Study for MCAT during research

[TheHappyCamper]

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Hey everyone. I am a current sophomore in undergraduate who was just offered a paid research position at my university for the summer. The money is good, I haven't done any research yet so it'll be good for my med school application, and I also would like to try research. However, I had planned to use this summer to study for the MCAT, and wanted to take a class, as I am someone who would perform better if basically forced to learn by an instructor. Would it be plausible to to take an online Princeton Review course while I am researching over the summer? The Ultimate online course is offered weekends only during the summer, and then I could take the MCAT at the end of August. Would this be feasible? Am I hurting myself in doing this? Does anyone have any experience in how good the ultimate online course is? Another option is that I could do the self paced online course over the course of the next eight months and then take the MCAT at the end of August. Would this be better? Does anyone have experience with the self paced online course?

Would I be better off just not taking the position? I would be able to research with this professor for the rest of my undergraduate career if I accepted, though. I also have a a 3.9+ GPA just for reference.

 

[DrCharlemagne]

Hey everyone. I am a current sophomore in undergraduate who was just offered a paid research position at my university for the summer. The money is good, I haven't done any research yet so it'll be good for my med school application, and I also would like to try research. However, I had planned to use this summer to study for the MCAT, and wanted to take a class, as I am someone who would perform better if basically forced to learn by an instructor. Would it be plausible to to take an online Princeton Review course while I am researching over the summer? The Ultimate online course is offered weekends only during the summer, and then I could take the MCAT at the end of August. Would this be feasible? Am I hurting myself in doing this? Does anyone have any experience in how good the ultimate online course is? Another option is that I could do the self paced online course over the course of the next eight months and then take the MCAT at the end of August. Would this be better? Does anyone have experience with the self paced online course?

Would I be better off just not taking the position? I would be able to research with this professor for the rest of my undergraduate career if I accepted, though. I also have a a 3.9+ GPA just for reference.

I cannot speak to the prep course, but I can tell you the research responsibilities range widely between labs. I have collaborators who work a straight 9-5 and could easily fit substantial prep into their schedules. My lab is not so lenient, and I regularly got home burnt out and exhausted even before I began studying. It might be worthwhile to share your plans with your PI or the labworker who will be training you so you can get a sense of how compatible the time commitments may be.

That being said, I wouldn't trade my bench experience for a hypothetical higher MCAT score. I think getting a good handle on the scientific method will serve you better in the long run, and it's super fun work (when it works).

 

[terp720]

I did almost exactly this the summer I took the MCAT (except the classroom course instead of online). However, as DrCharlemagne said , I think it would vary depending on the expectations your PI has for you. Mine was very understanding, and I was able to take off more time right before my test date.

It might be worthwhile to share your plans with your PI or the labworker who will be training you so you can get a sense of how compatible the time commitments may be..

I agree

Also, you said if you accepted the offer then you could stay there for the rest of your UG career, but is that dependent on you starting this summer? Or could you start in the fall and stay for two years, etc.

 

[TheHappyCamper]

I did almost exactly this the summer I took the MCAT (except the classroom course instead of online). However, as DrCharlemagne said , I think it would vary depending on the expectations your PI has for you. Mine was very understanding, and I was able to take off more time right before my test date.
I agree

Also, you said if you accepted the offer then you could stay there for the rest of your UG career, but is that dependent on you starting this summer? Or could you start in the fall and stay for two years, etc.

Yes, the professor typically takes people on spring of sophomore year and grooms them for the rest of UG. If I declined, she would probably take another student, and would most likely not be as interested in me applying next year.

Also, I assume that starting now would increase my chances of completing substantial research.

Another question I have is how important is research to a medical school application? Would me doing the research make me a much more desirable applicant?

 

[boomshaketheroom]

I studied for the MCAT while working full-time in a Lab, so it is possible. I didn't take a class, though, so that might be different.

If you have to pick between the two, I'd go with research. The experience is more important in my opinion. You can take the MCAT some other time.

 

[DWMontana]

I also studied for the MCAT while doing a lab internship, and would agree with other posters that the schedule is very dependent on your work. It is possible to balance the two, especially if you are willing to let parts of your social life slide, but I would avoid any classes that have set times you need to do them. The reality is that you need to be available to your lab, and that might include times outside the usual 9-5, even in the most lenient of labs.

 

[phunky]

I work full time and have been studying for the MCAT. It's been fine, but kiss your life goodbye for 4 months.

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

I'm kind of in your shoes OP. I'm a sophomore as well and have put quite some thought into my summer. I am taking the August 15 MCAT and have wondered if I should either take summer classes, work at the clinic part time, or continue my clinical research along side of strict 3- month SN2ed MCAT studying.

I decided that I am just going to continue with my clinical research this summer as part time. This allows me to put MCAT studying as top priority and continue current projects with my PI, with a couple future publications as the result 😉

Tough decision man.