The End Of The Gap Year

     If you've been following me, you know that I wrote about being half-way through my gap year back in December (You can find the post here). Now, that I will be starting my summer program with my medical school next week, I thought it would be the perfect time to summarize how the remainder of my gap year was and what else is coming for me.

     The past couple months have definitely been filled with a lot of growth and excitement (I'm sure you've been able to witness some of this in my monthly recap posts) and as the year has progressed, I've realized how good this year has been for me. When I made the decision to take a gap year, I didn't know what to expect. I had some tentative plans and I just hoped for the best. Honestly, I was a bit scared how I was going to justify this past year if I didn't make it a spectacular experience, but then I heard a really great piece of advice from a 4th-year medical student on Second Look Day. The topic didn't have to do with gap years, but with your summer between M1 and M2 year. You have the option to do a multitude of things during that summer, but if you decided to do nothing, that's okay. She said that if you are asked about why you spent your summer that way, you simply respond that you used the summer to take care of yourself and to regroup after your first year of medical school. When she said that, it really clicked with me because when I look back on it, that is exactly what I did this past year. 

     During undergrad, life had thrown me a couple curveballs and honestly, I never had the chance to regroup because I was constantly moving on to the next thing. I floated from school year to school year, graduation, a medical assistant program, and then finally, life slowed down to a steady pace. I was so glad I could finally catch my breath, but then I felt a bit guilty about it. When medical assisting didn't pan out for me, I felt like my year wasn't being put to good use. I had taken this gap year in order to put me in a good position for medical school and here I was wasting it. But, I was wrong. These past months might not have been filled with building my medical student resume, but they've been filled with building myself as a person. I have had the chance to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and prepare myself for everything that comes next for me.  I am so thankful that I've had the liberty to live life more freely and to not have had a hectic schedule for once. The next four years will be filled with plenty of that. I found out new things that I really enjoy and I was also able to start this blog which is something that I had put on hold for years. In my mind, I have built a solid foundation that I can now use as I go on to the nitty gritty of my journey.

     Next on my journey, I will be spending the next six weeks doing a summer pre-matriculation program (SPP). The program will give us an overview of the classes that we will be taking our first year of medical school (Biochemistry, Gross Anatomy, Histology, and Physiology) and will also allow us to build connections with some of our classmates. The really cool part is that I will be living on campus, so I'll have the opportunity to get to know the campus before I actually start medical school. Also, It'll be really nice to be able to see how classes will be structured, so that come August, I can hit the ground running. Was this program originally a part of my plan? No, but I am excited to see what comes of it. I'm also super excited to be getting a taste of being a medical student. The past couple years I've been dreaming of having the chance to study medicine, and now my chance is here. It feels surreal. For the blog, I'm hoping that now that I will be doing more medical related things, I will have more to post, but I am also not sure what my schedule will be like. I intend to try my hardest to keep my Tuesday/Thursday post days, but if not, I'll at least try to do one day a week. I also want to get into vlogging for my YouTube channel. I want to be able to share my journey as a medical student and I think vlogs will allow me to show you a bit more into my life as a student.

     To summarize my experience, I want to explain why I chose the picture above. This past year, I've really come to enjoy hiking and my most recent trip with Elida was definitely one of my favorites. We spent part of our trip navigating through a canyon and a majority of the "trail" involved hopping over rocks to get to across. There were many times that I didn't know if I was going to make it over to the next rock without falling into the creek and the adrenaline made it super exciting. If I had fallen, the worst that could happen was that I would get soaked, as the water wasn't that deep, but preventing that from happening just made it all the more fun and challenging. At some points in the trail, we were forced to think of ways to get across because we had just struggled to get to where we were standing and going back was not an option. It was a bit funny because I pointed out to Elida that this trip was a metaphor for life and in particular my journey as a medical student. I've done a lot to get myself to this point in my life. Turning back isn't an option and although the path ahead might not exactly be clear,  I just need to take a moment and it'll come to me. Likewise, you might not know what to expect from life, but don't let the fear of uncertainty ever stop you.

     I hope you are having a great start to your week and I will be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

A Note On The Personal Statement

     As I've been trying to plan out what I want to write about for those of you preparing to apply to medical school, I came to the realization that I had not yet touched on one of the most important parts, the personal statement. I'll be honest, I've been avoiding this topic for a bit because it was honestly something that I personally struggled with, but as it is important I wanted to discuss it a bit.

The Struggle of The Personal Statement

     

     I'm sure I wasn't the only one that struggled with writing their personal statement because, like me, many pre-meds don't have a single defining moment that influenced their decision to pursue a career in medicine. For many of us, the decision was a culmination various interests, personal experience, and curiosity. So, how can one capture that in one essay? It's rather difficult. Apart from that, the personal statement creates quite a bit of pressure because it is one of the first things that your potential medical school will read and may use to decide whether you have what it takes to become a doctor. But, with all of that involved, writing a good personal statement is still possible. 

Telling Your Story

     The best thing that I can advise you to do is not to think about what medical schools would want to hear, but rather to tell the story of what made you want to pursue this career and what keeps you motivated to continue with it. Your story certainly doesn't have to be extraordinary (i.e. You didn't have to have an epiphany while serving at a mission in India.), but I recommend that you try to make it as unique to you as possible. For me, it took quite a bit of thinking, but when I finally pieced together my story I was very proud of it.

Writing Tips

     During the process of writing my own personal statement, I came upon a few tips that helped me. So, I wanted to share the ones that I remember.

  1. Make It Engaging

      You have to remember that the admissions person that is reading your essay has read hundreds of others. If it is boring, you won't be memorable and your essay might get overlooked. Focus on keeping your reader engaged throughout the essay (with an emphasis on a strong beginning and end) by telling your story in an engaging way. I wrote mine as if I was telling an actual story and I think that is what helped mine stand out (or at least I assume so).

2. Keep It Short

     Going along with the first tip, essay readers have read several personal statements before picking up yours. If you happen to make yours as verbose as possible, I'm sure they'll get annoyed. Try to say what you have to say with as few words as possible. You'll be forced to ensure that you are utilizing quality over quantity and essay readers will be thankful you opted out of using every word in the dictionary.

3. Read Samples

     Taking the time to read what other people have written for their personal statements can be incredibly beneficial. For one, you'll be familiar with the general format of a personal statement and through reading several of them you'll be able to learn what makes them engaging. I read quite a few before attempting to write my own. Of course, this tip doesn't mean to go out and copy what someone else has written, but instead utilize them to get in the mindset to write your own unique statement.

