MCAT April 28th to June 1st?

[FutureDocs24]

Im a bit stressed out right now knowing what I should do next to get accepted to med school but so far, my current test date is April 28th but I have only been on chapter 3 studying content review of each subject and no practice yet. It is 2 months out until my exam date so I don't know if I will finish the content review by the end of march to begin doing FLs. I know practicing doing passages is better than content review but will I be able to do practice passages after content review each day by the end of march? I have a family cruise on March 4th and it will be 7 days long. I will be putting some studying hours during the cruise but I doubt I will have time to be doing passage problems on the ship and with family. Will I be better off rescheduling my exam date to June 1st so that I have some time in-between to do my med school applications?

I forgot to mention that experience wise, among other things, I haven't had shadowing experiences or research experience yet. So during my extended studying time if I reschedule my exam date, I will put some time in to shadow doctors but I won't be doing research until Fall semester. Please let me know what I should do. I don't want to be late for med school since I am 23 already and in a 2 gap year period. I just graduated with BS last year.

Sorry for being too length but thank you everyone in advance.

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[KCraig]

I am in the exact same boat as you. I graduated in 2016 with my BS in biology, and I'm almost 22. If I get in for the 2018 term, I will be 23. If I get in in the 2019 term, I will be 24.

I had opted for the April 28 testing date because my scores would be back in time to submit my application in June. However, with my work schedule (50 hours a week), I feel that I have had little progress with studying. I will be putting in my two weeks notice tomorrow so I can dedicate myself fully to studying for the MCAT. I never took Biochemistry, so I'm relying on self studying, which has been super stressful, but not impossible. If I don't get good scores, I will basically have another gap year. I am now opting for the June 16 testing date. I have saved up enough money for a Kaplan course, which I have heard wonderful things about from a former student at the university I graduated from.

I haven't had any luck finding a physician nice enough to let me shadowing. It's very frustrating, but I am hoping someone will come along. I've talked with two former students from my university that are now in medical school. They didn't have any more than 100 shadowing hours, which is relieving.

Do you have any volunteer hours?

 

[FutureDocs24]

I am in the exact same boat as you. I graduated in 2016 with my BS in biology, and I'm almost 22. If I get in for the 2018 term, I will be 23. If I get in in the 2019 term, I will be 24.

I had opted for the April 28 testing date because my scores would be back in time to submit my application in June. However, with my work schedule (50 hours a week), I feel that I have had little progress with studying. I will be putting in my two weeks notice tomorrow so I can dedicate myself fully to studying for the MCAT. I never took Biochemistry, so I'm relying on self studying, which has been super stressful, but not impossible. If I don't get good scores, I will basically have another gap year. I am now opting for the June 16 testing date. I have saved up enough money for a Kaplan course, which I have heard wonderful things about from a former student at the university I graduated from.

I haven't had any luck finding a physician nice enough to let me shadowing. It's very frustrating, but I am hoping someone will come along. I've talked with two former students from my university that are now in medical school. They didn't have any more than 100 shadowing hours, which is relieving.

Do you have any volunteer hours?

Yes, I've been volunteering two hospitals that are across the street from each other for almost a year now so I have around 120 volunteer hours from that. I've asked my own family doctor for shadowing but she wasn't allowed by the clinic due to policies. I'm planning on asking my volunteer supervisor child life specialist to see if she could ask a radiology doctor if I could shadow him/her this coming week. As for research, my prof asked to see me this coming Tuesday to meet her at school, so I am guessing I will be getting the research position for this Fall. Would it even be worth it to do research after I have applied for med schools and putting in my app that I will be doing research this Fall? At least if I get an interview from any schools this Fall I would mention I have research taking place. Also, I plan to fit in one month of shadowing with Atlantis Project during the summer or should I just be suffice to find a doctor here to shadow?

Are you planning on submitting your apps even if your MCAT scores are low or are you going to wait for the scores to come in and then decide?

 

[KCraig]

Yes, I've been volunteering two hospitals that are across the street from each other for almost a year now so I have around 120 volunteer hours from that. I've asked my own family doctor for shadowing but she wasn't allowed by the clinic due to policies. I'm planning on asking my volunteer supervisor child life specialist to see if she could ask a radiology doctor if I could shadow him/her this coming week. As for research, my prof asked to see me this coming Tuesday to meet her at school, so I am guessing I will be getting the research position for this Fall. Would it even be worth it to do research after I have applied for med schools and putting in my app that I will be doing research this Fall? At least if I get an interview from any schools this Fall I would mention I have research taking place. Also, I plan to fit in one month of shadowing with Atlantis Project during the summer or should I just be suffice to find a doctor here to shadow?

