MCATs really needed?

[pd18750]

Hey all,

I'm currently a senior at St. John's University in Queens, New York working towards a B.S. in Pathologist's Assistant. Eventually, I'd like to apply to med school in the Caribbean in about 3 years or so (and you can guess what branch of medicine I'd want to pursue! haha).
I just can't stand the MCAT requirement for medical schools. My philosophy is that standardized tests on the nature of the MCAT and SAT really do not measure an individual's intellectual capacity.
So because I won't be taking the MCAT, will AUC still accept me as a prime med school candidate? Use these statistics about me and let me know if I have any chance at gaining admission:

B.S. Pathologist's Assistant 3.95 overall GPA, 3.9 science GPA
No MCAT
1 year training at St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center, Queens
3 years clinical experience as full-time Path. Assistant, performing autopsies, medicolegal death investigation assistance, histopathological techniques, etc. etc.
3 recommendations all from physicians/pathologists (which would most likely be of exceptional quality)
Good personal essay (clearly defined goals: PATHOLOGY!!!!)

Ok, so you've just read what my "resume" will be in the next 3-4 years. Now going by that, even with no MCAT score, will I have a reasonable shot at gaining admission to AUC? I've already posted a similar message in the Ross University forum, so I guess this post goes for all caribbean med schools. Also, which med schools have a strict MCAT requirement and which ones can care less if you submit them or not? Let me know! Thanks guys.

****
PD18750@aol.com

[rdecastro]

Hey all,

I'm currently a senior at St. John's University in Queens, New York working towards a B.S. in Pathologist's Assistant. Eventually, I'd like to apply to med school in the Caribbean in about 3 years or so (and you can guess what branch of medicine I'd want to pursue! haha).
I just can't stand the MCAT requirement for medical schools. My philosophy is that standardized tests on the nature of the MCAT and SAT really do not measure an individual's intellectual capacity.
So because I won't be taking the MCAT, will AUC still accept me as a prime med school candidate? Use these statistics about me and let me know if I have any chance at gaining admission:

B.S. Pathologist's Assistant 3.95 overall GPA, 3.9 science GPA
No MCAT
1 year training at St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center, Queens
3 years clinical experience as full-time Path. Assistant, performing autopsies, medicolegal death investigation assistance, histopathological techniques, etc. etc.
3 recommendations all from physicians/pathologists (which would most likely be of exceptional quality)
Good personal essay (clearly defined goals: PATHOLOGY!!!!)

Ok, so you've just read what my "resume" will be in the next 3-4 years. Now going by that, even with no MCAT score, will I have a reasonable shot at gaining admission to AUC? I've already posted a similar message in the Ross University forum, so I guess this post goes for all caribbean med schools. Also, which med schools have a strict MCAT requirement and which ones can care less if you submit them or not? Let me know! Thanks guys.

****
PD18750@aol.com

The Big-3 (4/5?) require the MCAT. There are schools that don't. But, why not just suck it up and take the damned thing? Whats the worst that can happen, that you'll score average? Who knows, you may do well enough to get into a US school

[stephew]

a friendly bit of advice: try for the real thing, not a caribbean school. If you fail to get into the US allo then try carib. And then go to a school with a real entry policy. Not a place that is happy to take anyone's cash and time only for them to find they can't handle the boards. good luck.

[stateofequilibrium]

Try US schools first, and most definitely TAKE THE MCAT. Whatever your philosophy about standardized tests are, you'll have to take the boards!!

[petenwe]

Try US schools first, and most definitely TAKE THE MCAT. Whatever your philosophy about standardized tests are, you'll have to take the boards!!



Well said

[MushieCookie]

might as well take the MCAT's. The USMLE's are also 'standardized'...so there's no way around them.

Without the USMLE exam...there's no way of getting a MD...regardless of grades.

[pd18750]

Hey, thanks a lot for all your advice. I guess I should take the MCAT just to see what happens. It couldn't hurt. And I realize that the USMLEs are all standardized, but I'm not worried over those. The content is all medically related, not a whole ridiculous barrage of science material (ahem..the MCAT!).

OR, I have an idea....once I start networking as a Path. Assistant, I'll know some doctors. Maybe they can "pull a few strings." Who knows what the future has in store for me, but it should be quite interesting :)

[pd18750]

Well, the holidays are going beautifully. And you guys have convinced me to give the MCAT a shot later on down the road (if there is still an MCAT test to take in 2 to 3 years, who knows).

what mcat study materials would you guys think are the best? Examcrackers?? I don't know. I was actually considering purchasing the Cd-rom video science set at Mcat-prep.com. Maybe those are useful? Let me know!

[stateofequilibrium]

Hey, thanks a lot for all your advice. I guess I should take the MCAT just to see what happens. It couldn't hurt. And I realize that the USMLEs are all standardized, but I'm not worried over those. The content is all medically related, not a whole ridiculous barrage of science material (ahem..the MCAT!).

OR, I have an idea....once I start networking as a Path. Assistant, I'll know some doctors. Maybe they can "pull a few strings." Who knows what the future has in store for me, but it should be quite interesting :)

Well, on the one hand, you're right.. MCAT is a lot of fluff.. though you'd be surprised, in the operating room during my undergrad research, I was sitting there reading Ohms as the doc had a probe in a guy's head.. science is pretty much all inter-related.

Well, most US Schools require the MCAT at any rate and doctors themselves can't "pull any string" unless they've got some type of pull, and you'll still have to meet their minimum req.

[MedicLACo]

I agree...take the MCAT. I usually find that when I try to take the easy way out it turns out to be even harder than the right way!! Besides, you may surprise yourself given your extensive resume!!

Best of luck

[Ditch Doctor]

And I realize that the USMLEs are all standardized, but I'm not worried over those.

(in my best Yoda from ESB voice) You will be.... You.... will.... be....

The content is all medically related, not a whole ridiculous barrage of science material (ahem..the MCAT!).

Muahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

Foolish mortal....

[anencephalic]

And I realize that the USMLEs are all standardized, but I'm not worried over those.

(in my best Yoda from ESB voice) You will be.... You.... will.... be....

The content is all medically related, not a whole ridiculous barrage of science material (ahem..the MCAT!).

Muahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

Foolish mortal....

Forgive him, for he knows not what he says.

Aloha,