4. Try To Avoid Pre-med Cliches

 
       A subject people will gravitate to when writing a personal statement for medical school is talking about a sick person they have encountered in their life that made them decide to pursue medicine. Another topic is talking about how you want to save people. Truth is, we all might've had that influential "patient" and we all want to save people. That's why we are pursuing medicine. I am not saying these aren't valid reasons, but that they tend to be overused. Try to write your statement with less of a direct focus on these topics and on instead focused on you. Also, be specific to medicine. There are many jobs that would allow you to help people, so why are you choosing medicine in particular.

     With all of that in mind, I advise writing from the heart. If you are pursuing this career, you are definitely passionate about it. If you approach your writing with this in mind, it'll definitely show through. 

     I hope you are having a great start to your week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

Preparing For Medical School Interviews

     With regards to the application cycle, it is a bit early to be thinking about interviews. But, as this was a question that I was recently asked on one of my YouTube videos, I figured that I would take the time to answer it again on my blog.

Know Yourself

     When it comes to interview prep, I would start by being knowledgeable with what you are writing on your applications. This was a piece of advice that my friend Alissa gave me before I interviewed and I believe it was rather valuable. Of course, medical schools want you to write about what you like to do outside of school, but they'll also like to ask you about it. When I was at my last interview, my interviewer asked me about running (I wrote about it for one of my short essay questions and it was also listed as one of my hobbies). It was slightly awkward because I am currently nowhere near where I used to be with my running, but I talked about running with her anyway. 

     Another thing, know how you would answer things about yourself. Something that I noticed across interviews was that schools like to ask "situational questions" in order to get a better sense of your character. You might encounter some of these on secondary applications. They'll have the format of, "Tell us about a time..." and if you are asked this type of question during an interview, you'll have to quickly come up with your answer. During my first interview, I was not adequately prepared for these types of questions. I don't exactly remember what I was asked, but I know I hesitated a bit trying to decide what I should answer. I tried to answer the question as best as I could. Honestly, I thought I could've done a much better job. But hey, I was still accepted. So, I wouldn't say that you need to go look up every question that you might be asked (maybe look up a few to be familiar with the format), but definitely know how you would go about answering similar on-the-spot questions. I know this might sound a bit nerdy, but something that I did to prepare for my interviews was to practice out loud. One question that you will be inevitably asked is "Why do you want to be a doctor?"I think it was helpful to be able to have an answer thought out, so I didn't have to scramble for an answer come interview time. So, practice your response to the difficult questions, but don't have a memorized answer. You don't want to make it seem like you have a rehearsed answer, but rather that you have given deep thought to the subject and can answer it.

Know The School

     Before an interview, I would spend some time looking over the school's website. I would try to find out as much about the program as I could. I would look up the curriculum and other things that made the school unique. The goal is to be able to speak about what draws you to the school and why you applied. When I interviewed at my Chicago school, I was asked about why I wanted to go there. Obviously, I had a billion reasons before even looking up the particulars for the school, but after getting familiar with what the school offered, I could pin point why this particular school was a good fit for me.

     Along with knowing the school, try to figure out their interview style. I know that different schools interview in different ways, so knowing what to expect before you walk in will be advantageous. For my first interview, It was two-on-one and the interview was conducted by two faculty members. My following interview, I had three one-on-one interviews. The first interviewer was a faculty member and the two others were students. To find out the school's interview style, I believe I googled "[School name] secondary application" and I happened to find the application cycle thread on The Student Doctor Network's forum. Applicants that have interviewed typically go on the forum and will say what the interview style was. So, finding out what the interview style will be like will help you know how to prepare.

Know What To Ask

     Almost every interview ends with, "Do you have any questions?" and your answer should always be yes. Even if you get the general grasp of the school, come up with things you'd like to know or want further clarification about. Asking questions about the school shows the interviewers that you are actually interested enough in the program that you want to know more about it. Asking questions can also help remove some of the interview tension as questions tend to be a bit more informal. This is great because it helps show a bit more of your personality that might've been left out because you were nervous during your interview. Also, this might be the place that you're going to spend the next four years of your life. You want to make sure that you are going to be happy attending this school.

What To Wear

     This section is geared more towards my ladies because for guys the attire is the expected suit and tie combo. For ladies, we have a plethora of options. When I was trying to figure out what I was going to wear for my interview, I tried to figure out what was appropriate. Either pants or a pencil skirt should be fine. I decided to go with pants, but many of the girls I interviewed with wore skirts. On top, a nice, dressy blouse or button up are the norm and not everyone wore a blazer. As far as shoes, wear something comfortable. Usually, part of interview day involves a tour of the school, so if you are not comfortable in heels, it won't be a fun experience. I wore a reasonable heel and I was fine, but a couple girls were wearing flats. Overall, just go for a polished look. Keep your hair and makeup natural and you should be good to go!

     Hopefully, this post helps you feel a bit more prepared to tackle the medical school interview. Also, remember, if you've gotten to the point of an interview, enjoy it! It is a really great sign when a school wants to interview you, so just go and show them that they made the right choice and don't stress yourself too much.

     I hope you are having a great start to your month and I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

MCAT Day Survival Guide

     With the end of the school semester quickly approaching, I figured that many of you will be taking the MCAT following the end of the school year. In order to help you kick butt on MCAT day, I want to share a couple of the things that I did in order to make it through.

Day Before Prep

     The most important thing that you can do the day before your MCAT is to just relax. By this point, I'm pretty sure you've learned as much as you'll be able to remember on test day, so spending the day before cramming yourself with information won't be that helpful and will most likely just drain you out. If you were about to run a marathon, you wouldn't want to run one the day before. So why do that for the MCAT? The day before my MCAT, I spent time with my family, went out to dinner, and did something fun. If you absolutely must review, I'd say keep it to under an hour. I think all I looked over the day before were some of the formulas, but that was it.  Plan out what you are going to wear the next day and what you will need to bring with you. Make sure that you wear something comfortable as this will be a long day. I am pretty sure I wore some yoga pants, a t-shirt, a zip-up hoodie, and a comfy pair of shoes. I think it's smart to wear layers because you don't know what the temperature will be like in the testing center, and you want to be able to adjust yourself to keep at a comfortable temperature.  Don't forget your ID! You'll be needing it to check in. Also, make sure you get to bed at a reasonable time, as being well-rested will greatly benefit you. The whole goal is to keep your stress levels low, so you can walk in on test day refreshed and ready to bring your A-game.

