The Underdogs Guide to Medical School

MCAT Study Guide: A 75 Day Schedule

Taking on the MCAT

Doing well on the MCAT is definitely one of the most challenging tasks in preparing for medical school. Studying for the MCAT was an intense experience for me, but it payed off because I did it right. Proper attitude and planning is required to succeed; you might really want to quit your job to study for this. I spent about 6-8 hours per day studying and doing passages; it was my full-time job. Be confident. This is your dream! This is the schedule I used. I hope you find it helpful!

Materials Needed:
The Berkeley Review Physics
The Berkeley Review Organic Chemistry
The Berkeley Review General Chemistry
The Berkeley Review Biology
Exam Krackers Biology
Exam Krackers 101 Passages in MCAT Verbal Reasoning
Exam Krackers 1001 Questions in Physics
Exam Krackers 1001 Questions in Organic Chemistry
Exam Krackers 1001 Questions in General Chemistry
Exam Krackers 1001 Questions in Biology
AAMC Full-Length (FL) Practice MCAT Exams (Exams 3-10)

I used Berkeley Review MCAT prep books for Physics, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. Exam Krackers was my Biology bible, and I purchased EK 1001 Questions in all four subjects. EK is succinct and has great Bio In-Class exams in their books (buy unused/unmarked!). I also highly recommend using EK verbal 101 for all of your verbal needs. Do verbal passages every day, and don’t be surprised to see your score steadily increase but over a long time period.

I recommend using Berkeley Review and Exam Krackers because they worked well for me and for many others. Other MCAT prep books, including The Princeton Review Series, have had great outcomes with other students. There are, however, many testimonies about how well the book setup I used has proven to result in MCAT scores well over 30. Most test takers agree that Berkeley Review (BR), Exam Krackers (EK), and The Princeton Review (TPR) prep books prepared them better for the MCAT than did Kaplan MCAT prep books.

BR teaches you how to find an answer without finishing a calculation or how to create formulas without plugging in numbers, and BR has practice passages that reflect the actual MCAT very well. EK Verbal 101 gives you endurance and real MCAT verbal passages.

The following is a 75-day schedule. Most people score best with about 90 days of rigorous preparation. The reason this schedule is so valuable is because it will keep you in check as you study. You will be pushed with this schedule, and you will learn a ton. You will learn not only all the material the MCAT expects you to know, but you will also learn fantastic strategies to help you take on difficult and unfamiliar test questions.

Please feel free to give yourself one break day per week. I had to cram a bit, and looking back, I would only change one thing - adding more breaks. Breaks give your brain time to recoup and process everything you have been learning. They also allow you to spend time with friends, and friends are important because they give you the support you need to take on such a huge task.

Don’t forget to do 3-5 verbal passages at the start of each day except break and FL days, as your MCAT test will start with verbal. Also, time your passages and review EVERY answer in both your BR/EK passages and your practice MCATs. Additionally, NEVER retake practice exams.

The recommended timing for each topic is as follows:
BR passages: 6-7 minutes per passage, aim at 6 minutes
EK 30-minute exams
EK 1001, except Bio series: 30 seconds to 1 minute per question
EK Verbal 101/TPR Verbal: 6-7 minutes per passage, aim at 6 minutes
EK Bio 1001: 6-7 minutes per passage, aim at 6 minutes and 30 seconds to a minute per discrete
AAMC FLs: Use their timing

Here is the 75-day schedule I used. Feel free to mold it to fit your style and preferences, but do push yourself. Take breaks as you need them, and do not try to cram all this into 2 months or less; you will burnout. If you have any questions or comments, just let me know!

