should I take the MCAT or do a Summer Research Prog this summer?

Young Scientist said:

Im a junior, and I should be taking the MCAT this summer, however I realize that it is very important to have some sort of research experience. I would wait till Spring' 07 to take it, but they are changing the mcat format to computers and thats suppose to suck. It would be nice to get the MCAT over with this summer while I still remember general chem, physics... (or at least I hope I do). Now back to my questions: should I take the MCAT or do a Summer Research Prog this summer?

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If you are a junior right now, and you want to go straight from college to med school (i.e. start med school in the fall of '07), you must take either the April or August mcat for this year, unless you want to wait a year to enter med school. If I were you, I'd study for the mcat while doing summer research; that is what I did this past summer after my sophomore year. I didn't have alot of free time during the summer with that schedule, but it wasn't like I was locked in a room all summer either. There is no requirement to do research, also. I wouldn't worry about the new mcat format on computer, it will probably be a bit easier if anything, but who knows!

I was able to work 40 hrs/week in a lab and still study for the Aug. MCATS. My summer was really busy, but I still had time to have fun. I think research is really important. Most interviewers have asked about it and I think it makes you look really good to be able to talk intellegently and excitedly about research. Plus it helps too with secondaries - giving you one more thing to write about. Of course it's also just fun to be involved with science 🙂

why not both?

sorry to say, you are probably not going to be doing any earth-shattering research as an undergrad, probably working 9-5 and going home without "homework" or any pressing studying. So...do your research program in the day, study for the MCAT in the evenings (or in the downtime, when your PI runs out of copy-making and coffee-getting errands for you).

Settle down.

I plan on doing both this summer. I think this method is ideal.. but I guess I will tell you if it worked out when I get my score back.