MCAT Day

Before The Test

     Wake up at a reasonable hour, so that you have enough time to get yourself ready. I know that some people don't like to eat breakfast, but on MCAT day, it's a must. Make sure you eat something that is filling. I am pretty sure I had some steel cut oatmeal because I had read that it would slowly release glucose, and glucose is what will help you power up your brain. Try to avoid anything too sugary because too much sugar will cause a crash later in the day and you obviously don't want that. I remember I also made a Starbucks run on my way to my test so that I could be well caffeinated. For coffee intake, follow your own judgment. I always start my day with some coffee, so I knew it was something that I needed/wanted.  Make sure to bring some healthy snacks and some gatorade. I brought almonds because they are a great source of healthy fats and are good to help boost your brain power in between test sections. The gatorade is to stay hydrated. I would normally say drink lots of water, but on mcat day you want to avoid having the need to pee during the test. I don't know about you, but having to pee really breaks my focus. I read that gatorade was a better option to avoid having to pee because it doesn't filter through your system as fast as water does. I followed this and it worked pretty well for me. Make sure to leave for the testing center with plenty of time. You want to have enough time to figure out where you need to go and get yourself settled in. Also, try to keep calm as you are getting yourself there. I know MCAT day jitters are common, but just keep the mentality that you are ready for this.

What to Expect 

     After you check in, they will call everyone in one-by-one. When you get called back, they take your picture, take your finger prints, have you sign some forms, have you shake out your pockets, and will run one of those detector wands over you. Then you get escorted to your seat and you begin. There is a whole protocol when you enter and leave the test room, so just be aware of that. You'll also have cameras on you while you test, and a proctor will be going around the room every so often to make sure that no one is doing anything sketch. 

During The Test

     While you are testing, try to treat each section like it is it's own separate test. What I mean by this is that don't let a previous section bog you down. Try to do the best you can while you're on a section, but once you move on to another section, don't worry about the previous one. There may be cases where you feel like you are struggling through. I hope this isn't the case, but if it happens, work through the section and move on. Remember that your score is important as a whole, so it is important to keep going no matter what. Also, don't stress about individual questions. I know that you will want to get everything right, but it's most important to make sure that you finish everything as best you can, so spend some time on a question, and if you just can't get it, move on and if you can, come back to it later. TAKE YOUR BREAKS! I know that you might be tempted to just power through, but it is so important to step away from the computer when you can. I know that this was important for me, and will be super important now because the current MCAT is super long. I believe you get ten minutes ( At least that's what I had when I took my test. I'm not sure about the current MCAT.), so take the time to quickly go to the bathroom, have a little bit of your snack, and a couple sips of gatorade (don't drink too much though!).

After The Test

     At this point, I am pretty sure your brain will feel like mush. I remember feeling like I couldn't think anymore, so my best advice is just go home and rest. For the next 30 days ( I hope that's still the post test waiting period), don't even think about the test. You've done everything that you could and now it is out of your control, so don't stress. Go back to enjoying life, catch up with your friends and family (Who I'm sure were put to the side while you were on your MCAT grind), and just relax. You'll have plenty of time to worry about your test score later, so don't do it before you actually need to. When scores are finally posted, don't freak out too much. It is just a test. This does not define you, but just how you performed on a single test. So, no matter what you get, don't worry.

     I hope these tips help you as you are headed to your big test day and I wish you all the luck in the world. Many have made it past the beast that is the MCAT and so can you! I hope you are having a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Volunteering as a Premed

     As a premed, I know there is a never ending laundry list of things to do to help your medical school application and volunteering is definitely one of the top items. I personally started my volunteering a bit late in my premed career ( I did the bulk of mine during Junior and Senior year), but once I got started I discovered why so many medical schools emphasize volunteering. 

My Experience

     As I said above, I started my volunteer work a bit late, but miraculously, I think it worked out well. While furiously searching for a volunteer opportunity my junior year, I came upon a great organization ( A volunteer-run clinic that offers free healthcare for underserved populations.) that needed volunteer Spanish interpreters and thankfully I am bilingual, so it was the perfect fit for me. As a Spanish Interpreter, my job was to sit in during the patient visit translating between the doctor and the patient. In this way, I was able to get a very hands-on experience in healthcare as my job was being a direct link between the doctor and the patient. This included explaining medication and the doctor's directives for care. As a result of this experience, I became familiar with the clinical environment, and also the importance of working with underserved communities. The latter being something that I hope to do more of as a physician. 

     The summer before senior year, I added volunteering at one of our city's children's hospitals to my volunteer list. This opportunity was nowhere as hands on as the free clinic, but it was certainly valuable as well. I was a volunteer in the waiting area on two of the surgical floors. Most of what I did was keeping kids calm before being taken in for pre-op and escorting parents back to the post-op area, but there were days that I had to go keep kids company because they were alone and their surgeries had gotten pushed back. I was really thankful that I had this opportunity because I feel that it expanded my exposure to what would be like if I were to chose a hospital setting vs. choosing to stick to a clinical setting. I know that I will get plenty of exposure to both in medical school, but to have a taste of it early on was pretty helpful. 

     When I was applying for medical school at the end of my senior year, I had plenty to draw from for essays and also for motivation. Overall, I loved the work that I did and I am so happy that they were opportunities that allowed me to not only help out but also feel rewarded in the process.

Why You Should Do It

        

     If you get the chance to volunteer in a medical setting like I did, It'll be great for your pre-med career. Apart from looking good on your application, it will give you a better sense of whether it is the right field for you. I was fortunate enough that my two volunteer experiences gave me a sense of two opposite spectrums in the medical field ( clinical vs. surgical), but I think that as a whole it convinced me that the medical field in general, was a good fit for me. There were days that I walked into the clinic discouraged because I had been having a crappy week at school and I would leave rejuvenated by what I had experienced because it reminded me of what I was working towards. Believe me, it will really make a difference to see why you want what you want. 

     If you don't have the opportunity to volunteer in a medical setting, I believe that just volunteering for service alone is a great experience. My good friend, Alissa (the med student), did most of her volunteer work volunteering at a home for pregnant women in need. As I've mentioned before, the medical field is deeply rooted in service and getting yourself familiar with that mindset will help you on your journey. Aside from seeing that you want to do more to help others, medical schools want to see that you have a sense of commitment. Dedicating your time at an organization is a great way to show this. Knowing that you are making a difference really has a wonderful feeling to it and it honestly keeps you going in hard times.

How to Get Involved

     When I needed to find a volunteer opportunity, I had no clue to get started, but a great place would be to check your pre-med office. Our pre-health office had a huge list of places that previous pre-med students had volunteered at. Another thing to try would be to check with your local hospitals and see what programs they might offer. Otherwise, just find something you are passionate about. This doesn't have to have anything to do with medicine. If you find something that you love and you stick with it, come application time you will be able to write volumes about why you chose this particular organization and that in itself will help your application.

