Can significant research experience offset below average MCAT?

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Dr_Irrelevant

Dr_Irrelevant

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Hello all,
I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on how D.O. programs view research experience. Personally, I am pushing 3000 research hours in a molecular oncology lab (couple 2nd author pubs under review) but performed sub par on the MCAT (499, 125/124/127/123). Can anyone spread some knowledge on whether research can serve as a saving grace for a low MCAT?
Appreciate you all!
 
What does your GPA and clinical/non clinical volunteering experience look like ?
 
tpercy33 said:
Hello all,
I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on how D.O. programs view research experience. Personally, I am pushing 3000 research hours in a molecular oncology lab (couple 2nd author pubs under review) but performed sub par on the MCAT (499, 125/124/127/123). Can anyone spread some knowledge on whether research can serve as a saving grace for a low MCAT?
Appreciate you all!
Click to expand...
Not even a first author Cell paper will salvage that score.

It wouldn't work at an MD school, either.
 
You should probably take the MCAT one more time. On the bright side, you got the potential to score 500+.
 
tpercy33 said:
Hello all,
I wanted to see if anyone had any insight on how D.O. programs view research experience. Personally, I am pushing 3000 research hours in a molecular oncology lab (couple 2nd author pubs under review) but performed sub par on the MCAT (499, 125/124/127/123). Can anyone spread some knowledge on whether research can serve as a saving grace for a low MCAT?
Appreciate you all!
Click to expand...

The research hours and publications, although impressive, will never completely offset the MCAT score. You have a shot at newer DO schools with your MCAT, GPA’s and EC’s. Personally, I would recommend a retake. A 500 would open some more doors for you and could potentially open some MD’s doors if you knock it out of the park. Good luck!
 
i mean some DO school have a 504 mcat, I doubt all of them got above a 500. Shoot your shot / retake if u can
 
U have a shot at Virginia. If I recall correctly some non urm guy got in with a 496 there. Retake and get a 515 and apply to md. you have the gpa for it but clearly you’re studying not well or you’re getting anxious about the test etc.
 
Re-Take MCAT and score >>500 you will be golden. Your gpa is great. DO schools don't care much about research.
Apply to one throw away school so get verified but make sure re-take MCAT.
 
scoopdaboop said:
U have a shot at Virginia. If I recall correctly some non urm guy got in with a 496 there. Retake and get a 515 and apply to md. you have the gpa for it but clearly you’re studying not well or you’re getting anxious about the test etc.
Click to expand...
It's likely the study methods I will have to address. Thanks!
 
Do many DO schools take January MCATs?
 
I wouldn't say so. I have 7000+ hours as a registered nurse and my low MCAT has cut me from many MD schools, but not DO. 499 is not too low, as I saw a poster just received an interview at MU-COM with a 496. To be more competitive with DO schools I would suggest a retake to get 501+
 
I think with a broad enough app, you could get a couple interviews.
GPA needs to be above average for this to work.
 
Update on application process: Interviewed at ARCOM! No other II at this time. Newer schools will likely give me most love. Thanks all!
 
Its not that you wont get any IIs with your stats but to really be safe you should shoot for a 505+ and at worst a 500+. Fixing psych/soc is cake man compared to the other sections its basically a vocab test. If you pop a 126+ on that section which shouldnt be hard youd already have a 502. Also a 127 Bio is solid and has the highest correlation with med school/board success (adcoms notice this) but you gotta get that psych section up
 
Jewbacastein said:
I used the 100-page on a 24-hour marathon the day before my MCAT and got 132 5 points higher than any of my FL prior to using it. I wouldn't recommend what I did as my other scores tanked those 5 points so I got the same as my previous FLs but the KHAN doc is really comprehensive.
Click to expand...

Could you send a link to that!?
 
I would be worried about passing medical school and classes with that kind of score. Getting in is not enough, you have to pass many many exams, including many many board exams. If I were you, I’d buckle down and study hard and retake the exam. Not just to improve your chances, but to prove to yourself that you’re cut out.
 
DarkHorizon said:
I would be worried about passing medical school and classes with that kind of score. Getting in is not enough, you have to pass many many exams, including many many board exams. If I were you, I’d buckle down and study hard and retake the exam. Not just to improve your chances, but to prove to yourself that you’re cut out.
Click to expand...
Got in with a 499, and I'm doing well so far (B average, top half of my class). The people that scored 240s and 250s on Step 1 in the class above me had similar MCATs as well (499-502). So yeah, MCAT is a weak predictor of how well you do in Med school.
 
Recently accepted at ARCOM! Was strongly considering the retake due to everyone's very helpful recommendations, truly! The 499 has certainly hindered my chances at other acceptances. Anyone else in a similar predicament... please go for the retake. I am thrilled with my current acceptance and as of now plan on attending. Thank you all for the input and I hope others help from this thread as well!
 
DrStephenStrange said:
Got in with a 499, and I'm doing well so far (B average, top half of my class). The people that scored 240s and 250s on Step 1 in the class above me had similar MCATs as well (499-502). So yeah, MCAT is a weak predictor of how well you do in Med school.
Click to expand...

