Well, my very first advice is not to panic. Yet. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who leaves the MCAT thinks they bombed it. I mean, your brain just went through a mental meat-grinder, right? It is the worst feeling in the world. If you left totally secure I'd be more worried. (see comments below). So I would sit tight and just wait for the results. Now if you KNOW FOR 100% SURE that you bombed (like you didn't finish the test, voided the scores, your practice scores were consistently low, or you got topics you didn't even remotely recognize), then you probably have a legitimate worry.
BUT, the good thing in medicine is that you can't get into medical school if you aren't ready. Really ready. And I promise, you'll want to be ready. When I am in my classes I am SO thankful that I had to get a good score and really learn all the material well before I started this stuff... because all the MCAT stuff (well, most of it) is your base foundation. And you don't want to start building more on top of that until that foundation is really strong.
I thought that because I did indeed put a lot of work into studying for the MCAT that I was ready, but that is not always the case. Sometimes you don't know the material as well as you think you do. Sometimes you know the material in your way, but not in the way that leads you to be successful on the exam. Unless you are a genius by birthright, the only way to be ready for the MCAT is to take FULL LENGTH practice exams until you get your target score as a practice score... for some this might be 2 tests, for others 40 tests. Until then you are spinning your wheels.
Now, I know what it is like to bomb the MCAT. I studied soft for a year and HARD for about 6 months before my first one, and I got a terrible score (you can find it on this blog :) I was devastated. Even more so my parents were devastated. I felt like an idiot, a loser, like I had no future, etc. To be expected, right? Well here's the second piece of advice I wish I knew then. Becoming a doctor has nothing to do with how smart you are, it has to do with tenacity. In medicine there is always going to be an "MCAT" situation to overcome. Whether its the application process, the board exams (you take 4 big ones in med school and residency), shelf exams, getting a residency, getting your Dean's letter, getting a fellowship, becoming chief resident, getting a directorship, making full professor, getting a big grant, etc. Its always something. And people fail. Someone has to. At the doctor level everybody is super intelligent and not used to losing... because earlier in life it was so much easier to succeed over people who weren't as capable as you are. But now, even smart people lose out. So the absolute one thing you must get used to is falling down and getting back up again.
Personally, when I bombed the MCAT I had a good backup plan. I applied to a Masters program in the health field and moved to a new city. It ended up being great, provided me some additional foundation building in the sciences, and gave me some great connections to eventually get into a great med school. Here's my issue. I am not all that smart. I mean, logically smart, yes, common sense, yes, people smart, yes. Book smart, not so much... and I'm a terrible test taker. The only reason why I'm in medical school today is because I do have the ability to work my butt off and I didn't give up. In fact when I finally got into medical school (4 MCATS later) the admissions committee basically let me in because they thought my application demonstrated "great diversity and tenacity".
Take the MCAT again if you bomb it. And enjoy the time you have before you go to medical school. Get an interesting job, study something you enjoy, travel, live in another city, or do something creative. Almost every 21 year old med student I know laments the fact that they never had another job or another life... and forever they will only be a doctor. This is a gift you just got to diversify your life before you will forever be a doctor. Start enjoying the ups and downs of the ride, because the road to being a doctor is really really bumpy.
* Oh, and 3rd advice? Stay off SDN. Especially now as you are vulnerable. Don't want to find any pre-meds throwing themselves into traffic.
Ella, I don't think that's true. I didn't feel like I'd bombed it.
ReplyDeleteYou'll probably do about the same as you did on your practice tests, so if you're bombing those, you'll probably bomb the real thing too. Just my 2 cents.
Though yes, definitely take it again. I wish more people followed your advice about the full length tests. They truly are indispensable.
ReplyDeleteRight on all counts... and double for staying AWAY from SDN!! Apparently, all posters to SDN are MENSA members. If you don't have >3.9cGPA and 38 MCAT, SDN is not the place for you.
ReplyDeleteI should be getting my MCAT results back on the 30th. I may be in the minority that didn't find the MCAT nearly as challenging as the practice exams. However, I only had a rudimentary knowledge of Orgo, so I'm not expecting miracles.
I got so neurotic about checking for my scores that I finally just wrote a program to check the MCAT site for me every hour and text me when they are available :) I know... I'm crazy. I am a glutton for instant results.
Pass, Fail, or otherwise, I will be sure to share my score.
OLDMDGIRL. You're right. What I meant to say is that there are people in every category that feel like they bombed it... regardless of how they actually did. Not that no one feels good coming out of the MCAT. And that your feelings do not necessarily correlate to how you did. The last time I took my exam I felt ok. A friend of mine was VERY sure she did well and did terrible. Another friend thought he bombed it and got 36R.
ReplyDeleteThis was copied directly from a letter I wrote to a person... so I kinda forgot to tailor it to the masses.
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrote "I'd be worried if you felt totally secure" I was referencing him bc his practice test scores were low. Although I think COMPLETE security walking out of the MCAT may be indicative of pathology in itself.
Oh, and I agree. Practice exams were much harder. I scored 1-2 pts lower on every practice exam than I did on the real thing. Guess they wouldn't be all that effective if they were easier, eh?
ReplyDeleteI certainly didn't feel as good as I wanted to feel. I was expecting this great weight to be lifted when I was done, and it just didn't feel that way at ALL. I basically went home and passed out. Not very celebratory I have to say.
ReplyDeleteElla do you really feel like the MCAT covers the foundations of medicine?
ReplyDeleteOther than basic biology, I have never once had any of the material on the MCAT help me answer a single clinical question. The Physics, Organic, and Chem on the exam is absolutely useless information to a practicing MD. The only thing it does is wastes a year of your life to prove that you can do difficult work.
MCAT scores have no bearing on any future medical skill.
It is important the pre-meds realize that this is a random hoop they are forced to jump through. Don't cry if you aren't great at Organic. You'll never use that crap. Just figure out how to score well enough on the test to get into med school and learn the real stuff there.
Otherwise, your advice is brilliant.
Definitely NOTa clinical foundation. But a scientific foundation, yes. I have not yet figured out how most of the physics course fits into the equation, but the bio, chem, and even o-chem to a certain degree DEFINITELY came in handy when I did biochem, genetics, micro, physio., etc.
ReplyDeleteI definitely felt like I bombed the MCAT when I walked out of the test. I ended up doing fine and getting into med school. Definitely not worth panicking until you at least know your score.
ReplyDeleteUpdate - just found out I got a 24Q. Not wonderful, but I'm quite satisfied considering I haven't had ochem or physiology. I'll still be applying... Worst they can say is no right?
ReplyDeleteHi I just wrote my third MCAT exam. I did okay on the second one, enough to get interviews for two medical schools (29O), but unfortunately I did not get in. I have a really bad feeling I bombed this last test too. I just can't seem to do well on them! I am a really strong test taker as is apparent with my GPA but the MCAT is just different. I am re-applying this year, but I really have no idea how it will go. I am taking a year off (I just graduated from undergrad) to volunteer abroad and really prepare myself for the long road ahead. I really want to get into medical school, but I'm finding the process exceptionally difficult. Any advice?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your advice. I think everyone should read this blog after they take the MCAT. I just took my second MCAT and I think I did just as horrible as the first time. I was feeling really depressed until I came upon your blog.
ReplyDeleteHey, Nice blog, what was your Mcat score just out of curiosity. I got a 29R and didn't get anywhere....I'm retaking. I applied to 11 medical schools and denied to all however, 1 offered and interview in which I was denied over.
ReplyDeleteWhat should I do now? Re-take?
I got in with a 28 but it was on early decision. If you can do it over and improve then go for it!
ReplyDelete