I hope you guys had a great weekend and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

How Working Retail Has Helped Me As a Premed

     As someone who has worked retail for the past couple years, I have noticed certain things that I thought would help me in my future role as a doctor. As it has helped me to notice these things, I thought it would be a good idea for me to point them out and hopefully, if you are in my shoes, you'll see how it's not just a job, but training for your future (haha).

What You Gain

You Learn to Be a People Person

     I'm sure it goes without saying that when you work retail, you interact with a ton of people. If you are a shy person, you'll have to get over that really quick in order to do your job (trust me I've been there). Over the years, as I've worked at different stores, I've seen my comfort level evolve from hesitant to approach a customer to bubbly boutique associate. Of course, whether or not I'm the latter really depends on the day. But, in general, I'd say I'm pretty confident being around people. In addition, I've also noticed how it has changed my interactions. When you're that interactive person, typically the customer will interact back and it'll be an overall good encounter. I believe as a doctor, this will be true as well. When my physician is warm and inviting my experience at their office is enjoyable. I'd rather have that than to just have someone who rolls through what they have to do like a robot.

You Learn To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

     Depending on where you work, You might be placed in situations that you never thought you would ever have to be in. For me, this is incredibly true as my current job has me dealing with underwear and as a bra-fitter, I stand in front of half-naked women every day. At first, it felt a bit odd for someone to show me their bra or ask me to check the back of their underwear to see what style they had previously purchased. But with time, it all just became a part of my job. Now, seeing half-naked women is just a norm and I'm sure going into medicine won't be drastically different. In medicine, you will have to do many "awkward" things (I just had my friend Alissa tell me about giving her first prostate exam the other day...joy.), so get used to stepping out of your comfort zone. Disclaimer:Do this within reason, of course. I don't want you doing what the creepy customer says just because you want to step out of your comfort zone (haha).

You Learn to Keep Your Calm

     One of the major things you'll learn about working retail is that people can be really rude. I can't tell you how many times I've had a customer give me serious attitude over something that wasn't in my control and really couldn't do much about. In these situations, the only thing I could do was to smile and keep being pleasant because if I respond negatively to their anger that would make the situation worse. Also, it's my job to stay calm. As a physician, I'm sure I'll still have situations like this. Of course, I won't have to deal with people being angry about not being able to use an expired coupon, but about their health or how I do my job. I think I've mastered the exceptionally calm and pleasant on the outside, but seriously seething on the inside thing. So, I'm good to go.

You Train Your Empathy

     As shopping can be people's way of letting go, you can encounter many different situations. One of the most prominent is someone out shopping after the death of a loved one. Just the other day, I was helping a woman find a bra when she casually dropped that she had just lost her husband in our conversation. Now, I didn't jump to hug her or anything, but I did offer my condolences and made sure she felt comfortable. Working in retail you'll be presented with every situation in the book and learning to respond in a positive manner is great practice for when you work with patients dealing with difficult things. I am no way an expert in this area, but in general, I've learned that what people desire most is to be heard and know they are not alone. Also, that a warm smile goes a very long way.

You Raise Your Own Awareness 

     I would say that by far the greatest thing that I have gained from retail is learning my role in interactions. Whenever I am out and about, I pay attention to how others treat me and how I treat others. I take my time to be polite and if I see that the salesperson is struggling, I try to be reassuring. I also try to remember that everyone is a person and deserves to be treated as such. I can't tell you how annoying it is when someone walks into the store on their phone and just hands a receipt and bag to you while they quietly mouth "Return". I know there are unique situations where this is necessary, but if possible, avoid being on the phone. Being present allows you to notice so many things, so I urge you to try it.

I know this post was a little different, but I'm sure you've already noticed that I like to get you thinking about different things. I hope you have a really great weekend and thank you for taking the time to read this post. Talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Naturopathic Medicine

     Over the summer, while taking a medical assisting course, the class was learning about non-traditional medicine when our instructor brought up the topic of Naturopathic medicine, specifically, her experience with a naturopathic doctor. She said that she had gone to visit this doctor out of sheer curiosity about what the heck a naturopathic doctor was and what the experience would be like, and found herself pleasantly surprised at the results. My instructor explained that she had gone in because she had been dealing with high blood pressure for a while and wanted to see what a naturopath would suggest. She said that the doctor assessed her and put her on a course of natural treatments to follow, including what she couldn't eat and what supplements to start taking. Although skeptical of its ability to treat her high blood pressure, she followed the treatment anyway, as she really had nothing to lose. To her surprise, after a few weeks, she could notice the effects. She had lost some weight in her face due to the removal of excess fluid retention and when the doctor checked her blood pressure, it was within normal range. She was shocked. How could this have been possible without the use of medication? Obviously, she wasn't quite sure, but she was impressed that it had worked. I don't quite remember why my instructor stopped visiting the naturopath, but her experience definitely piqued my interest.
     As someone who grew up in a Hispanic family, finding natural remedies to cure your illness has been pretty standard to my upbringing, and to discover that there are doctors that actually practice this way, was rather intriguing. In hopes of educating you on something that I found very interesting or also something that you might want to pursue, I wanted to write this post to give you more information. Of course, I am not an expert on the topic, but from what I've gleaned from the sources at my disposal, I want to share the bit of knowledge that I have acquired.

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

     By the definition of the American Association of Naturopathic Medicine, Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession, emphasizing prevention, treatment, and optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and substances that encourage individuals' inherent self-healing process (1). What their practice includes is clinical and laboratory diagnostic testing, nutritional medicine, botanical medicine, naturopathic physical medicine, public health measures, hygiene, counseling, minor surgery, homeopathy, acupuncture, prescription medication (NB: This depends on the state of practice), intravenous and injection therapy, and naturopathic obstetrics ( this is natural childbirth for my non-science peeps). Overall, what naturopathic medicine emphasizes is using the most natural methods to promote healing in the human body with the mentality that your body has the ability to heal itself. 

How Does One Become a Naturopathic Doctor?

     Similar to someone pursuing an MD, to become a Naturopathic Doctor ( or ND) one must attend an accredited naturopathic medical college. This is a different type of medical school from where you go to pursue an MD, but from what I learned from the information put out by the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges(2), the two types of programs share similarities. Both programs heavily emphasize a strong core in the basic sciences in the first two years of schooling. So, like MDs, NDs have to review biomedical sciences, such as biochemistry and anatomy. NDs also learn to diagnose illnesses. So they are also taught the diagnostic sciences. Where the programs differ is in years three and four. For MD programs, years three and four are spent doing clerkships ( rotations through the different medical specialties). These are typically observational, so you are mostly just shadowing at this time. For NDs, years three and four are typically more hands-on. From what I understand, they spend those years practicing the skills that they will be utilizing during their practice and this helps prepare them to begin practicing once they graduate. Also, like MDs, Upon graduation, NDs have to pass a postdoctoral board examination ( their version is the NPLEX) in order to receive a license.

