What about the MCAT?

[drmikeross]

You guys are going to get tired of hearing from me...

Anyway, I am ten years out of school and have never taken the MCAT. Should I do it? Looking at some of the school's websites, it seems that a few require MCAT scores, a few recommend MCAT scores, and a few don't seem to care. Is this a barometer for the level of education for each school? Why would or wouln't a foreign med school want MCAT scores? If I was going to go through the trouble of taking the MCAT, I'd pay for an expensive Kaplan course so I'd do as well as possible. And if I were to go through that much trouble then I might as well stay in the States, or at least try to. I just fail to see the point in any foreign med school wanting MCAT scores. Any comments on the pros or cons of preparing for and taking the MCAT with the goal of getting onto a foreign med school is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

[KDog]

I was out of undergrad for 10 years and I just took the MCAT. So far it looks like SABA, which didn't require it but oh well.

Here is my advice. It is really tough getting back to the books so this is a great way to get in to the groove. I signed up for the Kaplan course and went for the first 3 weeks. Waist of time I thought, just get the books. In fact PM me and I can give you mine, right from the course which is all you need. I would not advise anyone to just throw themselves in to med school having been out that long. For the first 2 weeks I could not comprehend a thing, my mind was mush for a while.


So just go for it.

One other thing. Absolutely none of the material on the MCAT (maybe a little orgo and bio) means jack for actual med school, so just be prepared.

Hope that helps,
KDog

[anencephalic]

One other thing. Absolutely none of the material on the MCAT (maybe a little orgo and bio) means jack for actual med school, so just be prepared.


So you don't think that a decent knowledge of physics will help in your understanding of human physiology? Just curious.

ALoha,

[KDog]

OK, optics for sure!

Doppler effect? Not so sure.

[stephew]

consider this
1) if there's any chance of youre gonig to a us school you should take the mcats
2) some offshore schools will be closed to you if you dont- why should they want them? why should the US want them; youre going to be a doctor with tons of difficult qualifying cert exams ahead of you. Its respectable if nothing else for a school to want to be confident you'll make it; plenty will take your time and money regardless of whatever indication you have or dont have that you can pass these exams ahead of you.
3)those future exams- youll be studying and get tested ona LOT of stuff that you wont ever use practically. If you feel particularly lazy about it now, that doesnt bode well; i understand not wanting to have to go through "extra steps" but in the US this is a minumim. And you nkow, it might let you know if the sort of rigours of studying for these things is something you reasonably can do. think about it.
steph

[drmikeross]

Steph,

I understand your points, all of which have merit. However, they may not apply to me or someone else in my shoes. Not that I am special, mind you. I think I annwered point 1 in another post recently. Points 2 and 3 are basically answered in that it's not that I'm lazy or otherwise shirking the responsibilty in performing the most basic step in every US med students life,...I just feel that I'm short on time (reference my other recent posts). In my chiorpractic education, I've already taken all the state and federal boards and have studied to pass licensure exams and all, so its not that I don't know what it's like to sit through a two day examination. Yes, it has been ten years since I've sat through a lecture and taken a board exam, but I also have a lot more to lose than before. For one thing, I'm giving up a $250k annual gross practice; also, at my age, you don't start over without a very real idea about what failure means. And, it's not that I am or was a poor student or of minimal intelligence. My problem is that I've taken such a long time in deciding what was important. Given these circumstances, do you still strongly suggest I take the MCAT?

Mike

[Whatsupdoc]

Nothing here.

[wolfvgang22]

It's up to you; after researching the difficulties of studying for the MCAT, taking the MCAT, and going through the 18 month application cycle and maybe still get rejected vs. the difficulties IMGS face, you just have to choose. I believe that Texas med schools in particular don't like older students very much.....that's just my experience in dealing with them, your mileage may vary.

If you go IMG, you will probably have to kiss Texas good-bye, since they are very anti-IMG right now. I had to make this same decision (minus the $250,000, I'm a teacher, ya know, :lol: ). I opted not to take the MCAT and go to Saba.

Now my pre-med advisor won't talk to me anymore.
Oh well. :wink:

-W

[skull]

Steph,

I respect you opinion (as I always do), but let's face it; offshore schools that require the MCAT do so to weed out the competition, otherwise how do you explain that until very recently ALL of them did not require the MCAT (Ross just did so as of This year/AUC & SGU not untill the late 90's)?

I still believe that the MCAT is nothing but a weed-out tool for med school, and a good source of revenue for the AAMC.

[wolfvgang22]

Steph,

I respect you opinion (as I always do), but let's face it; offshore schools that require the MCAT do so to weed out the competition, otherwise how do you explain that until very recently ALL of them did not require the MCAT (Ross just did so as of This year/AUC & SGU not untill the late 90's)?

I still believe that the MCAT is nothing but a weed-out tool for med school, and a good source of revenue for the AAMC.
I agree.

[anu]

If you are hesitating to write MCAT. How you will cope up with the studies of Basic Sciences. I don't want to even remember it anymore. Med School is a long process of study study and unending studies. You have to love it in order to win it (Study).
Most school just want you to write the exams and bring the scores not necessrily high scores. Average score between 18 to 25 might be OK I quess.
anu

[wolfvgang22]

I don't think drmike is worried about the MCAT or his abilities, anymore than I was. The MCAT is a weed-out tool that is very time intensive. As an older professional myself working long hours, I didn't have the study time available for the MCAT. I won't be working full time while in basic sciences (at least, not for pay, lol).

Call it stupid not taking the MCAT if you want, but I analyzed the situation and made the choice that best fit my individual life situation. If I were fresh out of undergrad, with no career, it probably would've been a different story.
Peace out! 8)

[azskeptic]

I don't think drmike is worried about the MCAT or his abilities, anymore than I was. The MCAT is a weed-out tool that is very time intensive. As an older professional myself working long hours, I didn't have the study time available for the MCAT. I won't be working full time while in basic sciences (at least, not for pay, lol).

Call it stupid not taking the MCAT if you want, but I analyzed the situation and made the choice that best fit my individual life situation. If I were fresh out of undergrad, with no career, it probably would've been a different story.
Peace out! 8)

not taking the MCAT means you have which schools as options?

[wolfvgang22]

St. Matts and Saba.....probably the only 2 good options, IMHO.
Like I've said before, I got accepted to Saba and so canceled my plans to take the MCAT.

[ResearchingGuy]

I know the MCAT seems like and could also be considered a "weed-out" tool, but I see it as a chance to compete against every other applicant on a level playing field. My early college grades were just plain awful. No matter how many A's I got later, I just couldn't bring my overall GPA up to a point where it would make up for my previous grades and my spotty extracurriculars (I was working and raising a family for my EC's :wink: ).

The biggest point is that the MCAT opens doors to many more schools. If you feel you have a decent shot at a US school, it would be self-defeating not to suck it up and take the MCAT to try and get into one. If you have already been accepted to a foreign school you feel comfortable with (like Wolf), I wouldn't worry about it, but don't leave yourself out of the major game from the outset just because you don't feel like studying for a test.

PS - Wolf. It's funny you mention that your pre-med advisor stopped talking to you once you decided to go to Saba. I remember one school I went to where the pre-med advisor wouldn't talk to you if your overall GPA was under 3.0. They were so concerned about their status that they let the students fall by the wayside. I always wondered what they though school was about if it wasn't us students.

Best of Luck to Everyone!