For my own good somebody tell me I'm crazy

[engineeredout]

I'm thinking about studying up for the mcat this summer and taking it either at the end of the summer, or at some point relatively soon after.

I'm currently finishing up my junior year undergrad. I'm a double engineering and mathematics major. For me, medical school was always something in the way back of my mind. I wasn't going to commit to it because I didn't want a straight science major that would leave me nowhere if I didn't get in, and through the stupidity of being a freshman my GPA wasn't too great.

This school year has been absolute hell. I've gone on credit overload both semester and taken an internship. I have absolutely no life. Whats the result of all of this?

My GPA is higher than ever, up around 3.4 something now. My GPA fall semester was 3.8, and I don't have all my final grades yet but this one should be just as high.

Which brings me to here. I recently got the stupid idea into my head "Hey, why don't I study the MCAT this summer"? I don't know about anything regarding my future anymore, but I feel like if I don't at least try its going to be something I regret. For my majors I've taken all the premed classes except for biology, which I was going to take next year anyway just to get some bio experience.

Should I really bother with this? I doubt I'd have a real chance getting into med school (allopathic or osteopathic) anyway since there really isn't much on my resume, even though I feel like I've worked my *** off the past three years. I was thinking about buying the examkrackers review package (http://www.amazon.com/Examkrackers-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210540381&sr=8-1) and studying it throughout the course of the summer. I have the discipline to put the work in over the summer (past two summers I've taken classes while simultaneously working full time), but is all the study and frustration and time requirements going to prove beneficial at all, or would I be better spending it taking some course or just studying engineering over the summer to keep it fresh?

I know these really aren't questions anyone else can answer, I'm just looking for maybe a little feedback or similar stories/experiences or something. I just feel really confused now.

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[SN2ed]

First off, you need to decide if medicine is for you. It doesn't sound like you're actually interested in it. Next, it's alright to be a non-science major as long as you complete the pre-reqs. Your background may help you on the MCAT if it has honed your critical thinking skills. Most of the math and physics majors at my college (no engineering major over here) were great critical thinkers. Another thing, since your GPA has increased over time, your freshman year will not hurt you that much. Med schools don't mind an upward trend, it's the downward trend they don't like. Lastly, if you choose a path in medicine you must become more confident in your abilities. That path is filled with doubt and you will have to be confident to make it through.

 

[nlax30]

I agree with the above, at some point you'll really need to decide if medicine is really what you want to pursue.

That said, there's no harm in taking the MCAT if you think you may be applying in the next couple years. If you do though keep in mind you'll need to round out your application with some relevant clinical exposure and other ECs. Really one of the main points of that sort of exposure is so you can actually see what the field is like and help decide if it's something you want to go forward with or not.

 

[nkhan]

Hey,

I started off an Engineering Major (Picked up Chemistry & Biology along the way also as degrees) with a minor in mathematics also. You can definately do it if you have the motivation, have you taken all the pre-req's?? Volunteering/Shadowing is also a must (to get in and to make sure its what you want to do).

I'm not in yet and I am not an expert but I have invested alot of time into all of this (applying this year). Let me know if I can help at all and I'll be happy to tell you things that worked and didn't for me.

Best Regards,

 

[engineeredout]

Hey,

I started off an Engineering Major (Picked up Chemistry & Biology along the way also as degrees) with a minor in mathematics also. You can definately do it if you have the motivation, have you taken all the pre-req's?? Volunteering/Shadowing is also a must (to get in and to make sure its what you want to do).

I'm not in yet and I am not an expert but I have invested alot of time into all of this (applying this year). Let me know if I can help at all and I'll be happy to tell you things that worked and didn't for me.

Best Regards,

The only premed classes I haven't taken is bio/bio lab but I'm going to be taking that next semester.

Is it too late for me to find some kind of job shadowing position this summer as other people probably will have taken the spots? Can it be done in the fall?

And would studying the examkrackers review package during the course of the summer be good to prepare for the MCAT? I'm not too interested in their osmosis audio lectures, just the examkrakers books itself.

 

[nkhan]

Ah, you did say that in your post sorry.


Biology is a prettty big section on the MCAT, I would do shadowing/volunteering ASAP its never too early to start on that (take it from a late starter..).

Exam Krackers is a good place to start, its where I did. After that though I used Kaplan, Gold Standard, and Berkeley Review. With TBR being the best out of all I have done so far hands down.

Taking the MCAT without general biology could be a task in itself, I just finished Biology II this past spring which went over all the body systems etc. I coupled that with my MCAT study which worked out great. It's never too early to start studying for the test, however.

One thing that always ran me in circles was my engineering classes/prof always wanting me to do research and stuff for their classes. After I really got set on medical school my last few engineering classes just seemed like distractions. The math/physics background has helped.


Hope it helps..

 

[engineeredout]

Can you tell me more about your situation? Like when in your undergrad career did you decide you wanted to go to med school, when you took the mcat etc...

Thanks