MCAT 2015 Prep

Here is my just over 2 month study guide plan. I will be adding on to it as I go. Wish me luck!

Week 1: What do I know? What do I think I know? What am I clueless about?
I wanted to figure out what I knew, and what I was going to need to learn or relearn conceptually. The best way to do that is to wade through a bunch of concepts and vocab to figure that out. From there, I will map out the concepts that I need to focus on and work those into the rest of my study time. In addition, from discussions with current medical school students and doctors, it seems that the MCAT focuses more on can you figure it out and less on did you memorize it. So, I am including some logic training into my MCAT prep. I have not seen this anywhere else, but it makes sense to me to add it. 

Day 1: Biology: What do you know? What don't you know?

Spent the morning working through the vocab/concept questions on WikiPreMed.
VOCAB QUIZ

Spent the rest of the afternoon looking up the vocab I was unclear on and creating flash cards on Quizlet. Over 200 cards. Thought my thumbs were going to fall off from typing.

FLASHCARDS

Quick break to put together dinner for my husband and kids. Then I wrapped up the day by reviewing Glycolysis, Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex, Fermentation, The Kreb's Cycle, and the Electron Transport Chain. 

To end the night, I finished off with a review on the MIT OpenCourseware Series that focused on Glycolysis, Fermentation, etc. It was great because there was ~40 minute video and an interactive quiz.

MIT BIO COURSE

Day 2: Review Day 1 and Start Physics:

Spent the morning reviewing the entire metabolic pathway. Reviewed videos and drew out entire pathway. Checked out out some additional info on Glycolysis. Worked my way through the entire pathway forwards and backwards.

Glycolysis
Oxidation of Pyruvate (PDC)
Kreb's Cycle
Glucose Metabolism
Final Glycolysis Notes

Took a lunch break. I think it's important to stop for a few minutes. Some sources recommend study for 50 minutes and then take a 10 minute break That is too frequently for me. It takes me to long to get back in the zone. I study for 2-4 hours, and then take a 10-30 minute break.

In the afternoon, I buckled down and broke out the physics. I already know that this is a weak area for me. So I am skipping the what do you know process and jumping right into learning and relearning.

Topics that I focused on include: Velocity, Acceleration, Displacement Curves, Free Fall Motion, Uniform Acceleration Motion, and Projectile Motion.

Worked through Translational Kinematic problems using MIT Opencourseware on Classical Physics.

Watched the videos on MCAT4ME. Be sure to work through each problem with paper and pencil to develop muscle memory. There is a great section about interpreting graphs on the MCAT.

Using flashcards I practiced memorizing the equations for uniform acceleration of motion. I also worked on flashcards to help memorize key concepts that I learned/relearned by watching the videos.


Day 3: Tried Something New: 
Worked through a Physics Review, then started on General Chemistry.

Today I was joined by a study partner. Very excited there is another nerd that is focused on the MCAT. We chatted about strategy and developed a game plan for the day. Due to this, I got off to a late start.

Started reviewing the physics flashcards I created yesterday on kinematic equations and interpreting graphs.  Followed that up with reviewing all of the physics topics listed on PreMedHQ. Had a combination of videos to drive home the topics covered yesterday.  My study partner was kind enough to share an equation sheet developed by a physics professor. Took a quick break, and then spent the rest of the morning doing practice problems.

Day 4: Took a Personal Day

I promised myself when I started this journey that I would still have a life. Politics is something I am passionate about, so one day each week, I am planning to help with a local Congressional Campaign. This is important to me. It provides me with the opportunity to decompress, talk to other adults, and be part of something that is energetic and in the present. It helps to refuel my mind.

Now, just because I took a personal day, does not mean that there was no MCAT review. Using an AAMC MCAT question book, I worked through 2 Verbal Passages, 2 Biological Science Passages, 2 Physical Science Passages, and then read two articles in Science Magazine. Gotta keep the juices flowing.

Day 5: Took a Mom Day

I may have forgotten to mention that Christmas is less than four days away. So this morning I had to be a wife and mom. That meant running errands for my husband, gathering sausage making supplies, catching lunch with a dear friend, and then dropping into school to deliver Christmas presents to the kid's teachers. This year it was coffee mugs with a chocolate dipped spoon decorated with Frosty made of marshmallows, packaged with hot chocolate, and wrapped up with name tags. After dropping off presents, picking up kids, they took some time at the local Boys and Girls Club while I finished running Christmas errands. After that, we came home, had dinner with Dad, watched a movie (I fell asleep), put the kids to bed, and then out came the MCAT work.

I worked through several passages online through MCAT Question. They are a great place for practice problems. You can sign up to receive via email a question per day. Then they have a Q bank that contains passage questions. I worked through these until I feel asleep.  Long day!