The Med School Pulse

June 1^st will be here before we know it.  Every year the opening day for submission of the AMCAS application comes and pre-meds apply to medical schools across the country in hopes of a coveted spot to continue the journey in their medical education.

This past month the International Journal of Medical Education released a an article The undergraduate premedical experience in the United States: a critical review that raises some interesting points for pre-meds to consider as they begin to gear up for application season.

Some important points to highlight from the journal shows empirical evidence insists that …

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 …

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 …

As you’re already well aware, there’s a lot of science that you need to learn as a pre-med student. From physics to chemistry to biology, the number of laws, equations and concepts for you to understand and memorize can seem daunting, so it’s important that you find an easy and effective way to internalize those facts. While many students turn to handy mnemonics like RED CAT (for electrochemistry) and Kung Pao Chicken Over Fresh Green Sprouts (for taxonomy), I find that many students also enjoy learning about the stories behind how a certain principle or phenomenon was discovered and …

It’s 1:00 am and the library is really starting to clear out. You are starting to think about heading home, however, that dreaded organic chemistry exam in the morning has you thinking you should stay for a couple more hours. As you start to nod off, your friend from class mentions they have a “magic pill”; this pill allows them to stay up all night long studying at an even faster rate than they ever have before AND they are awake for their morning exam!

In colleges all across the country, and especially in the hyper-competitive pre-med world, this situation …