I need advice...

[apharmx]

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Hello,

I'm thinking about going to medical school, however I'm not 100% certain. I have a Pharm.D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree from a US school and I'm honestly worried about the MCAT then the USMLE. I feel like you need a 30 or they won't look at anything else. I'm not the greatest at standardized tests, however in my case I was wondering if I can get some advice if I chose to apply for medical school. I appreciate any input. Take care.

 

[Greonis]

If you're not certain that you are interested in a medical career, your first step should be to get some exposure and see if it is right for you. Potential options include volunteering in a clinical setting, obtaining EMT certification, or going abroad on a medical mission trip. What you choose to do depends on your free time and your personal finances. If you find that you are interested and develop the motivation to go through the application process, then you'll find that the various obstacles in your path (such as the MCAT) will be much easier to conquer.

If you do choose to apply, then you'll want to start studying for the MCAT several months in advance of your anticipated test date. I would also suggest not taking the test during your application cycle, as it is much easier to choose the schools that you want to apply to when you already know your score. How you study is going to depend on your personal preferences; you might want to do some research on preparative classes (such as those taught by Kaplan) and spend some time learning about the test (a good place to start is the official MCAT web site). Whatever you choose, I would say that a good study pattern involves both a comprehensive review of all MCAT-related material and ample opportunities to take scored practice exams.

 

[Mobius1985]

You could start by taking a sample MCAT test and see how you do. There is a free full-length MCAT practice test available here: https://services.aamc.org/Publicati...ion=Product.displayForm&prd_id=179&prv_id=214

Considering it is many years since you finished Physics and Organic Chem, you might want to consider taking a formal MCAT prep course to help you prepare. Kaplan and Princeton Review are often available on college campuses. There is an on-line version for Kaplan also (not sure about Princeton). Study books are available, and include several full-length MCAT-like tests as well.