PhD in physical science: is a higher MCAT expected?

[ProjectMac]

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Will it look worse if I don't get a very high MCAT score if I have a PhD in a physical science? Since I have a PhD am I expected to do better than undergrads and judged on a different scale as far as admission to medschool goes?


also on a side question: are my graduate courses averaged into my undergrad gpa when I apply? my undergraduate sGPA is 4.0 but my in grad school I took 6 courses and got half B's and half A's, don't want this to tarnish the fact that I did very well as an undergraduate in coursework. In graduate school I was more focused on research, so I didn't put as much into the courses, plus the courses were much harder.

 

[phltz]

Will it look worse if I don't get a very high MCAT score if I have a PhD in a physical science? Since I have a PhD am I expected to do better than undergrads and judged on a different scale as far as admission to medschool goes?

I seriously doubt there's any formal system by which they'd expect more from you. But if I was on an adcom and I was looking at an application from a physics PhD who choked on PS, it'd really make me wonder what their deal was.

 

[vc7777]

You're gpa for undergrad will not be averaged with your grad gpa. Furthermore, there is no formal expectation. In fact, I warn techie people to study hard for the PS section b/c it is often so "old school" that u need to relearn the basics to be proficient (I.e. fast and not deriving equations) to score well.

Good luck.

Will it look worse if I don't get a very high MCAT score if I have a PhD in a physical science? Since I have a PhD am I expected to do better than undergrads and judged on a different scale as far as admission to medschool goes?


also on a side question: are my graduate courses averaged into my undergrad gpa when I apply? my undergraduate sGPA is 4.0 but my in grad school I took 6 courses and got half B's and half A's, don't want this to tarnish the fact that I did very well as an undergraduate in coursework. In graduate school I was more focused on research, so I didn't put as much into the courses, plus the courses were much harder.

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[boggvir]

You'd probably do well on the PS section, which might be expected. That's about all though.

 

[catswym]

You're gpa for undergrad will not be averaged with your grad gpa. Furthermore, there is no formal expectation. In fact, I warn techie people to study hard for the PS section b/c it is often so "old school" that u need to relearn the basics to be proficient (I.e. fast and not deriving equations) to score well.

totally agree with this. As someone who is married to a physics soon-to-be PhD (and I have my PhD also but not in physics) I know that a lot of physicists pride themselves not on memorizing a lot of stuff but on being able to 'figure it out' or derive things from basic principles. That's not going to work for the MCAT. You need to be able to know the equation or idea you need right away--not figure it out in even 30sec or a minute. You have to be fast to get that section done in time.

As for overall, no I don't think they expect super high. The MCAT isn't grad school or anything like it. But you need to do as well as undergrads who have taken those basic classes much more recently.

Also, they don't care about grad grades really at all. But a good undergrad GPA is going to really help you.

 

[phltz]

totally agree with this. As someone who is married to a physics soon-to-be PhD (and I have my PhD also but not in physics) I know that a lot of physicists pride themselves not on memorizing a lot of stuff but on being able to 'figure it out' or derive things from basic principles. That's not going to work for the MCAT. You need to be able to know the equation or idea you need right away--not figure it out in even 30sec or a minute. You have to be fast to get that section done in time.

My undergrad degree was in physics and I worked as a physics teacher for several years before taking the MCAT. My feeling is that if you really understand all the material at a moderately high level (as I would expect someone with a PhD in physics to), there's no reason you shouldn't get all the physics questions on the PS section and have time to spare at the end. Even questions that on their face require an equation and calculations can usually be answered almost immediately by 1) eliminating answers that have the wrong units 2) eliminating answers that are clearly too high or low, and 3) eliminating pairs of answers that say the same thing.

The OP would be advised to briefly review all the topics that may be on the exam, and may well need to do a quick brush up on some of them. I expect he's gonna stomp PS on the MCAT, though.