Are you planning on submitting your apps even if your MCAT scores are low or are you going to wait for the scores to come in and then decide?

You bring up a good point about the research. It could possibly strengthen your interview process. What kind of research will you be doing?

If you could shadow locally, I think that would benefit your application, but from my experience, I know it's hard to accumulate that many shadowing hours. It's hard to find doctors that are willing to let you shadow. I still haven't found a trick that works. I have actually looked into the Atlantis Project, but I'm not sure I would be able to afford it. What state do you live in? I'm from Tennessee, and they have summer shadowing opportunities at ETSU that are 6 weeks long, but that's like four hours away. They allow you to shadow doctors in different specialities, much like rotations at the hospital.

I'm hoping with taking the later MCAT on June 1, I'll be more prepared and won't need to retake the MCAT. Fingers crossed! I think I may submit the application before my MCAT scores come back so my application can be verified quicker. I'm not entirely sure how that works, so I'll have to look into it more. If I get a low score, I might wait until next application cycle in 2018. I feel that this would be the strongest move, so I could accumulate more volunteer hours, possibly research experience, and higher MCAT scores.

 

[Ad2b]

If those are your real pics @KCraig @FutureDocs24 - PLEASE change them. This is a semi-anonymous forum and your privacy should be protected at all costs no matter who visits here (AdComs, other premeds, etc).

 

[FutureDocs24]

You bring up a good point about the research. It could possibly strengthen your interview process. What kind of research will you be doing?

If you could shadow locally, I think that would benefit your application, but from my experience, I know it's hard to accumulate that many shadowing hours. It's hard to find doctors that are willing to let you shadow. I still haven't found a trick that works. I have actually looked into the Atlantis Project, but I'm not sure I would be able to afford it. What state do you live in? I'm from Tennessee, and they have summer shadowing opportunities at ETSU that are 6 weeks long, but that's like four hours away. They allow you to shadow doctors in different specialities, much like rotations at the hospital.

I'm hoping with taking the later MCAT on June 1, I'll be more prepared and won't need to retake the MCAT. Fingers crossed! I think I may submit the application before my MCAT scores come back so my application can be verified quicker. I'm not entirely sure how that works, so I'll have to look into it more. If I get a low score, I might wait until next application cycle in 2018. I feel that this would be the strongest move, so I could accumulate more volunteer hours, possibly research experience, and higher MCAT scores.

You really are in the same boat as me. Thats a relief that I'm not the only one. I keep thinking I'm behind and not on track but to be a good future doctor, we need to perfect ourselves with all the experience we can get before getting to medical school with less stress.
I don't know what kind of research I'll be doing yet till I see my prof this Tuesday but from taking her class before, it might be cancer of the cell cycle-related research (biology-wise). June 1st is the same idea here as well so I could have more time doing other things little by little as well as studying for the MCAT intensively but not too worn out. Btw, I live in GA and TN from here is about 2.5 hrs. ETSU is still 4 hrs away as well from here. Also, I feel Atlantis Project is too much money just to get some shadowing hours. However, they do offer 20hrs/week shadowing so I guess its well worth it. But even with their scholarship, still looking at $2k air tickets and the leftover program fees.

 

[KCraig]

Have you looked into other programs? I have heard of a couple more programs that are a little bit cheaper than the Atlantis program. Not sure if they are worth looking into though. I think it's a good way to get shadowing hours all at once.

 

[FutureDocs24]

Have you looked into other programs? I have heard of a couple more programs that are a little bit cheaper than the Atlantis program. Not sure if they are worth looking into though. I think it's a good way to get shadowing hours all at once.

Yeah I know Atlantis Project isn't the only program but I haven't had the time to actually sit down and look at other programs but will surely look around this week.

 

[KCraig]

I've got a working list of ones that are abroad: Atlantis Project, Worldteach, Fulbright, Global Health Program ISL, Gapmedics, etc.. I would love to go to one right after I take the MCAT, even if it's just a week or two. You'd get all the hours you'd need while experiencing a total different culture. I think it seems very interesting.

 

[FutureDocs24]

I've got a working list of ones that are abroad: Atlantis Project, Worldteach, Fulbright, Global Health Program ISL, Gapmedics, etc.. I would love to go to one right after I take the MCAT, even if it's just a week or two. You'd get all the hours you'd need while experiencing a total different culture. I think it seems very interesting.

Yeah I was planning to do the same right after MCAT but we also need to finish applying for med schools before going abroad.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Just a heads up. Most premed shadowing aboard programs are not viewed favorably. Students often end up doing things they are not qualified to do, and often these programs are notoriously expensive. Adcoms prefer to see students shadow and volunteer domestically.

Fulbright on the other hand is a good program, but also quite competitive.