MCAT before Organic, Gap Year or Sorcery??

[SecondChance87]

I feel I should preface this thread by stating I am a first generation and non-traditional student who lacks academic common sense. BUT, I have fallen in love with the stretching that comes with academic growth, so I am ever so excited to learn.

I decided to pursue a medical degree towards the start of my junior year in college which has put me a bit behind the suggested route to the MCAT and beyond. I walk across the stage this evening, with highest honors, to signify my completion of an Associates Degree. I have been accepted to UCA where I will start my junior year with the goal of completing my Bachelor's of Science in Biology. I only have 26 hours of clinical volunteer work. I lack quite a few hours and have a plan to knock out a huge portion over the course of this summer.

I have attempted to think of all my options on how to tackle the challenging endeavor ahead and have really only come up with two options. This is where I need some sound advice from anyone who can help.

Option One:
Use this summer to knock out volunteer hours and study hard for the MCAT. Take the MCAT in the middle of August; right before classes resume and BEFORE I HAVE TAKEN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. *Am a bit behind here too as I have not ordered any study materials!* Get into medical school at age 33.

Option Two:
Same as option one, only I will plan to take the test after I have completed Organic Chemistry this fall. Use the summer to study for the MCAT, get the materials in order and create an inventory of ANKI cards. Use Christmas break to study more so as to take the MCAT at the end of January.

Option Three:
Accept that I need a Gap year. Spend this summer knocking out the bulk of volunteer hours and working to potentially save up for in-person MCAT prep course (YIKES$$$$$). Spend gap summer volunteering/traveling. Start medical school at age 34, where I will be sure to be the oldest one in my class

Any advice would be appreciated. Out-of-the-box thinking is welcomed! Thank you in advance for taking the time to offer assistance!

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[PlsLetMeIn21]

DO NOT take the MCAT without organic chemistry. That material is an essential foundation in learning biochemistry, which is essential for the MCAT. A bad MCAT score does no good. Taking the MCAT before you're ready is never a good idea.

I tried to kill two birds with one stone and it worked. Maybe try that. I borrowed TBR books when taking my first quarter of physics and organic chemistry and they were an amazing tool for simplifying the material and helping me get it conceptually. I got As and felt really good about the subject matter. I was so impressed that I bought the books, the sciences one, early to study concurrently with the classes. It's super helpful and I feel ready for those subjects. I'll start hardcore studying after finals.

 

[Babbitt4MVP]

I wouldn't self-study O chem for only a few months before taking the MCAT. And if you do, you should devote a full-time schedule to it, so you would not be able to get a significant amount of clinical volunteer hours concurrently. If you haven't taken O chem yet, I assume you haven't taken biochem either. This is also a component of the MCAT you would need to self-study for as well. This is all assuming you have already taken physics, general chemistry, psychology, sociology, and biology. Some anatomy and physiology is important too.

While O chem isn't a huge component of the MCAT, it is a brutal one that is best learned in a year-long classroom setting. And a low MCAT score stays with you forever. Should you get a low score, you will need to show significant improvement on your retake for admissions to not hold it against you. I totally understand the urge to get in sooner, but in your position, I would absolutely take an additional year.

Also, O chem is a year long course, so there would still be material on the MCAT that is unfamiliar to you if you take it after just one semester. So taking it in January is a poor choice as well. But better than option one.

Use this upcoming summer to get a boatload of clinical experience. Take the MCAT next summer. I hope this helped.

 

[esob]

People will say that Ochem isn't a huge component of the MCAT, and in the strictest sense of the # of straightforward reaction questions, they are correct. However, it is fundamental to biochem which is a huge part of the test.

 

[PastorDoc]

I would be more concerned about biochem. The mcat is very biochem HEAVY, and the road to biochem is through organic. So I’d advise holding off on attempting the test until you’ve taken both and allowed the ideas to simmer for a bit. A slight delay now to prepare well will save you time and money in the long run.

 

[SecondChance87]

Thank you all so much for responding. I still have a lot to learn about the process! Looks like a gap year is in my future. But there are far worse things than a gap year! Thanks again!