have correct info than continue to do things incorrectly. Thanks to all!

Taking harsh criticism with grace and maturity shows character. Best of luck

 

[Goro]

The more you actually understand about this process, the less nervous you'll be. But please, make good choices and do some serious research.

And first get into med school before worrying about Boards and residency.

And get your family members accounts on SDN before they do any more damage to your career.

I guess I was just trying to get a jump on things, as I more apprehensive about matching than about getting into medical school. I really appreciate the feedback and my only point was that I don't want to get into medical school and then only be able to place into family or something that I a not interested in practicing. I totally understand what you guys are saying, just a bit nervous I guess.

 

[Dullhead]

Thanks for your insightful response. I only sited my truthful stats to elicit genuine responses....but thanks for your help!

OK, if your question was genuine then I too will be genuine and apologize. As others have already indicated, your time would be best used focusing on your coursework, grades, and the MCAT.

...I don't want to get into medical school and then only be able to place into family or something that I a not interested in practicing.

How are you so certain, already, that you'll not be interested in family?

 

[Doc2Be76]

Thanks Dullhead, much appreciated...a bit of background 2 family members and one family friend all docs..Family, Peds and Trauma Surgeon...I did a mini shadow session with Family and Peds and liked family the least...diabetes, hypertension, physicals all day not for me, but was fascinated by the Peds and Nicu shadowing...I could see myself doing NICU(Neonatologist).....I have never shadowed my friend the trauma surgeon but his stories and the cases he works on are also amazing...don't like the hours he puts in at the hospital but he seems to love it...14-16hrs are a drop in the bucket for him.......After getting into medical school, I would love to do Gen surgery, Neonatal or ER as I am looking for interesting days at the hospital and not just the repetitive cycle of the family patients...PS....this is no slight to family but I don't think it's for me...

 

[DrMidlife]

you are WAY ahead of yourself. focus on your 3.3 and on the 60% rejection rate. your odds of getting in to med school are POOR at this point.

having any opinion about what you'll do after med school is adorable. if you can manage to get IN to med school, then you can START taking yourself seriously. then around 3rd year when your scores and ward evals don't suck, THEN other people might start taking you seriously.

honestly if you know now that med school won't be worth it if you end up in FM (or psych or PM&R or peds or path or...) then seriously think about doing something else. you have much less control over your fate than you think you do.

The best recommendation with a 3.3 is to go after DO. I assume that's also beneath you?

 

[Doc2Be76]

Yes DrMidlife I plan to do very well in my post bac program and hopefully well (30+) on the mcat which should influence my acceptance into medical school...I have realized my miscalculation in my study habits but having an opinion on what I want to do for the rest of my life is something I am taking very seriously! I appreciate your candor and will use all feedback to help me achieve my goals, step by step.

 

[familyaerospace]

I did ridiculously well in my post-bacc (my last sub-A score was Fall 2007 in Russian which I needed), have a BS and MS, and my MCAT nearly kept me out of medical school.

MCAT first.

 

[Dr.Smexy]

OP you're my hero... and how can anyone hates on a man who willing to study for USMLE before even get into med school? I mean, hot damn, that takes some serious confident to think you can do that! If anything I applaud your dedication and future planning capability. Forget about general surgery and EM. If you start studying now, you might as well aim for integrated plastic or dermatology. When you get a 300 and match Harvard Plastic, you'll become the true legend of SDN and then neurotic pre meds everywhere will be begging you to show them the way....or I guess you can take the advice on here and follow what everyone else is doing (i.e, be ordinary and NOT a legend)...the choice is yours!

 

[Hailstorm]

I've NEVER EVER heard of someone studying for Step 1 w/o even having taken an MCAT.

I looked into virtually every conceivable option in lieu of wasting my time working on postbacc/smp/MCAT, of which writing step I was one. It makes little sense that one is obligated to demonstrate their academic potential by proxy.

 

[Law2Doc]

When people talk about getting a jump on USMLE studying, they generally mean start looking at the board review type books during your second year of med school. It's going to be useless to you now, kind of like entering a debating contest in a language you haven't started studying yet. Please don't do this. The first two years of med school are the foundation you need to study usefully for the USMLE. Until you have some of this under your belt don't bother -- you are the infant who hasn't learned to walk yet trying to hop onto a bicycle. Everything in it's time -- don't try to rush the process or game a system you don't even understand.

The one useful thing you can learn from your family members advice is that they are apparently people you never ever ever want to be taking advice from in this process.

 

[MrSamrtGuy]

OP you're my hero... and how can anyone hates on a man who willing to study for USMLE before even get into med school? I mean, hot damn, that takes some serious confident to think you can do that! If anything I applaud your dedication and future planning capability. Forget about general surgery and EM. If you start studying now, you might as well aim for integrated plastic or dermatology. When you get a 300 and match Harvard Plastic, you'll become the true legend of SDN and then neurotic pre meds everywhere will be begging you to show them the way....or I guess you can take the advice on here and follow what everyone else is doing (i.e, be ordinary and NOT a legend)...the choice is yours!

Kids these days...in five years there'll be a thread on here titled "USMLE or SAT?" In 20 years it'll be "USMLE or Fractions?" then "USMLE or Macaroni Necklaces?" and ultimately "USMLE or Potty Training?"

 

[Law2Doc]

If you are interested in a relaxed way to review while preparing for the USMLE Step I or just interested in learning high-yield medical information, I highly recommend the following snapchat account: drstep1
It's a group of medical graduates who post various tips, information, and mnemonics in a flash card format. They also started an instagram account under the same name with pathology mnemonics.

I don't know why you revived this post other than apparently to plug your site but if you are endorsing that premeds should frequent your site to study for step 1 or "learn high yield information" even before the MCAT it sounds pretty sketchy.

Again studying for step 1 requires the first two years of med school to be foundation/give it context. The parallel would be a high school student studying for the MCAT without having taken any of the college prereqs yet. Its just not a good idea. You don't get a Jump on the competition. You waste precious time you could be using making yourself a better applicant.

 

[Gandyy]

I thought I had seen it all on SDN.

 

[aztlannation]

Kids these days...in five years there'll be a thread on here titled "USMLE or SAT?" In 20 years it'll be "USMLE or Fractions?" then "USMLE or Macaroni Necklaces?" and ultimately "USMLE or Potty Training?"

Stumbled on this comment again and still makes me laugh. Thank you.

 

[QuentinT88]

OP....your post bacc at Georgia state university will be a BREEZE compared to the MCAT. You might have been over confident with your original thought process of the test being easy bc your learning the content in your classes.

I'm glad your taking the advice of others here bc if not your in for a rude awakening. The new MCAT is no joke, and you should take it seriously. Invest plenty of time in learning how to take the beast. Like I said before, the rigor of what your learning in your post bacc is a joke compared to the mcat. Best of luck.