The Med School Pulse

It’s that time of year again- when people daydream of valentines, candy hearts, roses and romantic gestures. While you, intrepid pre-med student, are preoccupied with daydreams about physics equations, the intricacies of mitosis vs. meiosis and the trends on the periodic table. As the commercials say, “every kiss begins with Kay” and you begin to wonder which K? Ksp? Keq? Temperature in Kelvin? As February 14^th rolls around, you think- How can I possibly have time for a hot date on Valentine’s Day? Surely I must spend this day of romance alone and wallowing in MCAT-studying induced self-pity.

That’s …

If you’re like me, you spent last night watching the first Presidential debate of the 2012 election season.  Certainly with such big issues as healthcare and insurance reform on the table, we all as physicians-to-be have an important stake in this election.  Regardless of which side you’re on (or if you’re undecided!), statistics certainly play a crucial role in any presidential candidate’s platform.  With a shrewd mind, and our critical thinking skills, we can start to make sense of these statistics – and many others – that we face every day.

Two weeks ago, we took a look at …

Chances are that if you’re reading this blog, you’re probably already thinking about applying to medical school; what you may not have considered, however, is which schools you’ll be applying to. Students often being the admissions process with only a rough idea of the schools they’re interested in – or alternatively, plan to apply to nearly every school.

Talk to any current medical school applicant and they’ll tell you that even the process of applying to medical school can be expensive. Primary and secondary application fees, travel expenses, and interview attire add up to make the application process a …

“One week from right now I will be in my MCAT….” That thought has haunted many pre-med minds in the week before test day; after spending months and months on your MCAT preparation, the idea of actually taking the exam can be an emotional roller coaster. Managing stress in the days leading up to the test is vital, and the best thing that one can do when preparing in the final week is to remember a few key points:

• Establish a Regular Sleep Schedule – If your test is at 8:00 in the morning, it is going to

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Earlier this month the Association of American Medical Colleges formally approved the first major content changes to the MCAT since the test was last revised in 1991. Since the AAMC’s announcement there has been a flurry of discussion about the new exam as students, pre-medical advisors, and medical schools all attempt to understand how they will be affected, and what they can do now to start preparing.

The first step in preparing is naturally to understand exactly what the changes will entail. While the AAMC has published a 150-page MCAT²⁰¹⁵ Preview Guide that details exactly what the new test …

In our last two articles, we’ve introduced several tips and schedules to help you find study time in your packed premed schedule. Now, in our final entry of the Ideal MCAT Study Schedule series we are going to discuss the best way to approach your study materials to get the most out of those precious study sessions.

Looking back on the sample schedules we discussed last time, you should note that we are trying to get in at least 20 hours of studying a week; at some point during those 20 hours, you should try to fit in at least:…

In my last post we discussed several tips for making the most of the limited study time that you have available as a premed. Now, in Part 2 of our series on the Ideal MCAT Study Schedule we’ll take a look at three different types of premeds and how each can properly utilize a day to get the most out of their studying.

One quick note before we get started: you will notice in reading these I really make a point of taking active breaks. It is important to only study for a max of around 2-3 hours, unless …

I often get questions from my students about how to effectively schedule studying for the MCAT. With so many other drains on your time, trying to squeeze in 300+ additional hours of studying can seem like a daunting task, and it’s with that in mind that I would like to introduce this first entry in a three-part series dedicated to helping you build the “Ideal” Study Schedule.

While the notion of an “ideal” schedule will certainly change from person to person, there are a few constants that you’ll need to keep in mind. In our initial discussion I’d like …

Choosing your MCAT prep can be a difficult task in its own right, even before you crack open the books and start studying. Walk into any bookstore or search the internet for MCAT study materials, and you might be overwhelmed by the number of choices available to you. Throughout the years, people across all industries (academic, test-prep, self-help, etc.) have published study aids and materials meant to help students achieve their goals on the MCAT, and the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. To further frustrate your efforts, try asking a friend or classmate for recommendations on …

Many test takers look forward to the biology section of the MCAT. After laboring through the Physical Science and Verbal Sections, it’s nice to finally tackle some passages on topics with which many pre-meds are familiar and comfortable. It also happens to be the last section of the lengthy exam, and after over 3 hours of test-taking, you might hear a grumbling coming from your stomach; a grumbling might grow even louder if you happen upon a passage focusing on the commonly tested topic that is the digestive system.

As with many biology topics, it’s important to think …