Differences Between MDs and NDs?

     One of the initial differences between the two programs, is the availability of medical colleges. For MDs, there are a myriad of colleges across the country. I know that just in Illinois alone, we have seven medical schools. For NDs, The AANMC states that they only offer seven accredited programs at eight campuses in North America (3). Two of these campuses are in Canada, so if you are aiming to stay in the U.S. you'd only have about six schools to choose from.

     Another difference is licensure. While MDs I'm pretty sure, are accredited in every state, there are only seventeen states ( along with D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that have licensing laws and a specific scope of practice for NDs (4). Oddly enough, one of the states that isn't included in this list is Illinois, although one of the AANMC's listed naturopathic medical programs is in Chicago. 

     The scope of practice also differs in each state. I'm not sure how this all works in Illinois ( I know some NDs practice here even though it isn't a licensing state), but I know that some states allow NDs to prescribe medication, while some do not.

     One of the main differences between the two types of doctors would be the focus of practice. For NDs, their practice of medicine is typically primary care. So, they'll mainly focus on family medicine. For MDs, there are all sorts of specialties out there. This is one of the main reasons that MDs have to do residencies. While in medical school, MDs survey the different specialties and during their fourth year, apply to residency programs in their specialty of interest. They will then spend an additional 3-7+ years ( This all depends on which specialty is chosen) training to become that type of doctor. So, if you have always dreamed of becoming a pediatric hematologist, ND wouldn't be your desired route.

My Thoughts on Naturopathic Medicine as a Future MD Student?

     Regardless of the differences, I think that what naturopathic medicine has to offer is pretty cool. They tend to focus on a more holistic style of treatment ( assessing the person as whole) and I think that is definitely something that could be ( and I believe is more so heading towards being) integrated into allopathic medicine. I also like the idea of using more natural methods of healing. Many of the treatments that NDs utilize have been around for ages (i.e. acupuncture) and I'm pretty sure there's a reason they are still around. The earth is teeming with natural substances for medical usage, but of course, we don't know what every little thing does and when we do discover the possibility of something being used as a cure, it needs to be heavily researched. I am obviously very Pro-MD (after all, I am pursuing one), but I think that NDs would be an excellent addition to the health care team and could serve to educate allopathic medicine on alternative ways to cure illnesses.

     I hope this post gave you a better Idea concerning Naturopathic Doctors and possibly sparked your curiosity. As always, I enjoyed sharing this with you and I hope you have a fantastic weekend. Talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Links and Resources

1.&3.-American Association of Naturopathic Medicine: http://www.naturopathic.org/medicine

2. &4.-Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges: http://aanmc.org/

When You Don't Get Into Your Dream School

     I wanted to preface this post by saying the title might not be a hundred percent applicable in my case (as you know that I actually got into one of my top choices for medical school), but I still want to address the topic and talk about my personal experience.

    All through undergrad, whenever I thought about medical school, I always thought about one particular school, my alma mater's medical school. I would always think about how I could see myself there and when my really good friend got accepted, it seemed all the more likely that I would want to attend. My heart was set on this school and when application season rolled around, you better believe their application held first priority. When I finally hit submit, the waiting began, and to my dismay, their reply took quite a while. Months passed, other schools invited me for interviews, I got accepted into these other schools, and I still had heard no reply. Until, last week. They sent me an email stating that they had reviewed my application but that they could not offer me an interview invitation for this cycle. If I had received this email months ago, I would've been devastated. Instead, I finished reading it, and I just shrugged.

     You see, in the months that it took to receive this email, I came to the realization that even though this had always been my "dream school", Any school gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor would make me happy. This notion didn't really hit me until I received a letter from one of my schools congratulating me and telling me what an accomplishment it was for me to have been selected. I had applied to a larger state school that gets many applicants. In the letter, it stated that they get over 5,000 applicants for the 300 spots they have in their program. I had about a 6% chance of getting in and I did it. I remember feeling exceptionally proud in that moment and when I was accepted to my other school I felt even more blessed. At the end of the day, I was going to be given the opportunity to add an M.D. to the end of my name, and that's all I had ever wanted.

    Also, I came to the realization that my "dream school" wouldn't get me everything that I had wanted. Whenever I thought of myself in medical school, I envisioned myself living in the city, and the school I originally wanted to attend is actually outside of the city. I remember that I was originally considering living in the city and commuting out of the city to attend this school. I don't know what was going through my mind because that was a bit crazy. Thankfully, this won't be the case with the school I'm planning to attend because it is located right in the heart of the city. So, in all actuality, I got exactly what I wanted.

     I'm sure by this point, I sound like a broken record when I say that getting into medical school is no easy feat, but I want to remind you to not let where you are accepted discourage you. Getting accepted into any medical program is an incredible accomplishment, so always keep that in mind. And if you aren't accepted this cycle, keep trying. If you honestly can't see yourself doing anything else, don't give up. I knew that if that was the case for me this year, I was just going to try again next year. Because when you have a dream, you should pursue it even if you've failed the first attempt. If it is meant for you, it will eventually work out.

     I hope this helped encourage some of you on your journey and that you had a great weekend. I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Why Everyone Should Read The Alchemist

      I absolutely love to read, but I always found it nearly impossible to read for pleasure in college, especially during my last two years. But, as my mom had highly recommended The Alchemist (She's a huge Paulo Coelho fan), I decided I would try to start reading it Junior year.

      I started reading my Mom's Spanish copy of the book second semester of my Junior year, but I got busy and life got in the way, so I read the book very off and on. I finally finished the book at the end of my Senior year. Coincidently, reading the book in this manner fit very well with the theme of the book ( I'll elaborate more on that in a bit), so I am glad it worked out that way.

     The book itself is a fable of sorts, telling the story of a shepherd that is sent on a journey to find a treasure, and as one would imagine, he has many obstacles to overcome on his way. I won't spoil the book because I really think it's a good read, but I will say that I think the book serves as a wonderful metaphor for life. The book resonated with me as a pre-med because my journey has been filled with many unexpected events, and I think it paralleled very well with what was going on in my life at the time of reading it. The book is filled with some really great quotes and as a matter of fact, one of my favorites was what I had set as my phone background during interview season. I think many of these quotes are fantastic for those of us that love to dream big, but especially for pre-meds because what could be bigger than competing with others for the chance to become a doctor? Since I don't want to spoil the story, I'll just give you a few of my favorite quotes and why I love them.