 

[njbmd]

For allopathic medical school, your undergraduate grades are the ones that are used primarily for determining your competitiveness for medical school. While your graduate grades are there, they are not "averaged" with your undergraduate grades. Postbacc work/grades (courses taken at the undergraduate level but after your bachelors degree was obtained) are averaged with your undergraduate grades.


Keep in mind the following:

• Most medical schools weight graduate work like an extracurricular activity but a poor performance can hurt you same as a less than stellar performance in an extracurricular activity.
• If your graduate GPA is low (under 3.7) that's a red flag. Grades are inflated in graduate school and you are expected to have a high GPA.
• If you haven't completed your graduate work, that's a red flag.

In terms of your MCAT, a low score in the physical sciences coupled with a Ph.D in the physical sciences would not be favorable for you. On the other hand, if English was not your first language and your verbal score was lower than your BS or PS, that might not be as much of a liability unless that verbal score was very low (below 7).

Having completed graduate school does not put you into any "special" categories. Your complete application is going to be judged in comparison to the other folks who have applied to that particular school. This means that your uGPA grades are going to be compared with the uGPA grades of the other applicants. Your MCAT is going to be compared with the MCAT scores of the other applicants. In short, your whole application has to be competitive.

Also keep in mind that quite likely, the person who interviews your (or reviews your application) is going to have a Ph.D. With this in mind, figure out how you might measure up with the rest of the applicants under the scrutiny of this person.

 

[Footpain]

Grades are not always inflated in grad school. I have a Ph.d in Geophysics and, there was no grade inflation at our program or any of the other earth science programs in our dept. For some reason, people always assume this to be the case.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Grades are not always inflated in grad school. I have a Ph.d in Geophysics and, there was no grade inflation at our program or any of the other earth science programs in our dept. For some reason, people always assume this to be the case.

Because it is the case at 99% of colleges. Sucks for your guys to be the exception.

 

[Footpain]

I know that we are not the only school.

 

[eablackwell]

I teach AP chem and my ps section was my lowest. I knocked the chem out of the park, but I think I overthought much of the physics. Unfortunately my last mcat was about 70% physics in ps. 😉 I think it depends. Each mcat is different, and you don't have a phd in all the subjects in any of the sections. Just get a decent score and I doubt they'll think twice about it.

 

[Petypet]

I know that we are not the only school.

+1 Ohio State

Many schools have grade inflation because frankly classes are irrelevant to most PhD degrees, but it is not ALWAYS the case. The strength of the PhD degree in admissions is so show hard work and the ability to publish. You can get a 4.0 in a PhD program and if you don't publish anything, its worthless.

That said, I would expect that if you are in the physical sciences you should fare well on parts of the the MCAT. However, its not like you spend all day studying formulas, doing practice problems, memorizing hormones, so in that ****** the playing field is level. It may be easier for you if you are chem/phy to study and review the formulas, but I am not sure a PhD will help you any more than a BS/BA. For instance, I taught gen chem and gen biology, but usually when you teach those subjects, you become an expert on an area just prior to teaching. There are things you don't forget, but a lot of stuff in a PhD program you learn it to use it, and if you don't use it you forget it.

In my case, being a biochem PhD, I found it very easy to study and review these subjects. The hardest part, was just the boring memorization of obscure formulas and details, JUST IN CASE they were needed. Just make sure you put in the time to knowing all the formulas and such and you should fare fine. The hardest part that I had during my MCAT studies was the verbal. Sure I read scientific literature everyday, but the comprehension of some of social sciences and touchy feely stuff was just hard for me analyze.

 

[ProjectMac]

Thanks for all the thoughts. I have over a year to study for the MCAT but also have a very full schedule with research. I won't be able to devote 3-4 hours a night like I would've as an undergrad but I guess I do have a very long time to stretch the studying out over. I will probably begin studying in a month or two.

 

[Footpain]

At the University of Hawaii, the grad programs such as oceanography, geology, chem, physics, math among other are DEFINITELY NOT grade inflated.