opinions?

[scottyT]

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I spent my college years in the Marines and will graduate soon from CU-Boulder with a psych degree. I've been telling myself all along that I should go into neuroscience when I graduate but now I'm thinking med-school might be the way for me to go. I have the classes and certainly have the GPA for it (as I'm sure tons of non-trads do ... it makes a big difference when you're going to college on your own buck!) and think I would probably do fine on the MCAT but,

I sure wouldn't be prepared for the April one so I would have to take the August one and, even if I do spectacular on it I don't have any extra curricular work in the field. I have research experience and am a paid RA in a psych lab and volunteer in non-related areas occasionally. But, quite honestly, I don't do much outside of class besides work--a lot. What is y'alls take on it? Should I try to apply this year with the August MCAT or just take the MCAT in August and try to get some work in the field over the year and apply next year? Does it hurt your future chances of attending med school if you apply one year and get rejected? I was thinking that I'm getting too old for taking another year before starting a career but this forum made me realize that I'm plenty young! I'll turn 25 next week. I guess I just feel geriatric since all my classmates are 18-20.

Thanks

 

[njbmd]

I spent my college years in the Marines and will graduate soon from CU-Boulder with a psych degree. I've been telling myself all along that I should go into neuroscience when I graduate but now I'm thinking med-school might be the way for me to go. I have the classes and certainly have the GPA for it (as I'm sure tons of non-trads do ... it makes a big difference when you're going to college on your own buck!) and think I would probably do fine on the MCAT but,

I sure wouldn't be prepared for the April one so I would have to take the August one and, even if I do spectacular on it I don't have any extra curricular work in the field. I have research experience and am a paid RA in a psych lab and volunteer in non-related areas occasionally. But, quite honestly, I don't do much outside of class besides work--a lot. What is y'alls take on it? Should I try to apply this year with the August MCAT or just take the MCAT in August and try to get some work in the field over the year and apply next year? Does it hurt your future chances of attending med school if you apply one year and get rejected? I was thinking that I'm getting too old for taking another year before starting a career but this forum made me realize that I'm plenty young! I'll turn 25 next week. I guess I just feel geriatric since all my classmates are 18-20.

Thanks

Hi there,
First of all age 25 is about the average age of a medical student in many medical schools. I doubt that even being 26 is going to make that much of a difference. Being 30 or 35 is actually not much of a difference and the oldest medical student that I have met was 61. (He's now a Family Medicine resident). You have plenty of time.

You need to have some clinical exposure. You have plenty of time to get this exposure. It does not have to be years of doing something but you need to have the clinical exposure. Get a copy of MSAR (Medical School Admissions Requirements) and make sure that you have completed everything before you apply.

You have plenty of time to take your time and get all of your requirements done properly. After August of this year, the MCAT goes to computer-based and will be offered more times a year. This can greatly work to your advantage. Be sure to prepare for this exam (you only want to take it once) and do well. It is very different from your coursework exams which are mainly regurgitation. The MCAT is an exam of problem-solving and many people make the mistake of thinking that since they did well in class, they do not need to prepare. Do practice exams and prepare for this test.

Many people are rejected on their first round of applying to medical school but this should not be your goal. Make sure you have researched what you need and make sure that you have completed what you need BEFORE you apply. Meet or exceed every deadline (early is better than late) and make sure that your personal statement is well-written and easy to read. Make sure that you have letters of recommendation from people who know you well not just a letter from a professor who taught a class that you did well in.

Applicants to medical school are better prepared and most have done everything 100%. Make sure that you are in this category. Do your research, get your application as competitive as possible. Do not take the MCAT unless you have prepared well and are ready. I cannot emphasize how poor a mediocre MCAT score looks even if your GPA is very high.

Good luck and Semper Fi!
njbmd 🙂

 

[kohalagirl79]

Wow, I didn't know that 25 was geriatric 🙂. It sounds like you have great experience on the research side of things, which I think is a big plus. I'm finsihing up my Ph.D. in biochem and applied to med school this year; at all my interviews, I was asked a little about my research experience, but the main question was how did I know I wanted to go to the clinical side of things? I think schools really want to be sure that you know what you're getting into. I would take the time to get some solid experience in a hospital or clinic setting. Not just occassionally volunteering, but committing to a couple hours a week or something. Plus, that will give you more to talk about on your application! How about volunteering in a psych ward since you seem to be interested in neuroscience? Good luck with whatever you chose, and congrats on graduating! One more thing--I would take the MCAT as soon as you can so you can file your AMCAS as early as possible.

 

[scottyT]

thanks for the advice. it's good to hear some reason other than the inner voice telling me i need to do everything, and do it now. i guess med school isn't the sort of thing i should jump into. i think i'll focus on taking the august mcat (or hell, the future computerized ones if i don't feel ready in august) and work in the field for a year to figure out if it really is something i want (i'm sure it is something i want right now, but i need to be sure it's something i want after working in it for a year or so).

i have a history of changing my mind up to this point. i will graduate in a month with ~160 hours, a psych degree, and 3/4 of a degree in about 3 other things. that's how i managed to get all the med school pre-reqs almost by accident. i got really strange looks in o-chem and biochem when i told them i was a psych major who wasn't pre-med and just had an interest in the material. i never declared any other majors because i didn't want to be restricted to that department, my psych major is incidental. besides, it (taking a year off) will give me some time to take calc (which i never got around to taking as an undergrad) so i can apply to even more schools when the time is ripe.