Some of my Favorite Quotes from the Book:

" People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams because they feel that they don't deserve them."

     I was attracted to this quote because I feel that it spoke to what I struggled with as a pre-med. It's no secret that medical school is competitive and you are frequently reminded that medical school is hard to get into. I remember when beginning my application process, one of my fears was not being good enough. Of course, I had good grades and had done a lot of volunteer work, but I by no means thought I was extraordinary. I loved this quote because it reminded me that I shouldn't let the thought that I wasn't good enough stop me from pursuing my dream.

" There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."

     This quote kind of goes with the one above. I think many times we can refrain from pursuing things because we think they won't work out for us. This idea isn't limited to only pursuing medical school, but any challenge in life. I think the best thing to remember though is that if you don't try you'll never know. So never let fear stop you.

" The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself, and no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams."

     I thought this was a good quote because if you are pre-med, you know that everyone talks about how difficult medical school is, but I am pretty sure that after the fact most people would tell you that it is so worth it. If you pursue becoming a physician for the right reasons, everything you have to endure won't feel like suffering, but rather a necessary evil.

" And, when you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it."

    I found a beautiful picture of this quote on Pinterest and this is what I had set as my phone home screen for the longest time. This quote for me has been very true and very powerful. It's crazy because some days I didn't know how getting into medical school was going to work out, but everything has fallen into place so perfectly that it feels like it was completely planned out for me. It has definitely made me believe that everything happens for a reason and as it should happen. All we can do as individuals is to pursue our dreams and see if that is the path that was meant for us.

" It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

     I think this quote is so beautiful because it points out that our dreams are what make life so worth living. The possibility of going after anything we want and becoming whoever we want to be. I know that whenever I think about how I will be starting medical school in the fall, I feel so overjoyed knowing that I will have the ability to fulfill one of my dreams.

   The book has many other wonderful quotes, but I'll let you discover them for yourselves. I think everyone should read this book because it definitely inspires you to believe that anything is possible and to not be afraid to chase your dreams because life tends to work in your favor. The most important part is believing in yourself and you'll see how everything falls into place.

    I know this is different than my typical posts, but I really loved this book, and I thought I would share why:) I hope you had a fantastic weekend, and I will be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Studying For The MCAT

     So, I'm sure by this point my MCAT people have already begun their studies, but I thought it would be a great idea to add in some of my own study tips to help guide your studies or possibly help you re-focus if you've been struggling with how to study for the beast that is the MCAT.

My Study Tips:

Create a Schedule

     If you've been following me, you know that I am a fan of schedules, but I think for MCAT studying this is particularly important. Having a schedule of when you need to study will help you stay organized and also make it more likely that you will go through with your plan.

Break Down the Material

     What makes studying for the MCAT such a daunting task is the fact that there is SO much information to know. One of the things that helped keep me from feeling overwhelmed was to not look at all the information I needed to know overall, but instead to focus on what I needed to know at the moment.  This also goes back to making a schedule. Try to break down your study topics by the subject/subjects that you'd like to review that session. For me, it would usually consist of reviewing a topic ( let's say electrostatics) and then doing practice questions or a practice quiz. Having a "goal" for your study session will prevent you from aimlessly looking through all your practice books and weeping over all the material you must know.

Utilize All Your Resources

     Your primary resource for MCAT studying will typically be your designated set of practice books, but that doesn't mean that your practice books are your only resource. I am a very visual person, so at times just reading something in a book doesn't always click with me. In these cases, I would try to see if I could find a different explanation and most of the time I was lucky enough to find a YouTube video explaining the topic. If you can't find a YouTube video, find a different explanation online. I know certain textbooks suck at explaining things, so sometimes you can find a better explanation elsewhere. Also, consult your peers and your professors. Sometimes hearing someone else explain a topic helps me understand it better, so don't be afraid to ask for help.

Practice your Endurance 

     One of the most difficult parts of the MCAT  is having the mental endurance you'll need to make it through consecutive lengthy exams. Your MCAT studying is the best time to get yourself accustomed to sitting through hours of material, practice your focus, and also your timing. By test day, you should be used to sitting through the length of each section and the length of each exam That way you don't burn out in the middle of the exam.

Use Practice Tests Wisely

     At the beginning of your studies, Using multiple practice tests can be wasteful. Why? because you most likely haven't reviewed all the material you need to know to do well. Practice tests ( mainly the full-length exams) should be used to gauge your progress. I'd recommend taking one at the beginning of your studying to see your starting point and then maybe every couple of weeks to see your progress. Closer to exam time, you should be using them to get yourself in exam mode and I'd recommend taking them as if you were taking the real exam.

Review Your Practice Exams

     I'll be the first to admit that after taking a practice test, the last thing I wanted to do was go over it.But, it is super important that you review every question, and yes I do mean every question. It is important to know why you got a question wrong, but even more so why you got a question right. Sometimes you just got it right because you are a really great guesser, so it's important to know the concept behind the questions so you can get it right on test day. Also, reviewing your practice exams is a fantastic way to see where you are lacking. If you've taken several tests and you keep getting kinematics wrong, you know you need to do some pretty serious review.

Don't Study What you Already Know

    

      I know, I've been there too. Sometimes studying what you already know or enjoy can be such a confidence boost because you get the questions right and you feel like you have a handle on the whole MCAT thing. But, let's be real. You're not doing anyone a favor. I know you'd love to spend hours on your favorite topic to avoid wanting to cry while studying what you struggle with ( ahem kinematics), but you've gotta struggle through the hard stuff.

   Do What Works for You

     Every practice company is going to promise you that their method is going to get you a high score or whatever, but ultimately you need to do what will help you do your best. It might be what the test prep company teaches you, but most likely it'll be something you've discovered while studying. So take your study time to figure out your method, so come test day you know what to do.

Don't be Hard on Yourself

     I'll be completely honest. On test day, you will more than likely not know every little thing that is on the exam, but that's okay! The purpose of studying for this exam is to get you familiar with having the necessary foundations to answer questions. So, study with the intention of being pretty knowledgeable about what you need to know, but don't stress about every little detail. 

     I hope that these tips help guide you on your studying journey. And remember, you are not a test score, so don't obsess over a certain one. Study as best as you possibly can and go in with the aim to kick serious butt.  If you'd like more MCAT studying tips, check out this blog as well. I hope you have a great week and I'll talk to you on Thursday!