Schedule:
Day 1: BR Physics Chapter #1 + Every 2nd passage of the corresponding passages for this chapter (1/2)
Day 2: BR Gen Chem Chapter #1 + 1/2
Day 3: BR O-Chem Chapter #1 + 1/2
Day 4: EK Biology Chapter #1 + 1/2 of the corresponding passages in the BR Bio book - you will have to match them up as best as you can.
Day 5: BR Physics Chapter #2 + 1/2
Day 6: Re-read ALL of the previous chapters. Additionally, work through corresponding EK 1001 sections for the chapters you worked through. Also, only do every 2nd problem/passage in the EK 1001s. Lastly, complete the in-class exam for EK Bio chapter 1. This day’s work will be abbreviated: “Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam”
Day 7: BR Gen Chem Chapter #2 + 1/2
Day 8: BR O-Chem Chapter #2 + 1/2
Day 9: EK Bio Chapter #2 + 1/2
Day 10: BR Physics Chapter #3 + 1/2
Day 11: BR Gen Chem Chapter #3 + 1/2
Day 12: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 13: BR O-Chem Chapter #3 + 1/2
Day 14: EK Bio Chapter #3 + 1/2
Day 15: BR Physics Chapter #4 + 1/2
Day 16: BR Gen Chem Chapter #4 + 1/2
Day 17: Break
Day 18: BR O-Chem Chapter #5 + 1/2
Day 19: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 20: EK Bio Chapter #4 + 1/2
Day 21: BR Physics Chapter #5 + 1/2
Day 22: BR Gen Chem Chapter #5 + 1/2
Day 23: BR O-Chem Chapter #6 + 1/2
Day 24: EK Bio Chapter #5 + 1/2
Day 25: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 26: BR Physics Chapter #6 + 1/2
Day 27: BR Gen Chem Chapter #6 + 1/2
Day 28: BR O-Chem Chapter #7 + 1/2
Day 29: EK Bio Chapter #6 + 1/2
Day 30: BR Physics Chapter #7 + 1/2
Day 31: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 32: BR Gen Chem Chapter #7 + 1/2
Day 33: BR O-Chem Chapter #8 + 1/2
Day 34: EK Bio Chapter #7 + 1/2
Day 35: BR Physics Chapter #8 + 1/2
Day 36: BR Gen Chem Chapter #8 + 1/2
Day 37: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 38: Break
Day 39: EK Bio Chapter #8 + 1/2
Day 40: BR Physics Chapter #9 + 1/2
Day 41: BR Gen Chem Chapter #9 + 1/2
Day 42: EK Bio Chapter #9 + 1/2
Day 43: BR Physics Chapter #10 + 1/2
Day 44: BR Gen Chem Chapter #10 + 1/2
Day 45: Re-read chapters + EK 1001 + EK Bio In-class exam
Day 46: Catch up! Review flashcards and formulas
Day 47: Break
Day 48: EK Bio Chapter #9 + 1/2
Day 49: BR Gen Chem Chapter #10 + 1/2
Day 50: Last 1/2 of BR passages and 1001 Qs for Chapters 1
Day 51: Last 1/2 of BR passages and 1001 Qs for Chapters 2
Day 52: AAMC FL #3
Day 53: Review FL per guidelines + 1/2 Chapters 3
Day 54: Review FL + 1/2 Chapters 4
Day 55: Break
Day 56: 1/2 Chapters 5
Day 57: 1/2 Chapters 6
Day 58: Break
Day 59: AAMC #4
Day 60: Review FL + 1/2 Chapters 7
Day 61: Review FL + 1/2 Chapters 8
Day 62: AAMC #5
Day 63: Review FL + 1/2 Chapters 9
Day 64: Review FL + 1/2 Chapters 10
Day 65: Break
Day 66: AAMC FL #6
Day 67: Review FL
Day 68: AAMC #7
Day 69: Review FL
Day 70: AAMC #8
Day 71: Review FL
Day 72: AAMC #9
Day 73: Review FL
Day 74: AAMC #10
Day 75: Review FL

Take a break for a few days.

Day 80: MCAT

Take it one step at a time and be confident. You can do it!

Book Review: Cutting for Stone

I just finished reading Cutting For Stone, by Abraham Verghese, and it was fantastic! My mom actually read it and recommended it to me, but it turns out that as of March 13, 2011, Cutting for Stone ranks #2 on the New York Times trade paperback fiction list! My mom told me she has come to understand and admire me and my vocation by reading the book; it really shows the reader what a passionate, patient-focused physician thinks like and strives for.

Although it’s written as a fiction book, it’s based on a lot of autobiographical and historical information that is nonfiction. For instance, Dr. Verghese writes in the book how he grew up in Ethiopia with Indian parents and was greatly impacted by the political unrest in Ethiopia. That’s all true, and he uses many real, thrilling, and inspirational experiences in his book. He writes with such style; I was totally absorbed in his book!

This novel is written in Marion Praise Stone’s voice as he narrates an impressive story of his birth along with that of his twin brother, of life growing up in the shadow of a missionary hospital in Ethiopia, of gradually increasing political turmoil in the country, and ultimately the life of an migrant American physician. I don’t want to give away too much, but this novel really gave me a peak into what it might be like as an outsider, a foreigner to the field of medicine in a different country. Cutting for Stone deals with both the personal and professional aspects of Marion’s life; it gives the reader a good idea of what studying and/or actively working physicians deal with as crises arise both in one’s family and workplace. It exposes everyday hospital life to the reader as well as gets into the personal mind of a physician, something very unlikely to accomplish by simply shadowing physicians.

Life is an interesting journey and a breath-taking adventure for those who pursue their dream in the medical profession, and Cutting for Stone does an excellent job of encapsulating that in a page-turning way. This is an excellent read to prepare one for medical school!

Cutting for Stone on Amazon, or you can find it in the Shop. ‘Til next time!

The Purpose of The Underdog’s Guide to Medical School

Hey Everyone,

I am very excited about this blog and my website! Let me tell you what I intend it to be! The Underdog’s Guide to Medical School is a comprehensive yet succinct site that exists to help students gain entry into medical school! Whether you are innately brilliant or an underdog, this website is crammed with pivotal information, regardless of where you are in your voyage - in high school, at college, preparing for the MCAT, or preparing for an interview!

Truthfully, I wish I had this compendious information when I was in your shoes! This website contains some of my first-hand experiences, and is chock-full of crucial information and material that will help you run with the big dogs and make your medical school dream a reality. Please use my advice as it works best for you. Mold it to fit your style of studying, networking, living, etc. This is your dream, and only you can make it happen.

I plan on updating and posting regularly. This product is not finished - and never will be. Please comment or give me feedback so I can improve the information that I am providing. In my next post I will write about a book that I recently finished, I think it might be of interest to you! I hope you all have a great weekend!