No MCAT? Big Problem! Or not...

The MCAT is the standardized test taken by all American medical school applicants. It serves as one of the leading factors to determining whether or not an applicant is admitted into their medical school of choice. That's right folks, the MCAT is more than just a plot device in "Meet the Parents."

For many students, it is a scary test. That is a lot of weight regarding one's future riding on a single performance. When comparing its importance to an entire four years worth of undergraduate work, the stress regarding it can be overbearing.

Like all standardized tests, there are questions regarding its fairness. Are the questions culturally biased (in terms of language and phrasing)? Is it truly representative of skills needed to enter medical school? Is it over-valued in terms of an admissions factor? Proponents of the test will point out that life itself offers important tests with little time to study. Doctors often have use intelligence and guile to make quick decisions and act upon the knowledge at hand. Detractors of the test will point out the differences between sitting in a test room with a #2 pencil (or a computer nowadays) vs. examining a patient and making diagnosis and action plans with an "open book."

If you have a very low (or no) MCAT score, but still want to be a doctor, what are your options? Unfortunately, you can virtually forget about American medical schools. There are some lower tier institutions that will take a low MCAT score if other qualifications are in order. But virtually no institution will take a student without an MCAT domestically.

A retake serves as a good option for students who may have been under tough conditions (illness, death in the family, etc) when taking the exam the first time. A second attempt with a clear mind will be a truer gauge of their abilities. Many schools will take the higher score if it shows improvement from the previous attempt. Another big advantage of a retake is that the test taker now has a better understanding of what the test entails and how to utilize their time in working through the exam and its structure. However, we will note that some schools may see the multiple attempts as a drawback (most admissions offices recommend only taking a standardized exam once unless you feel that a second attempt will show big improvement).

It should be pointed out that there are numerous institutions abroad that put much less (and sometimes even zero) emphasis on the MCAT. Caribbean medical schools may offer the most legitimate option from a poor MCAT standpoint. Many run on US based curriculums and some even offer transfer and/or match opportunities back to the United States. If this sounds like a viable option, make sure to do your research to ensure that the school you are looking at offers the opportunities that you are seeking. It doesn't make any sense to spend four years abroad if it won't open any doors in locales where you would like to practice (unless you really really like the beaches).
by Felix Chesterfield; offering information on Medical School No MCat, visit the following link for further information on this issue as well as Caribbean Medical Schools in general.