Studying for the MCAT: The Stories Behind the Science

by Kaplan on Nov 14th 2011

By Owen Farcy, Assistant Director of Pre-Health Programs

As you’re already well aware, there’s a lot of science that you need to learn as a pre-med student. From physics to chemistry to biology, the number of laws, equations and concepts for you to understand and memorize can seem daunting, so it’s important that you find an easy and effective way to internalize those facts. While many students turn to handy mnemonics like RED CAT (for electrochemistry) and Kung Pao Chicken Over Fresh Green Sprouts (for taxonomy), I find that many students also enjoy learning about the stories behind how a certain principle or phenomenon was discovered and understood. While it’s often debatable whether these events actually happened, these stories provide an amusing diversion from your normal studies and may even help you remember your science lessons better.

Archimedes takes a bath

One of the most oft repeated stories of scientific discovery tells the tale of Archimedes discovering the principle of displacement. According to the common version, an ancient king supplied a quantity of gold to a blacksmith in order to create a special crown. Upon its delivery, the king suspected that the blacksmith had stolen some of the gold, but could not accurately measure the volume of the crown due to its irregular shape. The king tasked Archimedes with solving the seemingly unsolvable puzzle. One day while climbing into the bath, Archimedes noticed that the water level rose as his body displaced the fluid; he realize that by immersing the crown in water and measuring the change in volume, he could effectively measure the crown and prove the blacksmith’s treachery. Archimedes was so elated by his discovery that he leapt from the tub and ran naked through the streets shouting “Eureka!” (“I have found it!”).

Galileo climbs a tower

The idea of constant acceleration due to gravity is typically a difficult one for introductory physics students to grasp – after all, there’s no question that a feather falls more slowly than a rock! However, I’ve found that no story better is a better example of this phenomenon than Galileo’s visit to the Tower of Pisa. The story goes that Galileo had a suspicion about this principle, but wanted to prove his point in a dramatic way. Using two balls of equal volume and shape, but different mass (one was lead while the other was wood), Galileo climbed to the top of the Tower and dropped the balls at the same time. While popular opinion (based on the beliefs of none other than Aristotle) held that the heavier ball should fall faster, the experiment showed that this wasn’t the case, as the balls hit the ground at the same time.

Fleming paints the future of medicine

While the previous two stories have certainly been embellished over the centuries, one of my favorite stories in science is much more firmly founded in truth.  In 1928, Alexander Fleming was a little known biologist who had the unusual hobby of creating “paintings” in petri dishes by seeding them with specific bacteria that grew in various colors. One morning Fleming returned to his lab and, to his dismay, found that one of his most recent works had been ruined through the contamination of a rogue mold. Curiously, the area around the mold growth showed a halo of bacteria free medium, and Fleming concluded that the mold was releasing a substance that was toxic to the bacteria. The subsequent purification of the Penicillium mold and the birth of the age of antibiotics was enough to eventually earn Fleming a Nobel Prize.

Of course, there are many more amusing and amazing stories of scientific discovery out there – too many to list them all here. Not only do these tales help us to better understand and remember the principles at work in our everyday world, but they remind us that, as scientists, we too are part of the process of discovery.

Comments(0) | Category Med School Admissions | Tags: MCAT prep

The Hardest Med School Interview Question

by Kaplan on Nov 7th 2011

By Jeff Koetje, MD, Assistant Director of Pre-Health Programs

“So tell me about yourself.”

It’s not even a question.  It’s a request, and in the opening moments of your medical school interview, it may sound more like a hostile command.   But it is perhaps one of the most common ways in which your med school interviewers may invite you to join in conversation with them.  How would you respond to this non-question question?  It doesn’t seem easy, as I’m sure you’re well aware.  Because it’s so open-ended, we tend to hem-and-haw and sputter out the first thing that comes to mind, and our response usually starts with, “Well, I was born in…”  Ugh!  No!  You’re missing the point of the interviewers’ request.  They don’t care where, when, or how you were born; or where you lived until you were seven; or that you currently own a hamster.   (On the other hand, if you and your hamster have achieved world fame as a banjo duo, then you might want to mention that.)

What is the point, then, of this non-question question that so often gets us out of sorts? Well, that’s actually sort of the point:  they want to see how you respond to an unstructured situation.  Rambling on, creating one big messy non sequitur, or – worst of all – asking of your interviewers, “What do you want to know?” all point to the same problem:  a lack of both forethought and reflection.  Both are essential for being prepared to effectively manage unstructured or ambiguous situations.   You mistake their intention if you believe that they really only want to get to know you personally.  Sure, this is an opportunity to share personal information (more in a moment on what that means); but what you opt to share in response to the invitation reveals as much – if not more – about you as the actual details of your response.  Let me provide an example, but one that is so extreme, I’m guaranteeing you’ll get my point.  Saying, “Well, I love to get raging drunk every night.” reveals something about you.  And actually deciding that it would be appropriate to say, “Well, I love to get raging drunk every night.” as your opening line in a med school interview also says something – far worse – about you.

