ok y'all, i probably already know my answer, and it isn't a good one. but i will just throw it out there anyways and see what comes back to me. I have a VERY low MCAT score, a measly 16 O, but a high GPA 3.75, with lots of medical field experience and a passion for medical school and all its endeavors. I also love the DO philosphy, do ya think i have a chance?
bottom line
- Thread starter jturk
- Start date
well thats the thing. I studied for 7 months to take that test and did horribly9 obviously, i did even worse than my baseline at the beginning of the 7 months. I just don't know how much more I could study, and of course i have a bad taste in my mouth due to the test
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2006
- Messages
- 2,422
- Reaction score
- 1
well thats the thing. I studied for 7 months to take that test and did horribly9 obviously, i did even worse than my baseline at the beginning of the 7 months. I just don't know how much more I could study, and of course i have a bad taste in my mouth due to the test
There's always Mexico or the Caribe ...
Hablas espanol?
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2006
- Messages
- 5,820
- Reaction score
- 17
I hate to break it to you, but it's not going to be very probable for you to receive an acceptance from a US medical school with a 16 MCAT. This doesn't mean it can't happen, but damn, you are looking at an extreme hail Mary to say the least. You'd do quite well to retake the MCAT, despite your stated reluctance, which is understandable. In general, no applicant likes that stupid test, but unfortunately, it's a beast you'll need to tame.
Figure out what caused you to score so low, despite the study time you threw at it. Really analyze the situation; focus in on what needs correcting and/or more work. Study intelligently, not just hard. Go to the MCAT forum here, which is rich with information on how to score better (check out the 30+ study habits thread). Do what you need to do; hire a tutor, if you must. Like Dr. I mentioned, if you can bring that score up to a 25, you will have a decent chance.
Good luck.
Why is it that people with low MCAT scores love the DO philosophy? Don't answer, I already know.
You've got to find a way to get that mcat score somewhere in the 20's at least to have any shot of a DO school. I don't think that any US school is going to take a chance on you just because they aren't going to think that you'll be able to pass your boards. Good luck.
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2006
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 0
I am a student and do admissions interviews. While we really don't place a huge weight on MCAT scores here, I can say that yours is too low. The problem with GPAs is that the rigor of study and difficulty of getting a high score varies tremendously between schools, so the MCAT is a way of looking at everyone on an equal playing field. You will have to redo the MCAT, and get in the mid 20's to have a shot.
well i don't know why others that have done poorly on the MCAT love the DO philosphy, but I have always been interested in it. I hate medications, and despise the doctors who just prescribe pain meds to mask the pain. instead of treating it. also i like the idea of treating the person and not the disease, its a more holistic approach, plus you get the benefit of manipulation.I am sorry if I have offended you with my intrest in DO school accompanying my low MCAT score.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2006
- Messages
- 1,845
- Reaction score
- 24
MCAT scores low across the board, or was it like 7, 7, 2 or something? Your gpa tells me you're not a *****, so if you studied 7 months solid for the MCAT chances are you're just a bad standardized exam-taker. There's a reason this exam is useful for admissions. If you retake it and still can't crack 25 chances are you won't have it easy in med school. You might be doing yourself a disservice going to a foreign program and racking up debt because it'll be tough to pass your licensing exams. So try again, but realize that contrary to popular SDN belief not everybody has the peculiar skills it takes to become a doctor or can clear all the hoops just because they really really want to.
- Joined
- May 16, 2004
- Messages
- 941
- Reaction score
- 3
As a DO student in school, all you just said to me was blah, blah, blah, blah.
That whole thing (your quote) is regurgitated so many times at interviews and on these boards it make me want to vomit. We do prescribe pain medications as DO's (just like MD's), we do treat the whole patient (just like MD's do), we do focus on the person and not the disease (just like MD's do). There isn't any difference when you get down to the nitty gritty.
When people stop trying to make DO's different from MD's is when DO's will garner more respect overall and we'll stop having these debates on which doctor can piss the furthest.
All we do is learn some OMM. Other than that there is NO difference between the two, and anyone who tells you differently is lying to you and themselves.
By the way, retake the MCAT score atleast 26 or so, and you'll do fine. Adjust your studying skills obviously and either take a course or find new materials.
