Brain boosting drugs/supplements for MCAT?

[g protein]

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With the MCAT being one of the biggest tests of any pre-med student's life, maximum performance is of necessity. Supplements/prescription medicines could help.

What have people who took the MCAT used on the test day? Did it work?

examples include (but are not limited to):

-caffeine (coffee, soda, etc)
-psychostimulants
-DMAE
-huperzine A
-l-theanine
-acetyl-l-carnitine
-l-tyrosine
-choline bitartrate
-the list continues

 

[cabrillo]

With the MCAT being one of the biggest tests of any pre-med student's life, maximum performance is of necessity. Supplements/prescription medicines could help.

What have people who took the MCAT used on the test day? Did it work?

examples include (but are not limited to):

-caffeine (coffee, soda, etc)
-psychostimulants
-DMAE
-huperzine A
-l-theanine
-acetyl-l-carnitine
-l-tyrosine
-choline bitartrate
-the list continues

I am going to need lots of coffee. I dont drink coffee but I think I will need it😱

 

[rcd]

With the MCAT being one of the biggest tests of any pre-med student's life, maximum performance is of necessity. Supplements/prescription medicines could help.

What have people who took the MCAT used on the test day? Did it work?

examples include (but are not limited to):

-caffeine (coffee, soda, etc)
-psychostimulants
-DMAE
-huperzine A
-l-theanine
-acetyl-l-carnitine
-l-tyrosine
-choline bitartrate
-the list continues

. Fill up on caffeine and desmopressin and you'll be set.

 

[akinf]

I had some Mountain Dew on the day off, and I was really jumpy. I don't recommend taking some of those "supplements" if you are not used to it

 

[killinsound]

can anyone recommend a super light sleep aid with no hazy effect in the morning?

 

[estairella]

can anyone recommend a super light sleep aid with no hazy effect in the morning?

Quick and dirty sex. And if you still get a hazy effect in the morning.. um, you might want to talk to a doctor about that.

 

[rcd]

can anyone recommend a super light sleep aid with no hazy effect in the morning?

My secret is carb-loading a half hour before bed. Don't know why more people don't do it, that's pretty much as cheap and safe as it gets. Usually I just eat a bunch of slices of bread.

Also, I've heard good things about melatonin. Here's some info on it if you haven't heard of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin .

 

[corbis11]

You could also try a 20mg adderall tab... you could do an easy 5 hours of straight MCAT a day ...not that I would condone it, though

 

[resxn]

I find it interesting that they very people who want to be physicians wonder what pseudo-science will allow them to perform better on the test that gets them into med school.

Study hard, find your best stress-reliever (not medication), exercise, eat good food, do well on test.

done.

of course, I'm just a 33yo surgeon who's over-the-hill and has no useful information. Damn kids and their rock and roll.

 

[MasonPrehealth]

I know today's elementary, secondary, and postsecondary student has a higher chance of being on meds, but come on now. If you get into medical school, what drugs will you take to assimilate the volume of material that's going to confront you on a daily basis?

There is no magic pill, and if you believe a pill can significantly increase your chances of being smarter or being healthier, then I don't want you as my doctor.

 

[g protein]

.

 

[Beau Geste]

melatonin leaves me groggy in the am, but Lunesta does not.

 

[resxn]

I don't know about anyone else, but if I can find a legal remedy to help me do well on that nonsense portion of the test, i'm going to do it.

The problem with doctors now is that too many of them are conservative, and aren't looking beyond barriers set up by the foreign researchers at universities who have a tough time formulating abstacts to the scientific articles that fail to address the important issues.

And with respect to brain-boosting supplements: hypothetically, if their was a brain-equivalent of methandrostenolone (a powerful anabolic steroid), perhaps the human mind could be taken to places ordinary genetics and natural selection can't take it. Perhaps here lies advances in curative treatments.

1 - if you find that "legal remedy" you're looking for, keep it in stock for med school. 50% of what you'll learn is wrong, we just don't know what 50% that will turn out to be. i.e. much of what you'll learn is nonsense to clinical practice.

2 - most doctors are conservative? Perhaps on the political spectrum. I disagree with you wholeheartedly regarding practice.

3 - And perhaps when we get that brain equivalent we'll also be able to shrivel our gonads just as effectively as methandrostenolone does. Genius through chemical enhancement, without the side effects. Ahhh the holy grail of medicine.

 

[beary]

I had some Mountain Dew on the day off, and I was really jumpy. I don't recommend taking some of those "supplements" if you are not used to it

I agree. Just stick with your normal routine. If you are a coffee drinker in the morning, drink your coffee. If you're not a caffeine drinker, don't. You won't get much sleep the night before (at least I don't before big tests) but your adrenaline will make up for it. 🙂

I would just do your best to get good sleep and eat healthy for the days before the test and otherwise stick to your normal routine.

 

[RAD11]

Coffee all the way! I tried to take a test once without coffee (and mind you I am totally addicted to this stuff 😱) and it was totally brutal.

I agree with beary's post. If you're a coffee drinker, make sure you have coffee on exam day or else you'll just be staring at the computer like a zombie.

 

[Hernandez]

the brain utilizes ketones easier than most other sourses. so get fat, then go on a binge diet right before the test.

 

[Beau Geste]

the brain utilizes ketones easier than most other sourses. so get fat, then go on a binge diet right before the test.

Covered. LOL 😛

 

[MasonPrehealth]

And about your last comment, it appears as though you believe that physicians should actually strive to be stupid, damaged, and unhealthy. Do you want an alcoholic doctor who smokes, and uses ecstacy?

Obviously my point was not clear. I don't believe that physicians should strive to believe that a supplement is going to help them achieve their goals, whether we're talking about losing weight, gaining muscle, or becoming smarter for the exam. I categorically have issues with any physician who smokes (as does the American Cancer Society when it comes to employing any volunteers or paid staff). Certainly you would not want an alcoholic airline pilot to be flying your commercial flight home, an alcoholic taxi driver who pops on a breathlyzer to drive you home after a party, or a convicted child molester to work in a daycare where I'd put my kids. Similarly I think it's rather naive to believe that every illness could be solved by a pill, whether that deficiency is your weight or your intelligence. Every bit of advice is always tagged with the label "effectiveness dependent on diet and exercise" (both on the issue of weight and intelligence).

Yes, I think if you properly maintain yourself emotionally, physically, and intellectually that everything takes care of itself. I think that if you have the self-confidence in your abilities and not delude yourself as either too dumb to handle the tasks or too smart as a conceited know-it-all that you can be a very good physician.

Maybe if it were used in the context of a larger plan for self-discipline would I be less stubborn... but most people who ask me for advice are always looking for easy solutions that don't involve much work.

The problem with doctors now is that too many of them are conservative, and aren't looking beyond barriers set up by the foreign researchers at universities who have a tough time formulating abstracts to the scientific articles that fail to address the important issues.

Now I don't follow this point at all.

 

[Beau Geste]

take it to the lounge....