~Genesis<3

     

How to Make the Most of Your Semester

     Spring semester should definitely be in full swing for those of you still in school (yeah, that'll be me too next year). So, I thought I'd share some of my tips to make sure that you get the most out of the semester and close out the year with a bang.

     For me, I'd say Senior year was the year that I had the whole college thing figured out ( It only took me three years, but whatever...), and I found myself feeling pretty balanced with what I needed to do, which was a lot. But, I'll definitely be the first to admit that by Spring Semester, senioritis was starting to kick in, so I needed to keep myself focused in order to make sure that I finished my college career kicking butt and taking names. Below are a few tips that helped me.

Become BFFs with your syllabus

     Not even going to lie, Syllabus week was one of my favorite weeks of college. Not only because we had a couple of classes where all the professor did was talk about the course, but because we got the schedule for what was happening in the semester. This meant that I could promptly head back to my apartment, whip out my planner, and write in all the important dates ASAP. Although you might not be a planner nerd like myself, I highly recommend doing this. It is really great to be able to know what your overall semester will look like and what the workload will be. It will also allow you to see what weeks will be the busiest and which ones you can have some fun. Mainly, I'd recommend putting in due dates, test dates, quizzes, and projects. If you want to write in what will be covered in your classes each week, that could be helpful too, but I never really did that as professors don't always stay on track with the scheduled topic.

Schedule in your activities

     Of course, this mainly means your extracurriculars but for me, it also meant my gym time. From my previous post, you know that I used to fit three runs in per week. So, what I would do at the beginning of the semester was figure out where in my schedule I could fit in the time I would need to run and make that my designated run time so that it was easier to stick to. Another thing that would be beneficial would be to block out your study times. I worked my last two semesters of college, so this meant that my weekly schedule could vary. But, at the beginning of each week, I would see what my week was going to look like, and I would designate where I could fit in the bulk of my studying.

Prioritize

     One of the most important parts of being productive is definitely learning to be strict with yourself. I know there were weekends when the last thing I wanted to do was spend quality time with my biochem book, but if it needed to be done, it needed to be done. This also goes back to my first point. You'll know which weeks this will be particularly important, so try to not schedule anything unnecessary into these weeks.

Plan Ahead

     If you know next week is going to be a hell week, try to get as much done before then. This will relieve a tremendous amount of stress for the weeks that you have two papers, a quiz, and an exam all in the course of a couple days. Even if you can only get the foundation work done, you'll be greatly thanking yourself.

Be Flexible

     I'm sure that you are well aware that life happens. Sometimes you have to make the time to go see a professor, or to help a friend, and you definitely didn't plan on it. That is perfectly okay. The most important part of organizing yourself is realizing that it is all just a framework and that you should use it as a guide, but also go with the flow adjusting yourself as necessary.

Remember to Have Fun

     I know that if you are anything like me, you will want to be able to do it all. But in the process of being awesome, know that it's perfectly okay to have fun. College is one of the best times of your life, so enjoy it all that you can! I know that now that I'm out of school, I am so happy that I took out the time for all the impromptu meet ups with my friends, or just occasionally breaking from my schedule to do something fun. It will help you feel rejuvenated and also more likely to stick with your plan overall. So, don't be afraid to have your occasional Netflix day. Grey's Anatomy on, my friend.

     I hope these tips were helpful for you! I know these are pretty standard, but it was what I used and it worked out pretty well. I hope you've been having a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

How Running Can Help You As a Pre-med

     This past week, I've been getting back into the groove of my running routine, and as I've been feeling the effects of my time off from it, I was inspired to write this post.

     About two years ago, I was inspired to take up running. I had never run a day in my life but I had always heard how great of a workout it was and I had always wanted to be able to do one of the fun 5ks that you see advertised everywhere. So, with determination and inspiration, I laced up my Nikes and hopped on the treadmill. Of course, to no surprise, running was difficult. Within the first couple minutes of running, I knew that it would take quite a bit of time before I was anywhere near ready to run a 5k, but I knew that it was something that I wanted to accomplish, so I told myself that this was something I was going to stick with. I fit a run in my schedule three days a week ( in-between classes) and I wouldn't allow myself to miss. I'll be completely honest, it was rough. There were days that I wished I could just go back to my apartment and take a nap, but that wouldn't get me any closer to running a 5k, so instead I would haul my butt over to the gym. Over the course of the semester, I got better at running, and by the time spring came around, I was out running on the path around campus. Then finally, over the summer, I was consistently running 3.1 miles ( a 5k) almost every time I went out. I was so proud of how far I'd come, but also surprised about the things it contributed to my life.

Things You Can Gain From Running

Mental Strength

- As much as running is a physical sport, it is also a mental sport. There are many times when your mind wants to give up before your body does, and you have to push yourself to keep going. This comes in handy as a pre-med as studying can get overwhelming and pushing yourself to keep going can be difficult at times. Running helps you train your mind to push through the points of giving up and helps you focus on achieving your goal. Of course, this is a great parallel for any part of your pre-med/med journey, as we all now how difficult it can be at times, but having the mental endurance to push through can greatly benefit you.

Perseverance

- When you are a runner, you will have your good days and your bad days. Sometimes, you kill it and have the best run, and then other times you can barely run a block from your start point. The most important part is remembering to not let the bad days stop you from your goals. The same mentality applies to being pre-med. If I had let any of struggles in class dictate my pre-med career, I wouldn't be starting medical school in the fall.

Patience

- Getting to the point where I was that summer took quite a bit of time to train up to, and more so because I didn't want to injure myself in the process. It might be a while before you reach your goal. You just have to take your training a day at a time and keep the big picture in mind. For anyone wanting to go to med school, this is absolutely true. I remember when I was in high school, the idea of spending an additional seven ( or more) years becoming a doctor was very unappealing, but now I am in awe that in just four years, I will have an M.D. at the end of my name. Great things take time to achieve and becoming a runner definitely reminds you of that.

Stress Relief

- I know this one is obvious, but for me running was a great way to relieve stress, especially while studying for the MCAT. I remember taking my break and going for a run. It allowed me to clear my mind and focus on something other than how I needed to do well on my test. I could then go back to studying recharged and ready to kick butt.


     Of course, there are more obvious things that you'll gain from running ( hello toned body!), but I thought these were applicable to being pre-med and worth a share. I also just wanted to have some fun with it, so I hope you found it interesting. I hope you had a great weekend!

~Genesis<3

January Recap 2016

For today's post, I wanted to start a little series that I want to bring back at the end of each month. I don't know about you, but one of my favorite parts of reading other blogs is getting to know the person behind the blog, especially when they do the same things I do. I think it'll be fun to share my life, so we shall see how it goes!

