Major Cause of Anxiety Test

Okay, maybe that's not what MCAT stands for, but it may as well.  I figured it's about time I write about something medical, as this blog is supposed to be about becoming a doctor as it goes along with Navy life.  So far it has mostly been about Navy life.  The Navy has a funny way of stealing the spotlight like that.

I am done with my Masters coursework!  I am just a thesis away from a Masters in Medical Science.  I should be way more excited, but it only feels like a slight weight lifted off my shoulders, compared to what lies ahead, as I prepare to take the MCAT in June.

The MCAT and I are no strangers to one another, but I wouldn't call us friends either.  I first took the MCAT during winter break of my senior year of college.  I spent about a month studying on my own and got a 29.  The summer after graduating college I attempted again.  This time I spent about 3 months studying, knew every detail that I needed to know for the test...  and got a 28.

The MCAT is a tricky test.  It's out of 45 points (3 sections- 15 points each), but scoring in the 40's is pretty much unheard of.  The goal is to be in the 30's to get into med school.  It requires a lot of content knowledge, but a lot of test-taking skill as well.  I had the content down pat last time, but obviously not the test-taking bit.  I am hoping that I am doing enough things differently this go-round to do better.  My masters coursework should help a lot.  I already did pretty well on the biology section, but I should do even better with the knowledge I've gained.  I think that having taken physiology will improve my physics score as well, because now I know WHY I need to know about electricity and fluid dynamics.   AND I am taking a prep course this time.  Our graduate program organized a special physics and organic chemistry review over the next 2 months.  So, I've decided that if my score doesn't improve this time, then it's just not meant to be.

I'm building a collection.