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 0
My brother is at an MD school and I'm at a DO school. We both did well on the MCAT, within a point of each other. We chose to go to the schools we liked best. We talk about school and experiences, and this might be a surprise to some people, viewing the patient as a whole is not exclusive to DOs. It' just a word that gets thrown around before starting school. Our curriculum is exactly the same as an MD school except we spend a few hours a week in class getting better at using our hands to diagnose and adjusting bone and muscle. I know my brother understands that the body is a complex system and a problem in one part of the body effects the rest of the body. Holism isn't emphasized anymore at a DO school than an MD school. Years ago, I'm sure it was...but not anymore. We all practice modern medicine side by side. PROPER use of medication is an important part of medicine, so if you "despise" medication, maybe you should check out an NMD school. You can't fix everything with OMM and a holistic attitude
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2007
- Messages
- 89
- Reaction score
- 0
Exactly. I was about to respond similarly.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 45
- Reaction score
- 0
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2002
- Messages
- 1,678
- Reaction score
- 69
As others said, I don't think most DO schools would be willing to accept an MCAT score of 16. You could probably get into a Carribean school with a 16, but I think you would be doing yourself a disservice to attempt med school before you've
addressed whatever it is that went wrong during the MCAT. The last thing you want is to end up with tens of thousands of dollars of debt from med school tuition only to end up flunking out (and/or failing the COMLEX/USMLE) because the same problem that held you back on the MCAT continue to plague you in med school.
I would strongly recommend talking to the folks on the MCAT section about how to improve and work on getting a better score, and trying again when you feel ready. Good luck.
addressed whatever it is that went wrong during the MCAT. The last thing you want is to end up with tens of thousands of dollars of debt from med school tuition only to end up flunking out (and/or failing the COMLEX/USMLE) because the same problem that held you back on the MCAT continue to plague you in med school.
I would strongly recommend talking to the folks on the MCAT section about how to improve and work on getting a better score, and trying again when you feel ready. Good luck.
Doesn't your school have a premed advisor? They gave you some pretty lame advice if they told you to take the MCAT without taking a practice exam first.
Take a Kaplan or Princeton course and learn how to take the exam properly, and only take the real thing when you're sure you can score close to your goal--which had better be a lot higher than 16. Shoot for 30, settle for 26. Good luck!
Take a Kaplan or Princeton course and learn how to take the exam properly, and only take the real thing when you're sure you can score close to your goal--which had better be a lot higher than 16. Shoot for 30, settle for 26. Good luck!
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2007
- Messages
- 976
- Reaction score
- 1
It seems like you are just a bad test taker or you misbubbled during your test...how can you score lower than your diagnostic 7 months beforehand? YOU HAVE TO STUDY MCAT TEST TAKING SKILLS as much as the test materials (bio, chem, physics...etc). I think anyone who just studies mcat test taking skills can get at least a twenty..
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
- Messages
- 3,015
- Reaction score
- 11
Do you have any ESL issues?
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2006
- Messages
- 48
- Reaction score
- 0
This needs to the answer or sticky for EVERY D.O. vs M.D. Brilliant response!
The best advice I got was to purchase the "paper copies" of the MCAT from the testing company. Study those. If you don't understand something, look it up and really learn everything about that question. If you understand all the questions in those practice tests, you'll get at least a 25. The essay section is up to you, of course. Good Luck.
If you have a 3.75, you have a good work ethic, and you can make it thru those practice tests.
If I wouldn't have had those practice tests, my MCAT would have been really ugly.
If you have a 3.75, you have a good work ethic, and you can make it thru those practice tests.
If I wouldn't have had those practice tests, my MCAT would have been really ugly.
- Joined
- May 16, 2004
- Messages
- 941
- Reaction score
- 3
Thanks!
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 1,462
- Reaction score
- 7
Did you study hard for 7 months or just sporadicly? You need to be realistic about your test-taking ability b/c Med School is all about taking standardized tests. If you struggled with the MCAT, you'll probably have trouble with the COMLEX/USMLE, which is a big factor in residency selection. I agree w/ other posters, take a prep course (if you didn't previously) and hunker down to study for 6hrs/day for a good month or so. If you can hit the 20s, you'll be able to apply to DO school.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2004
- Messages
- 273
- Reaction score
- 0
I totally agree with all of the above posts. Med school (pre clinical work anyway) is all about test taking. Doing well on the MCAT shows that you've got the test taking skills to get through the rigorous cirriculum of the first two years and then the dreaded USMLE Step 1/COMELX Level 1 exams. Obviously with a 16 on the MCAT, you need to work on your test taking skills big time. But look on the bright side, jumping from a 16 to a 25 is much easier than trying to jump from a 28 to a 31. Just take a good prep course, do tons of practice questions and exams and you'll do fine
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2007
- Messages
- 2,565
- Reaction score
- 2,962
Why is it that people with low MCAT scores love the DO philosophy? Don't answer, I already know.
Right as rain, 'bro, right as rain......I really wish my school would get
the heck out of the TMDSAS system and go private. Then they could
quit being the default 'end of the line' for the MD applicants who
couldn't get in.....
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2006
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 0
What about the complete opposite?
I have a 2.5 gpa but 38 MCAT. i'm graduating this year and it's going to impossible to increase my gpa. do u think i have a chance? and i'm also canadian if that makes a difference. any idea what schools i should apply to?
I have a 2.5 gpa but 38 MCAT. i'm graduating this year and it's going to impossible to increase my gpa. do u think i have a chance? and i'm also canadian if that makes a difference. any idea what schools i should apply to?
