Applying to Med/PA School
A Pre-Med’s Take on the Best Online Resources for MCAT Prep
About Ryan
Ryan Hodge graduated from North Central College in May of 2021 as a biology major and Spanish minor on the pre-medicine track. After his sophomore year, he participated in the Atlantis Summer 2019 shadowing program in Tarragona, Spain.
Is The MCAT The Most Important Test Ever?
Pre-meds everywhere realize the journey to becoming a physician is not an easy task. Students must volunteer in clinical settings to show they have a passion for helping others, work alongside physicians to show admissions committees they understand to a degree what it’s like to be a medical doctor, and shadow different medical specialties so they know the different branches of medicine that are out there. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, pre-med students must perform well enough in school to earn good grades and score well on the MCAT. A student can do all the shadowing in the world, but if they don’t do well enough on the MCAT, they will have a difficult time trying to enter medical school. Receiving a strong MCAT score is often what opens the door to allow admissions committees to look at your application. Many online resources offer great tips and advice for scoring well on the test.
Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep offers a wide variety of resources to the eager student who is looking to take the MCAT. Whether you are taking the test in less than a month, in 1-3 months, or more than three months, Kaplan offers techniques and strategies that will help you prepare. The site offers a live online course that allows you to tune in every week to watch a three-hour class instructed by a Kaplan Professor who scored a 515+ or greater on the MCAT – which is a very strong score and in the 90% of those who take the exam! If you are struggling along your test prep journey, Kaplan offers private one-on-one tutoring. Whether you are struggling in the CARS section or the Psychology and Sociology section, you can hire a private tutor who will help you with your specific needs. A purchase of a Kaplan program includes study guide review books for each section of the test, along with a Kaplan Qbank, which contains quizzes that are tailored to your strengths and weaknesses.
UWorld
‘Master the MCAT and Perform Your Best’ preaches UWorld. The authors of UWorld are subject matter experts with incredible knowledge of the basic sciences, humanities, and social sciences. With over 2,000 premium MCAT-style questions, detailed rationales for all answer options, and performance tracking that allows the student to identify weaknesses and improve skills, UWorld is a hot resource when it comes to mastering the MCAT.
Medical School Headquarters by Dr. Ryan Gray
Dr. Ryan Gray was an Air Force flight surgeon before becoming a pre-med advisor specialist. Through Medical School Headquarters, Dr. Ryan Gray has provided free and unique resources for pre-med students. He offers podcasts that cover a wide variety of topics like how to study certain MCAT subjects. During my time studying for the MCAT, I would listen to podcasts about ways to answer psychology and sociology questions while mowing my backyard. While working out I listened to Dr. Gray speak of how to best eliminate answer choices when presented with a difficult ‘True or False’ question on any topic. During my long commutes home I’d listen to how to tackle physics problems that deal with the viscosity of blood. Dr. Gray’s podcasts were instrumental, and I didn’t even scratch the surface of the many other free resources he offers to students. One idea that did stick out to me from listening to him was the idea of freeing up time to study. He mentioned trying to shadow, volunteer, and work as much as possible before you start studying for the MCAT so you can invest all of your time and energy into studying for possibly the biggest test of your life up until this point.
Opportunities Outside of Studying
With Dr. Gray’s tip in mind about shadowing before you start studying for the MCAT, I embarked on a shadowing trip with Atlantis in the summer of 2019 where we traveled to Tarragona, Spain. During my three-week trip, I shadowed orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons, internists, and ER physicians. The summer after my trip, I started studying for the MCAT. Accumulating 60+ hours of shadowing experience before studying allowed me to devote much more time to MCAT studies. Participating in Atlantis physician shadowing helped me do my shadowing in a condensed timeframe while also getting to experience a new culture abroad. During my MCAT studies, I wasn’t worried about reaching out to local MDs to see if there were opportunities to shadow. Flying home from Spain, it felt as though I checked off a box, and I could move on to my next challenge being the MCAT. Dr. Gray, and others online, mention performing your shadowing, volunteering, and working responsibilities outside of the time frame you study for the MCAT. One of the most significant and important tests of your life will be challenging and will require much of your energy and focus- so go all-in by checking off boxes earlier!
Our Alumni Enter Great Medical Schools
John Daines
- Atlantis '17
- Brigham Young University '19
- Washington U. in St. Louis MD '23
Zoey Petitt
- Atlantis '17
- U. of Arizona '18
- Duke MD '23
Zoey Petitt
Hungary ’17 || University of Arizona (undergraduate) ’18
Completed Atlantis Program Location and Date:
Hungary, Summer 2017
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
I believe it was very helpful.
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
For me, my Atlantis experience played a key role in confirming my decision to go into medicine. This was important for me to discuss during the admissions process.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews?
