Hello,
I was a premed student about 13 years ago. I completed most of my BPCMs except organic chemistry and biochemistry. I also took the MCAT and scored above the national average. However I only got one interview and was subsequently waitlisted. I figured it was because my gpa was 3.5. I needed the gpa boost but also wanted to challenge myself even more. So, I decided to get into the public health field, to gain more experience in population health. After years of working in hospitals and departments of health, I’m still drawn to becoming a medical doctor. I plan to take the MCAT this year for 2021 entry. However I have alot to catch up on before the test, since it’s been a while I dove into any of the BPCM subjects. Also, some of the schools that I’m interested in require BPCMs to be taken within 5 years from the application cycle. I spoke to a prehealth advisor, who recommended that I retake my prereqs before taking the MCAT or applying, but this would mean that I would take an additional year to apply for 2022. I don’t want to wait that long because I feel I’ve waited too long to pursue my dream. My question is should I take the prehealth advisor’s advice and wait to retake the MCAT or should I go ahead and take the MCAT once I’ve completed my content review and then retake the courses later this year and into the following year? My MCAT score from practice test was below the national average, but I was expecting that since I’m quite rusty and need to study up, but my prehealth advisor feels the low score indicates a foundational issue that will be remedied once I retake the courses. I believe I can self study and get the score I need. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.