MCAT/Application Summer

[pathophys17]

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Those of you who are applying/taking the MCAT this summer, what else will you be doing? I guess I'm having a small dilemma. I've been fortunate to be accepted to a few research programs. Unfortunately, they all start well before my MCAT date. I knew this before, but I'm really wondering now whether it was a good decision to even apply to them. I haven't been able to MCAT prep nearly as much as I should have with everything this semester. I'm worried I won't have time to take practice MCATs at the time my MCAT would be and have some "practice runs," building stamina and making it so that my real MCAT day would be just like any other day.

On top of my MCAT, I will be applying to schools...working on my PS, trying to get my primary and secondaries done. I'm not as concerned about secondaries, because all programs end before August when I'll hopefully be sending those in. I've had a decent amount of previous research experience, but I really enjoy it and am hoping to gain more experience because I'd like to do research in med school and as an MD.

So...what is everyone else doing? Also attempting to do both? Or has anyone else had experience doing a program while applying, and also had a successful application and, dare I say enjoyable? summer? I don't know whether I should consider not doing anything but a bit of shadowing & volunteering....

 

[pathophys17]

Or perhaps I'm just looking for someone to tell me it'll all be fine, I will have time to do all of them and still be able to relax enough before my MCAT (you know how you're not supposed to do anything but chillax and watch some funny movies the day before it....), maybe that they'll even allow me a few days off to prep...😀 I'm rather stressed about applying in general...

 

[pathophys17]

Feel free to jump in at any time with opinioins everyone....I know there are SDNers doing summer research...plenty of them...😀

 

[golfyfan]

I'm in the exact same situation as you, and I"m sure most premeds who are applying in this summer are as well. I'll be working in a full 40 hour/ week job, studying for my MCAT in May/ June (waiting to squeeze the spot in as right now it is full), do my PS and secondaries, AND do my Canadian med school applications (I'm from Canada). So I think as long as you are organized and balance your leisure with work, WE CAN DO IT!

 

[mkj07]

Or perhaps I'm just looking for someone to tell me it'll all be fine, I will have time to do all of them and still be able to relax enough before my MCAT (you know how you're not supposed to do anything but chillax and watch some funny movies the day before it....), maybe that they'll even allow me a few days off to prep...😀 I'm rather stressed about applying in general...

My situation was a little different from yours, but I know how you feel. I took the MCAT yesterday. I was taking 3 classes, worked about 20 hours a week, and volunteered at the hospital while studying for it. I seriously thought I wasn't going to make it. If you're dedicated it can be done, but personally I wouldn't do it again.

 

[pathophys17]

My situation was a little different from yours, but I know how you feel. I took the MCAT yesterday. I was taking 3 classes, worked about 20 hours a week, and volunteered at the hospital while studying for it. I seriously thought I wasn't going to make it. If you're dedicated it can be done, but personally I wouldn't do it again.

Yeah...I refused to take the MCAT while in school, adn I had planned on having free time to study once school is over, but I up and decided to apply to research again since I've decided I'd like to pursue it in the future...I guess it's not as bad as being in school, but it's still 40 hrs/week you have to commit to.

 

[ChairmanMao]

Or perhaps I'm just looking for someone to tell me it'll all be fine, I will have time to do all of them and still be able to relax enough before my MCAT (you know how you're not supposed to do anything but chillax and watch some funny movies the day before it....), maybe that they'll even allow me a few days off to prep...😀 I'm rather stressed about applying in general...

Maybe it's because I graduated from college a few years ago and have been working for a while, but to be honest, I didn't feel that working full-time and studying for MCAT was a problem, especially since I was working at a lab job (those jobs tend to be flexible 👍). Now, maybe you might not be able to put in the full 40 hrs/week into it or you may have to cut back on some volunteering/shadowing - but those are reasonable sacrifices and no one's going to fault you if you don't have 2000 hours of volunteering or shadowing experience, especially since you're still in college.

I think if you properly manage your time so that you an study at night and on the weekends, you can definitely show up the full day for work and have a reasonable social life. The last thing you want to do is to do nothing except study for the MCAT all summer. It'll reflect badly on your application and you might get into the habit of procrastinating if you have nothing else to do and have no deadlines to meet. If I was in your position, I would try to find out what schedule I can arrange with the PI to see if I can cut back my hours to maybe 30 hrs/week or maybe work Mondays to Thursdays and have a three day weekend to study. As you said, I'm not going to paint a rosy picture and say that everything is fine and that it'll all work out, but I think if you properly prioritize your schedule, this summer should be managable.