Yes
Yong-hun Kim
- Atlantis '17
- Stanford '19
- Mayo Clinic MD '24
Yong-Hun Kim
Budapest, Hungary ’17 || Stanford University
Program:
Budapest, Hungary – Winter 2017
Undergraduate:
Stanford University class of 2019
Major:
Computer Science
Honors:
Bio-X Grant (award for research)
Undergraduate Activities:
President and Founder of Stanford Undergraduate Hospice and Palliative Care, Volunteer for Pacific Free Clinic, Research Assistant in Wernig Pathology Lab, President of Hong Kong Student Association, violin performance
Describe Atlantis in three words:
Eye-opening. Spontaneous. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I chose the Atlantis program because it combines opportunities to shadow physicians and travel abroad, both of which I had little prior exposure to.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
My favorite experience as an Atlantis participant came in the stories exchanged over meals or excursions and the breadth of conversation that reflected the diversity of backgrounds within our cohort and site managers.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I appreciated the chance to speak with physicians in Budapest and hear their personal motivations for pursuing medicine because it really helped better contextualize and validate my own interest in medicine. The physicians were also just really welcoming, relatable, and down-to-earth people.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
The Atlantis program has equipped me with a better understanding of what a career in medicine looks like, which I think is an invaluable gift considering the long road ahead of those who aspire to be a physician.
How has Atlantis equipped you for active leadership in the medical field?
The ability to interact and empathize with patients of diverse backgrounds and communities is a necessity to be a leader in the medical field. I think the Atlantis program, through my interactions with mentors and their patients, has helped me take my first steps toward attaining the cultural vocabulary and literacy required of a physician.
Megan Branson
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Montana '19
- U. of Washington MD '24
Sarah Emerick
- Atlantis '19
- Eckerd College '20
- Indiana U. MD '25
Snow Nwankwo
- Atlantis '19
- Catholic U. of America '21
- Georgetown U. MD '26
Tiffany Hu
- Atlantis '16
- U. of Maryland '17
- U. of Michigan MD '22
Tiffany Hu
Tereul, Spain ’16 || U Michigan Medical School
Program:
Teruel, Spain – Summer 2016
Undergraduate:
University of Maryland class of 2017
Admitted medical student at:
University of Michigan Medical School
Major:
Neurobiology
Honors:
Honors Integrated Life Sciences Program, Banneker/Key Scholarship
Extracurricular Activities:
American Medical Student Association Co-President & Advocacy Day Liaison, Alternative Breaks Experience Leader, Health Professions Advising Office Student Advisory Board, Biology Teach Assistant, Health Leads, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, NIH Research Intern, Physicians for Social Responsibility Environment & Health Intern
Describe Atlantis in Three Words:
Educational. Eye-opening. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I wanted to expand my horizons and understand a culture of health different from the ones I am accustomed to. I had shadowed doctors in the United States and Taiwan prior to my Atlantis program experience, and being able to see first-hand the healthcare system in Spain allowed me to draw comparisons between the different complex healthcare systems.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
Bonding with the other participants and celebrating our time together along with the doctors we shadowed. We would discuss our interests, passions, and motivation for medicine, and it was an incredible experience to learn from and alongside them.
What was your experience with the doctors you were shadowing?
Because of the pre-established relationships with the hospitals in which we shadowed, all the doctors were very welcoming and accommodating. They were willing to translate for us and explain in detail all of their medical decisions. My doctors and I had wonderful conversations about the differences between life in Spain vs. the United States.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I was excited to scrub in on surgeries and watch as the doctor explained what he was doing throughout the operation. Before and after surgeries, as well as in my other rotations, I observed how the doctors reassured and communicated with their patients. I was able to glean insight into differences between the experience of health in Spain versus the United States through observation as well as conversations with the doctors.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
Besides the wealth of medical knowledge I gained from shadowing the doctors, I challenged myself to step outside of my cultural comfort zone and explore more than I thought I was capable of. Atlantis allowed me to make connections with people from all around the United States and abroad, and the friendships I gained helped me learn so much more than I would have on my own.
Lauren Cox
- Atlantis '18
- Louisiana Tech '20
- U. of Arkansas MD '24
Lauren Cox
Libson, Portugal ’18 || Louisiana Tech
Completed Atlantis Program Location(s):
Lisbon, Portugal
Year of most recent program:
Fall ’17 – Summer ’18
Season of most recent program:
Summer
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
Extremely helpful
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
It exposed me to shadowing that was hard to come by in the states. It also gave me a chance to see other systems of healthcare.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews? If so, how much relative to other topics?
Yes – they wanted to know about my experience, and specifically how the healthcare I saw in another country compared to what I had seen in the USA.
Kayla Riegler
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Kentucky '20
- U. of Kentucky MD '24
About Atlantis
Atlantis is the leader in pre-health shadowing and clinical experience, offering short-term programs (1-10 weeks) over academic breaks for U.S. pre-health undergraduates. Medical schools want 3 things: (1)healthcare exposure, (2)GPA/MCAT, and (3)certain competencies. Atlantis gives you a great version of (1), frees you to focus on (2), and cultivates/shows (3) to medical school admissions committees.
Watch Video: The Atlantis Shadowing Experience and How it Helps In Your Med/PA Admissions Future
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