Am i smart enough to be a doctor - do I have what it takes

Pre-Med & Medical School High School Student Topics
1

<p>I am currently a senior in high school and sorry for the long read but a reply would be greatly appreciated
I do fairly well in school, managing mostly A's, but here's my story to understand where I'm coming from</p>

<p>I took the TACHS for high school, and scored a 52 locally and 72 nationally (Percentile)
I took this harshly, but i went to high school, I was accepted into the honors program (my school has regents, then honors, then scholars - which is all honors classes). My average was very close to 100, in fact it was 100.3 for the third quarter. Thus, they put me into scholars for sophomore year and on. I've been managing about 95-97 since then. Science is a strong point for me.
I am top 5 in my class (scholars and all seniors). I get better grades than most of them, but they don't work for it and i do - does this mean I only get good grades b/c I work hard - I see it as that I need to be smart enough that I can get good grades w/o studying to be a doctor, but I never really tried that.
I am an extremely hard worker when I set my mind to it, and quite recently I have been doing so for science and medicine.
I do have some experience in medicine actually,as I worked as a clinical technician in a doctor's office, and he said I was doing very well for a 17 yr old
I am taking AP biology and am currently top in the class with a 97 - 99 average (I don't know exactly because report cards have not been distributed yet).</p>

<p>However, standardized test scores are back to haunt me:
SAT 1130 / 1680
CR 500
M 630
W 550
ACT 23
Reading 17
Science 23
Math 25 - 27
Writing 26 - 28</p>

<p>I am currently asking and pushing myself with anguish b/c I think this this shows I don't have what it takes to do what i have a huge passion for.</p>

<p>Should I be basing whether or not I am smart enough to be a doctor on the SAT or ACT? I understand i will have to take the MCAT but I will start preparing freshman year in college and its not all aptitude, right? Its reading (aptitude) , then 2 sections on science subjects </p>

<p>If you can respond, I thank you very much but please be honest if you think i'm not smart enough, i need to hear it... i want to know early and definitely the TRUTH. (I'm not trying to offend you, sorry if I did) </p>

<p>To sum it up, should i determine whether or not I am smart enough from these standardized test scores ?</p>

<p>thanks in advance for your reply
its much appreciated</p>

2

<p>To be honest…No…</p>

<p>No offence but you’re standardized test scores are just way to low to get into a good college. And I’m guessing you’re school isn’t very competitive if you’re in the top 5. How big is your class? What are some of the math and science classes you’ve been taking?</p>

3

<p>I guess the question comes down to why do you have trouble with standardized tests?<br>
Text Anxiety, some variety of Dyslexia/LD, or just lack of knowledge.</p>

<p>I do know some MD;s who just had such bad anxiety attacks when those Number 2 pencil tests that it made it more than difficult to pass boards. These are very bright people who knew the material dead cold, but just couldn’t test well at all under those artificial conditions. They had no problem with normal classroom exams at University/MS level, excelled at oral exams and even essay type exams so the Professors knew there wasn’t a knowledge problem. </p>

<p>I also had a HS friend/college roommate who excelled at getting grades in HS (good looking, smooth talking, he was a social savant and he could always find those extra 1-2 points and beg for extra credit to keep his 4.0GPA), but was unmasked on his ACT and struggled at a number of University level classes where those social grades were much less available. </p>

<p>If it’s not a knowledge issue and you prove you can pass the college level classes with distinction, then there are possible workarounds, but you may have to make commitments to correct with the underlying issue (cognitive therapies, medication, relaxation techniques, etc) or find a different way to test or even take a different path the Med School. It’s not easy and will require help from many levels, but it is possible if you are committed and capable.</p>

4

<p>Take an ACT or SAT prep class. I thought the same thing, then took one. I raised it five points. You don’t learn anything new, just how to play the game of college admission tests. The tricks of the trade in a sense.</p>

5

<p>I think people are taking this SAT thing too seriously. It’s a high school exam. You can not judge your ability to become a doctor based on that. You really can’t use anything in high school to judge your ability to be a doctor accurately. Go to college, pick a major, work hard, keep an open mind to other possibilities.</p>

<p>Also, last time I checked going to a top university wasn’t a pre-req for being a physician. Go to a big public university in your state.</p>