It’s great that you’re doing well, but most people with a 499 in the MCAT are not scoring 240s and 250s on step 1.
 
DarkHorizon said:
It’s great that you’re doing well, but most people with a 499 in the MCAT are not scoring 240s and 250s on step 1.
Click to expand...
Not saying that most 499 MCAT scorers are scoring 240s or 250s on the USMLE, but for schools like VCOM that values high GPA over high MCAT (averaging 497-498 MCAT every year), someone is bound to be a top USMLE scorer, and that someone has a high probability to be in the 498-500 range.

Additionally these articles suggest a weak correlation between MCAT and USMLE, and above a 498 on the MCAT, there wasnt a significant difference in student's success in Med school and the USMLE.


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Do MCAT scores predict USMLE scores? An analysis on 5 years of medical student data

The purpose of this study was to determine the associations and predictive values of Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) component and composite scores prior to 2015 with U.S. Medical Licensure Exam (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
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DrStephenStrange said:
Not saying that most 499 MCAT scorers are scoring 240s or 250s on the USMLE, but for schools like VCOM that values high GPA over high MCAT (averaging 497-498 MCAT every year), someone is bound to be a top USMLE scorer, and that someone has a high probability to be in the 498-500 range.

Additionally these articles suggest a weak correlation between MCAT and USMLE, and above a 498 on the MCAT, there wasnt a significant difference in student's success in Med school and the USMLE.


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Do MCAT scores predict USMLE scores? An analysis on 5 years of medical student data

The purpose of this study was to determine the associations and predictive values of Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) component and composite scores prior to 2015 with U.S. Medical Licensure Exam (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Click to expand...

The study you quoted actually shows the opposite of what you stated. The specifically mention that higher composite score was predictive of higher step 1 and CK scores. And the correlation was even stronger for low scorers on the MCAT, which predicted lower scores on step 1 more reliably.

I don’t disagree that someone with low score on MCAT will score high, however, that is not the case for most. Most will struggle and hence my comment. Both studies you quoted show that, and even recommend that incoming students with low MCAT should get more resources to carry them through preclinical years and step 1.
 
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DarkHorizon said:
The study you quoted actually shows the opposite of what you stated. The specifically mention that higher composite score was predictive of higher step 1 and CK scores. And the correlation was even stronger for low scorers on the MCAT, which predicted lower scores on step 1 more reliably.

I don’t disagree that someone with low score on MCAT will score high, however, that is not the case for most. Most will struggle and hence my comment. Both studies you quoted show that, and even recommend that incoming students with low MCAT should get more resources to carry them through preclinical years and step 1.
Click to expand...
The vast majority of students who fail, repeat classes, or dont pass boards, are the usual suspects with low mcat and undergrad gpa
 
DarkHorizon said:
The study you quoted actually shows the opposite of what you stated. The specifically mention that higher composite score was predictive of higher step 1 and CK scores. And the correlation was even stronger for low scorers on the MCAT, which predicted lower scores on step 1 more reliably.

I don’t disagree that someone with low score on MCAT will score high, however, that is not the case for most. Most will struggle and hence my comment. Both studies you quoted show that, and even recommend that incoming students with low MCAT should get more resources to carry them through preclinical years and step 1.
Click to expand...
I only mentioned success (meaning made it through with no issues) not higher step 1 scores. One of the studies did mentioned that there was only a weak association between MCAT score and USMLE score, and the AAMC study shows that over a 498 score there was little to no difference in success (I think it said over a 498 there was like >94% success rate or something).

My argument wasn't that the MCAT wasn't a valuable tool or anything, and I do agree that, assuming there are no other confounding factors, a low MCAT (lower than 498) may lead to failure in med school, and this probably has more to do with laziness, lack of focus, and bad study habits leading to similar behaviors in med school than anything on the MCAT itself.

I also believe that you have to consider the whole applicant. For example I would trust a 3.8 gpa and a 499 MCAT applicant to do better than a 3.2 gpa 502 MCAT applicant. Heck, I even know people with significantly higher MCAT (505+) than me that have struggled with some classes.

I have struggled in the MCAT (took it multiple times to only get a 499/500 in my last 2 attempts), and I'm not proud of it, but for me, med school and the board style questions have been a lot different than anything on the MCAT which is probably why I'm doing fine so far. English is also not my first laguange, so that may or may not have contributed to such differences as well since MCAT is more a test of comprehension than knowledge.
 
While it sucks, MCAT levels the playing field and that’s why it’s used for admissions.


While my MCAT was not stellar (sub 505), I’m outperforming several peers who performed amazingly well on the exam (515+).

However, some people are great test takers and rely solely on test taking strategies. Some have a stronger background in the preclinical sciences. It all depends, honestly. But the exam gives admissions something to use as a general gauge of readiness for med school.
 
No you’ll need to retake, id suggest active studying (flashcards) for content review and uworld/aamc exams for practice
 
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