Don’t Let a Test Score Define You- How to Thrive as a Med Student with a Low MCAT Score

Dealing with a Low MCAT Score

Are you trying to get into medical school and feeling defeated with a subpar MCAT score? I’ve been in your shoes, and the girl that got a 493 the first time is here to tell you not to give up.

I have wanted to become a physician for as long as I can remember. I set up everything during high school and college to achieve that (or so I thought). My plan was to transition into medical school right after undergrad. While preparing for the MCAT between my junior and senior years, I realized I had not taken a few classes I needed to succeed. I also had no idea how to study for a large standardized exam. I essentially took the exam as practice and my score of 493 reflected how underprepared I was. My original plans were sabotaged.

I graduated in 2018 and began to study for the MCAT once more in hopes of starting medical school in the fall of 2019. I still did not have a good study strategy. Spending thousands on a prep course was not in the cards. I bought the Kaplan books and studied those on my own. You are probably thinking this is the “AHA” moment, the one where she figures out her studying and her score jumps 20 points. Unfortunately, no. 498 for the second attempt.

Getting Accepted to Medical School

Do I bite the bullet and apply or try again to improve my score? Aside from the low MCAT score, I had an above average GPA with an abundance of volunteer and shadow experiences. I decided to just go for it and apply. Being realistic, I did not bother applying to schools that had minimum scores I did not meet. I applied to mostly D.O. schools. To my surprise, I opened my inbox on a perfect fall day in October and had an interview invite from a program in my home state. This would be 1 of only 2 interviews I got, but I did not take it for granted. This was before COVID times so I actually got to see the program in person and immediately felt at home.

I remember exactly what I was doing when I received my acceptance call from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. Riding passenger with my sister driving on the way to see a movie, my phone started ringing from an unknown number with a 423 area code. I could not contain my excitement when the voice on the other side of the phone offered me a spot. I put down my deposit in December to begin August 2019.

Thriving in Medical School

I am now in my fourth year of medical school. Graduation is in May 2023 and from that day forward I will be a physician just like the individuals who got 520+ MCAT scores. I have excelled through my four years as a medical student. I am in the top 10% of my class and received above average board scores. This entire post is to encourage you to not let one score define you. Do not focus on wanting the best school. Do not focus on D.O. vs M.D. If you want it bad enough, you can achieve your dream of becoming a physician.