Application and mcat question

[kalle001]

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1. How do you keep track of all the clinical hours, volunteering ect. Do you have someone sign something to verify that you have indeed completed these hours you are putting on your application?

2. Would it be a bad idea to be taking organic 2 during the spring semester when I am taking the mcat? Will I be okay not fully completing the course before taking the mcat?

Thanks in advance!

 

[md-2020]

1. How do you keep track of all the clinical hours, volunteering ect. Do you have someone sign something to verify that you have indeed completed these hours you are putting on your application?

2. Would it be a bad idea to be taking organic 2 during the spring semester when I am taking the mcat? Will I be okay not fully completing the course before taking the mcat?

Thanks in advance!

1. You generally estimate, as long someone/anyone can confirm if needed then you are fine.
2. No, that's fine. O-chem on the new MCAT is intro-level and also toned down from the old one.

Edit: yeah take the MCAT after finals.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

1. Write it down yourself and record the contact information of potential verifiers. If they're asked they don't have to say "EXACTLY 162 HOURS!" just confirm that your estimate is reasonable.

2. You're taking the MCAT during the semester? That's a bad idea regardless of when you take organic. It can be done, but why not write in the summer?

 

[WedgeDawg]

1. How do you keep track of all the clinical hours, volunteering ect. Do you have someone sign something to verify that you have indeed completed these hours you are putting on your application?

2. Would it be a bad idea to be taking organic 2 during the spring semester when I am taking the mcat? Will I be okay not fully completing the course before taking the mcat?

Thanks in advance!

1. Keep track of them yourself and self-report them. Schools aren't going to check and if they do, as long as you're honest, you'll be fine. It'll be more about what you learned rather than how many hours you did.

2. Probably a bad idea as both orgo 2 and the MCAT are heavily study-intensive, so you risk losing study time from both and therefore doing worse on both than if you had done them separately.

 

[kalle001]

I strong concur with the above that its not a content issue on Ochem II and MCAT but a time/resource issue, something many premeds overlook. The MCAT score is weighed about as much as your overall GPA. It should be treated at least as heavy 6 credit course. If your schedule is so tight, you should consider starting in the fall for content review, spend winter break as full time MCAT and work your way thru during the spring. I would still say that that presents too much risk

1. Keep track of them yourself and self-report them. Schools aren't going to check and if they do, as long as you're honest, you'll be fine. It'll be more about what you learned rather than how many hours you did.

2. Probably a bad idea as both orgo 2 and the MCAT are heavily study-intensive, so you risk losing study time from both and therefore doing worse on both than if you had done them separately.

1. Write it down yourself and record the contact information of potential verifiers. If they're asked they don't have to say "EXACTLY 162 HOURS!" just confirm that your estimate is reasonable.

2. You're taking the MCAT during the semester? That's a bad idea regardless of when you take organic. It can be done, but why not write in the summer?

So if the spring semester is from Jan-May when do you guy recommend I take the Mcat? How long does it take to get your results back and start the application?

 

[kalle001]

1. You generally estimate, as long someone/anyone can confirm if needed then you are fine.
2. No, that's fine. O-chem on the new MCAT is intro-level and also toned down from the old one.

Edit: yeah take the MCAT after finals.

So, if it's just intro is it not possible to just wait to take orgo 2 after the mcat? Or would it be important to take it prior?

 

[NotASerialKiller]

1. How do you keep track of all the clinical hours, volunteering ect. Do you have someone sign something to verify that you have indeed completed these hours you are putting on your application?

2. Would it be a bad idea to be taking organic 2 during the spring semester when I am taking the mcat? Will I be okay not fully completing the course before taking the mcat?

Thanks in advance!

So if the spring semester is from Jan-May when do you guy recommend I take the Mcat? How long does it take to get your results back and start the application?

Most people study in the summer (usually after 2nd year just because you've probably taken your prereqs and everything will be fresh) and then write at the end of the summer. What year are you in? If you did this you wouldn't be applying yet so it wouldn't be an issue, but it takes a month to get your score.

 

[md-2020]

So, if it's just intro is it not possible to just wait to take orgo 2 after the mcat? Or would it be important to take it prior?

Ideally I'd take both before the MCAT but of all things, orgo is really light on the new test IMO. If you only fit in O-chem 1 before the MCAT just use a study guide and hit that section a bit.

Biochem is the killer on this version.