     January has been a pretty calm month, which I definitely appreciate after the crazy holiday season. I've spent the majority of it either working or doing fun things with friends, but I have also done a lot for myself. Something I had been aiming for was to get more organized and I feel like I've been doing more of that this month. I've also slowly started incorporating workouts into my schedule and I'm very happy with how that has been going for me. This week's victory has been the fact that I actually woke up at 6:45 so that I could fit in a quick run before heading to work. I am NOT a morning person by any means, so for me this was a pretty big deal! Overall, I think this month has had a very centering vibe for me and has helped set me up for things I would like to do in the future. I am very content with the footing that I have placed and I can't wait to see what I can do with it.

Highlights

- My best friend moved into her Chicago apartment at the beginning of the month, so this has obviously brought about several outings with my Chicago squad (which includes the two of us and my other best friend). Our girls' nights have had us on all sorts of adventures and creating so many new memories that I couldn't be more thrilled to be in the same city as them.

My Chicago squad<3

G being adorable as ever at our wine tasting.

Me and my bestie, Meg.

- Speaking of this amazing city, I also received notice about a week ago that I have officially been placed in the Chicago Track for Med School! Like I noted in my accepted part 2 blog, the likelihood of me being placed in Chicago was very high, but I'm so happy that it's finally official. Staying in Chicago for med school has always been my dream so for me, it feels like a great accomplishment. I honestly couldn't be more ecstatic and you better believe I celebrated this with my Chicago squad. 

- I've stuck with blogging for two months now! I had previously blogged before, but I never actually stuck with it, until now. I've been teeming with creative energy lately and feel very inspired to keep this up to see where I can take it. I have so many future plans for the blog, and I can wait to see how they all pan out.

Looking forward

- Obviously, as the months pass I get closer to med school (which will be in seven months!), but I'm anticipating that February will be loads of fun. My best friend turns 22 around Valentine's weekend, so we have some fun things planned in celebration. Otherwise, I feel that it should be another pretty relaxed month of working and blogging, but it shall be great.

I hope you guys have had a great start to your year and that next month bring many great things! 

~Genesis<3

Being a Biology Major.

     One of the ideas that has been at the back of my mind ever since I wanted to begin a blog/YouTube was sharing my experience of being a Biology major. Being a Bio major shaped quite a bit of how my college experience went and as I didn't know much about the major (other than the fact that you study biology) when I started college, I wanted to talk about it a bit.

     I felt the best way to present this information was in a YouTube video, so I hope you guys enjoy it! I really enjoy making them, so if I can present the information best in a video, you better believe I will do it. Of course, the video is just a general overview about the major, so in the future I might do an accompanying blog post about smaller details, but for now I just want to start with the generals.

     On another note, I have something different I want to try out on the blog, so I will most likely be debuting that on Thursday. I hope you guys are having a great start to your week!

~Genesis<3

To Prep or Not To Prep?

     I know that the time of year has come where many people are getting themselves ready to begin studying for the MCAT and one of the necessary considerations is whether or not to take a prep course. So, I want to dedicate Today's blog post to reviewing my experience with MCAT prep courses and what my thoughts were after actually taking the MCAT.

     I believe I should preface all of this information by saying that obviously I haven't taken every MCAT prep course available, so all I can really speak to is what my personal experience was and how it worked out for me. The prep course that I do happen to have experience with is the Kaplan Prep course. Kaplan is one of the major ones that I know are available, so hopefully this post will help many of you!

The Course

     When I went to choose an MCAT prep course, I knew that what most students went for was one that offered in-class sessions. Kaplan happened to have a relationship with the pre-med group at my school and they offered a small discount ( I think $200) for taking the classes on campus. The class regular price was cheaper than the Princeton Review one, so it was a no-brainer for me to take this class. I believe I ended up paying approximately $2000 for the in-person course offered on campus. The class consisted of 6-hours of class per week ( I had mine 6:00-9:00 Monday and Wednesday) and it ran Jan 29th-April 2nd. The $2000 included all the books for the Kaplan course as well as access to the online database that had lots of online content for you to study from. 

Pros: 

-Signing up for the class meant that you had a built in MCAT time in your schedule if you actually attended class. I never missed a class, so that was always my major MCAT time. 

- You were with other students, so you got to see how other people went about answering questions.

- The course package offered you tons of material ( I didn't even get through all of it) and you had access to it well past the dates of your course ( I actually used it to study the second time around). 

Cons:

- In class portion took a lot of time out of your day, and I happened to have a full day Mondays and Wednesdays, so sometimes it felt like a lot.

-Class time wasn't always used effectively, so I didn't feel like I was always getting the most out of it.

- There was a lot of material to get through before each class session. I remember it being like 100 pages per class or something crazy. Towards the end, I wasn't doing all the reading because I didn't have the time with my school work. 

- The price! Looking back on it, I can't believe I paid so much, but when you want to be well-prepared you don't really think about that. 

Overview

     Personally for me, the in-class portion wasn't very helpful. The class structure consisted of the instructor going through a lesson book and answering questions with us to help us learn the "Kaplan method". Often times, the instructor would ask a question and wait for someone to volunteer to answer it and as no one really wanted to answer, it always took forever and wasted time. What I did find helpful was the online component. The Kaplan online database offers a ton of study resources and since you can access it at your convenience, it makes studying less hectic. The first time around  my MCAT score wasn't my best. I don't solely attribute that to the class, but I do think my style of studying wasn't effective. The second time around I studied more at my own pace using the Kaplan books and online database and that worked out really well for me. The database had 12 full-length exams. It also had some official AAMC exams ( I can't remember if those were included in the 12), and they were really good predictors of my MCAT score range. The Kaplan exams were pretty good as well, but some felt like the scores were inflated as I was scoring way higher on them in comparison with my AAMC practice test scores. I should add that the second time around I was also skimming through the Exam Krackers MCAT books and the content in those was really good and condensed ( My friend actually took their prep course and liked it a lot). 

     Also, if you are still interested in Kaplan, they do offer other course options. They have a Live-online course ( same price as in-class) where you take the classes at home with an online instructor ( we had some of these for the organic chemistry classes and I thought they were more helpful than the in-class classes), or they have a "self-paced" option ( $400 cheaper than in-class & live-online) where you get access to the database and the books. The second option would probably be closest to what I did the second time around, and I thought it was what worked best for me. 

Overall, I say choose whatever will work best for you. You know how you study and what will be most effective. Also, you might have a different experience, so keep that in mind. I hope you guys found this helpful and that you have a great weekend!

~Genesis<3