Med school interviewers rely on “So tell me about yourself.” because it is unstructured and open ended, and they know that how you respond will reveal not just some of your life details (no matter how banal or interesting) but also some of your character and values.   So give some forethought to your response by reflecting on the personal qualities you possess that are most appropriate to share with your med school interviewers.  Keep the following in mind:

1.  Your med school interview is a job interview; it’s not a first date.  Make sure the information you share is relevant to the primary goal of the interview:  to determine whether you and that medical school are a good fit.

2.  This is only the opening moment of the interview.  Keep your response short and to the point.  It should only take a minute or so to answer this question.  Like a good movie preview or a well written prologue, your response should capture your interviewers’ attention, draw them in, and get them excited to hear more from you.

3.  You can take control of the interview conversation by sharing information relevant to topics that your interviewers will be compelled to return to later (because you’ve given them a hint of something interesting about you that they just can’t wait to know more about).

4.  Remember that the interview is a continuation of a conversation that began months earlier with the AMCAS primary application, the personal statement, the secondary application essays, and the letters of recommendation.  Of course depending on whether your interview is based on an “open” or “closed” file, your interviewers will already know a lot , very little, or nothing at all about you.  Regardless, highlight a few accomplishments or qualities and illustrate them with a couple of short memorable stories.  People love stories, but only if they’re told well, so practice telling your stories before your interviews.

You’re going to be faced with this question.  Don’t fear it!  Look forward to it, and be prepared.

So, now that you know more about this question, tell me about yourself.

Comments(0) | Category Med School Admissions | Tags: Med School Interview

Choosing an MCAT Test Date: Part 2

by Kaplan on Nov 3rd 2011

By Owen Farcy, Assistant Director of Pre-Health Programs

In my last post we discussed some of the important questions that you’ll need to consider when deciding when to take the MCAT. While it’s vital to determine early what time of year you’ll be taking the exam, choosing the specific administration that’s right for you can be equally as important. After months and months of studying and preparation, you owe it to yourself to choose the test time and location that will give you your best possible chance of success. With that in mind, here are a few additional questions to consider.

Do I want a morning or an afternoon administration?

In a recent poll of students, I found a pretty even split on preference for an early exam vs. a late one. The reasons given by each side were relatively straightforward, and essentially came down to a matter of personal habit; morning test takers felt that they were more alert in the early hours and wanted to get the test out of the way, while afternoon testers looked forward to a leisurely morning sleeping in followed by last minute review. Whatever your preference, remember that the MCAT is a long exam that will stretch throughout the day no matter when you start it.

Do I want a weekday or a weekend test?

The answer to this question usually hinges on whether or not you’ll be taking classes at the time of your MCAT. During the winter and spring most students prefer a weekend administration so that they don’t have to miss classes, while the summer months offer a bit more flexibility. Still, other obligations beyond the classroom can affect this decision as well; volunteer work, lab hours, and work schedules can all nudge you one way or another in a given week.

What important events are scheduled around the test?

Make sure that you consider your entire calendar when choosing your specific test date. While it’s probably obvious that you don’t want to schedule your MCAT for the middle of finals week, it can be easy to forget about other commitments like weddings, family vacations, or even graduation. You’ll want to the last week before your exam open to dedicate solely to your final preparations, so plan accordingly.

Where are the Testing Centers near me?

This is an important question to consider early, since it can negate any other preferences you may have. Because the MCAT is a computer-based test, it can only be administered at an official testing center; fortunately, there are so many of these centers throughout the U.S. and Canada that there’s likely one near you. The catch, however, is whether or not there will be a seat available at that testing center for your preferred administration of the exam when you go to register. Every year I see students who delay registering for the MCAT and then have to change their plans after registration fills early; it’s not uncommon for these students to have to travel to another city, if not to another state, in order to find a Center that can accommodate them.

As you can see, there’s a lot of thought and preparation that goes into planning for your MCAT. The key to the process, as with studying for the exam, is to get started early; the sooner you know when and where you’re taking the test, the sooner you can get registered and not have to worry about it anymore.

Comments(0) | Category Med School Admissions | Tags: MCAT prep, Test Date