 

[bee17]

In my opinion, the biggest problem with taking the MCAT during your Orgo II semester is the fact that you probably will not have taken biochem yet, which is a huge portion of the new MCAT. I realize there are some real go-getting self studiers out there, but I am sooooo glad I took biochem before MCAT2015, and I would recommend that others do the same.

 

[GrapesofRath]

How can you take biochem without having taken ochem2? Ochem2 is a pre req at a large number of schools for biochem

You can get by without ochem2 on the mcat. Self studying biochem on top of that and your schedule would be a terrible idea if that's what this is coming to

 

[kalle001]

It's hard to quote back to respond to all of these. Here was my original plan based off what another girl helped me with(she is in the application process now)

I'm currently starting my junior year, but I have not done a lot of prereqs due to my original plan being nursing and transferring out of state being a military spouse. I have already taken all math, English, psychology, sociology I need and I have taken chem 1.

Fall 15: biology 1, A&P, physics 1
Spring 16: biology 2, chem 2, physics 2
Summer: (take a couple courses I need for my degree) start studying for mcat
Fall 16: orgo 1 plus lab(worth 5 credits), other major requirements
Spring 17: orgo 2 lecture(worth 3 credits), and try to take biochem(3 credits at my school). My friend said they allowed her to take biochem and orgo 2 at the same time.

Then I graduate fall of 2017 and apply for the fall 2018 start of medical schools

Sorry for horrible grammar I'm on my iPhone app typing.

 

[bee17]

Hmmm. A may or june 2017 MCAT might be best with that schedule, but it will not be easy. I wouldn't recommend taking orgo 2 and biochem together, but your friend would know more about it than me. I would also make sure that bio 1 is not a prereq for A&P.

 

[GrapesofRath]

It's hard to quote back to respond to all of these. Here was my original plan based off what another girl helped me with(she is in the application process now)

I'm currently starting my junior year, but I have not done a lot of prereqs due to my original plan being nursing and transferring out of state being a military spouse. I have already taken all math, English, psychology, sociology I need and I have taken chem 1.

Fall 15: biology 1, A&P, physics 1
Spring 16: biology 2, chem 2, physics 2
Summer: (take a couple courses I need for my degree) start studying for mcat
Fall 16: orgo 1 plus lab(worth 5 credits), other major requirements
Spring 17: orgo 2 lecture(worth 3 credits), and try to take biochem(3 credits at my school). My friend said they allowed her to take biochem and orgo 2 at the same time.

Then I graduate fall of 2017 and apply for the fall 2018 start of medical schools

Sorry for horrible grammar I'm on my iPhone app typing.

That plan could work. The variable here is that a) you really should take biochem before taking the MCAT, especially if you are trying to fit it in right after junior year b) you aren't giving yourself that much time to prep. This plan has worked for many in the past but realize you'll have to be on top of everything right after junior year. You only will have 1-1.5 months to prep; that might be enough but take a look at the material the test covers as you go through your courses to see how well you grasp it because you will have to pick and choose to some extent where you focus your time for studying for the MCAT after junior year.

Of course there are a whole lot of ifs here. This plan could easily change 15 times before the end of next semester(they often do).

 

[kalle001]

Hmmm. A may or june 2017 MCAT might be best with that schedule, but it will not be easy. I wouldn't recommend taking orgo 2 and biochem together, but your friend would know more about it than me. I would also make sure that bio 1 is not a prereq for A&P.

Thank you and I'm already registered for them this upcoming semester so no prereq 🙂

 

[kalle001]

That plan could work. The variable here is that a) you really should take biochem before taking the MCAT, especially if you are trying to fit it in right after junior year b) you aren't giving yourself that much time to prep. This plan has worked for many in the past but realize you'll have to be on top of everything right after junior year. You only will have 1-1.5 months to prep; that might be enough but take a look at the material the test covers as you go through your courses to see how well you grasp it because you will have to pick and choose to some extent where you focus your time for studying for the MCAT after junior year.

Of course there are a whole lot of ifs here. This plan could easily change 15 times before the end of next semester(they often do).

Thank you for the advice/ input I was planning on spending summer of 16 prepping for everything aside from the orgos and biochem. I wish there was a way I could take the classes before, but unless I take them in the summer(which I have been advised against) I don't see how that could work. I'd really hate to put it off yet another year considering I'm actually starting my fourth year of college(considered a junior because I lost credits when I transfered).