Guide to Medical School and the McAt

This book is the first book you'll want to purchase when thinking of applying to medical school. It provides you with important information to help you succeed in being accepted to medical school. It also provides and overview of the most critical components of the MCAT exam, and it provides a full-length MCAT practice exam, helps you analyze your score, and provides guidance concerning your personal areas of strength and weakness.

LIST OF TABLES

xi

(2)

PREFACE

xiii

(2)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

xv

(2)

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

xvii

PART 1 Medical School Admissions

3

(118)

CHAPTER 1 Is Medicine the Career for You?

3

(4)

ADVANTAGES OF A MEDICAL CAREER

3

(2)

DISADVANTAGES OF A MEDICAL CAREER

5

(1)

MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS IN MEDICINE

6

(1)

CHAPTER 2 Preparing for Medical School

7

(15)

HIGH SCHOOL--IT'S NOT TOO EARLY

7

(2)

CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLLEGE AND CURRICULUM

9

(4)

PREHEALTH AND PREMEDICAL CLUBS

13

(1)

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS AND PREMEDICAL PROGRAMS

13

(5)

PREMEDICAL ADVISORS AND FACULTY

18

(1)

RESIDENCY

19

(3)

CHAPTER 3 Medical Education: What It's All About?

22

(5)

TRADITIONAL VERSUS ALTERNATIVE CURRICULA

22

(1)

MD VERSUS MD/PHD PROGRAMS

23

(1)

MEDICAL LICENSING EXAMINATIONS

24

(1)

SPECIALTIES AND RESIDENCIES

25

(1)

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

26

(1)

CHAPTER 4 What Is Medical School Like?

27

(2)

HARD WORK AND ENLIGHTENMENT

27

(1)

THE BASIC SCIENCE YEARS

27

(1)

THE CLINICAL SCIENCE YEARS

28

(1)

CHAPTER 5 The Future of Medicine

29

(3)

CHAPTER 6 Requirements for Admission to Medical School

32

(4)

CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE

32

(1)

REQUIRED COLLEGE COURSES

33

(1)

REQUIRED GPA

33

(1)

REQUIRED MCAT SCORES

34

(1)

VOLUNTEER OR WORK EXPERIENCE

34

(1)

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

34

(1)

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMIC CRITERIA AND PERSONAL SKILLS

34

(1)

SKEWED ADMISSION STANDARDS

35

(1)

CHAPTER 7 How To Pay for Medical School

36

(21)

THE COST OF MEDICAL SCHOOL

36

(1)

SOURCES OF FUNDING

36

(1)

SCHOLARSHIPS

37

(4)

ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS FUNDS

41

(4)

MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY PROGRAMS

45

(1)

PARENTS WITH MILITARY SERVICE

46

(1)

PRIVATE OR ORGANIZATIONAL LOANS

47

(2)

LOANS TO GRADUATING STUDENTS

49

(1)

RESEARCH AWARDS

49

(5)

LOANS THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL

54

(2)

LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS

56

(1)

INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS

56

(1)

CHAPTER 8 The Application Process

57

(48)

AMCAS SCHOOLS

57

(3)

NON-AMCAS SCHOOLS

60

(1)

THE APPLICATION

60

(5)

THE PERSONAL STATEMENT

65

(6)

APPLICATION SCHEDULE

71

(2)

EARLY DECISION PROGRAMS

73

(3)

SELECTING SCHOOLS TO APPLY TO

76

(11)

THE SECONDARY APPLICATION

87

(1)

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

88

(2)

THE INTERVIEW

90

(15)

CHAPTER 9 Not Accepted? The Options

105

(16)

REAPPLICATION: HOW TO INCREASE THE CHANCE OF ACCEPTANCE

105

(1)

POSTBACCALAUREATE AND ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS

106

(1)

OSTEOPATHY AND OTHER HEALTH-RELATED FIELDS

107

(8)

FOREIGN MEDICAL SCHOOLS

115

(6)

PART 2 The MCAT

121

(138)

CHAPTER 10 Preparing for the MCAT

121

(2)

CHAPTER 11 The MCAT

123

(9)

OVERVIEW

123

(1)

VERBAL REASONING SECTION

124

(2)

BIOLOGIC AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE SECTIONS

126

(1)

WRITING SAMPLE

127

(3)

SCORING

130

(2)

CHAPTER 12 Practice MCAT

132

(58)

CHAPTER 13 Scoring of the Practice MCAT

190

(11)

OBTAINING RAW AND SCALED SCORES

190

(4)

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONVERSION TO MCAT SCALED SCORES

194

(1)

ANALYSIS OF THE VERBAL REASONING SECTION

195

(1)

ANALYSIS OF THE SCIENCE SECTIONS

196

(4)

ANALYSIS OF THE WRITING SAMPLE SECTION

200

(1)

CHAPTER 14 Review Methods and Study Skills for the MCAT

201

(25)

REVIEW METHODS

201

(3)

TIME MANAGEMENT

204

(2)

STUDY GROUPS

206

(1)

NOTE-TAKING TECHNIQUES

207

(4)

PROBLEM-SOLVING METHODS

211

(2)

MNEMONICS

213

(3)

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

216

(10)

CHAPTER 15 Test-Taking Techniques for the MCAT

226

(24)

MULTIPLE-CHOICE TESTS

226

(1)

DEFINING WORDS IN QUESTIONS

227

(1)

TEST-TAKING TECHNIQUES

228

(3)

BEFORE THE TEST

231

(2)

DURING THE TEST

233

(7)

MARKING KEY ELEMENTS OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

240

(2)

THE VERBAL REASONING AND SCIENCE SECTIONS

242

(2)

GUESSING STRATEGIES

244

(1)

THE WRITING SAMPLE SECTION

245

(5)

CHAPTER 16 MCAT Review Courses and Materials

250

(4)

SELF-STUDY FOR THE MCAT

251

(1)

MCAT PREPARATION PROGRAMS

252

(2)

CHAPTER 17 Relaxation Training To Reduce Anxiety

254

(5)

HOW TO PERFORM THE TRAINING EXERCISE

255

(1)

RELAXATION TRAINING EXERCISE

255

(4)

APPENDICES

259

(28)

A ADDRESSES AND ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO

259

(22)

B ACCEPTANCE TO MEDICAL SCHOOL BY MAJOR (1994-1995 ENTERING CLASS)

281

(1)

C TUTION AND FEES FOR MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO

282

(5)

INDEX

287

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Guide to Medical School and the McAt

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Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials