I was wondering if anyone who has taken the real MCAT and done 30+ could tell me if they feel that I should take biochemistry, anatomy & physiology, and perhaps any other non-pre-req courses prior to taking the MCAT. Currently I am enrolled in a prep course and can tell from the practice tests/passages that it seems the extra knowledge would be beneficial. I am aiming to score at least a 33 on the MCAT. Thanks!
While not required to do well on the MCAT, I have always thought genetics is a good help and A&P is a good help. The material you see on the MCAT probably won’t be to that level, but the extra practice you get on topics like genetics will be helpful.
Sort of like this. You will know how to do Punnet squares from Intro Bio. But by the time you get out of Genetics Punnets will be like second nature.
Thanks for all your advice–on this post and the other one. Perhaps I will make sure I am a pro at all these sciences before taking the MCAT and postpone applying until another year. I guess I do need to remember it’s not a race but a marathon as some would say…in the end as long as I finish that’s all that matters!
The key is to only apply when you feel comfortable. The goal is to be a doctor not to be a doctor as quickly as possible. Little anecdote I had a representative of a DO school tell me that I could retake OChem 1&2 in the summer and take the MCAT in September and apply for 2011, last summer. It was tempting, but in the end I didn’t feel really comfortable with the idea. I was worried I would tank OChem in the summer, messing up my upward trend, and rushing into the MCAT. Doing that would probably surely have sunk me, but by just waiting a year I am now competitive for the MD schools in my state I am applying to and appear to be highly competitive for DO school. Seeing as you are applying in a very competitive state (TX), you want to be the best you on paper.
Also as an aside, life in Med-School is going to be pretty tough, an extra year of the “easy” pre-med life isn’t that bad. 
Thanks for the words of advice, wisdom, and encouragement! I guess I could look on the bright side of things like you said–that an extra year of being an undergrad would be much easier and perhaps I should enjoy it while I can! I would definitely not spend that extra time however watching Seinfeld reruns and eating bon-bons, lol, but would instead continue to do my thing–working, volunteering, shadowing, and researching. Alas, I guess this will just have to be a soul-searching decision. Thanks again & good luck with your apps!
- BaileyPup Said:
The goal is to be a doctor not to be a doctor as quickly as possible.
I always ask the question do you want to get into medical school or do you want to get into medical school quickly?
- BaileyPup Said:
I was worried I would tank OChem in the summer, messing up my upward trend, and rushing into the MCAT.
You made the right choice on that.
I can't tell you the number of people I try to explain this to. Attempting to do well in a killer course like Ochem, a course the adcoms do notice, in a compressed summer term and trying to prep for the MCAT and applying to med school that same summer is a scenario to crash and burn. Not only is risk in doing well, you have the risk of no recovery. These are the last things an oldpremed typically does before applying. imagine you did really well before a summer of Ochem and MCAT but blow those two items. You cant really go back and make up for it. Its like a fumble right before you about to cross the goal line for a touchdown
sorry had to rant there for a minute
Well I guess I would like to get into medical school as quickly as possible but I know that my timing is not always the rigth timting!