Hello everyone!

I am new to this forum and wanted to introduce myself as well as ask a question!

I graduated from college in 2004 and am now in my late 20s. Throughout my life I have been interested in health and public health and spent the majority of my college years doing health related extra-curriculars. After graduation, I spent some very fulfilling years in the business world and almost applied to business school but decided that it wasn't something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Thought and thought for 2 years about deciding to do a post-bac and attempting this crazy road... and decided to give it a try so that I don't regret it and live in agony for the rest of my life!

I took my pre-reqs and finished them over a course of a year and a summer. I decided against applying this year for several reasons...the most important one being that my husband and I both want to start a family. Who knows how quickly I will get pregnant but the original plan was to apply this year and then a) either start school next year (if i got in) right after having our first or b) start school while very pregnant. I decided that I'd rather be around for the first few months/yr of our first and enjoy being a mom without having the anxiety/stress of adapting to med school. We also want kids while I'm in school so the thinking is that having our first now will help us be better prepared for hopefully having a second while I'm in school.

The big question I'd like to ask is your thought on when I should take the MCAT? I have all the pre-reqs done so my question pertains to which trimester do you think it's best for me to take the exam?

I hear that it is common to feel very exhausted and sleepy during your first trimester but that your second is better. We are trying for our first now (not pregnant yet)... so it's a little bit hard to tell which month is going to fall in the first, second or third trimester. In general, I am looking at the January or March test date. My best guess is that January will fall in the second trimester and March will fall in the middle of the last.

Any thoughts? =) Would love to hear your advice!!!

I hope to "meet" many of you on this forum,
cloudlessskies

Hi Cloudlessskies

I took the MCAT January 29th 2010 and had my baby February 27th 2010. So i feel obligated to give you my advice, being that i took the MCAT at almost 9mos pregnant, and studied for the test during my entire pregnancy. I think it would be best not take it during the first trimester, if youre anything like me, and plenty of other women, you really are exhasuted during the first trimester. Now, i also dont recommend taking it during the end of your third trimester, unless you are truly 100% determined to stick to your test date, as I was. I did wonderful on the test, but it was a challenge. At the time i was having extreme back pain, and nervousness topped with the urge to pee every 15 minutes was a true challenge.

SOoo my suggestion is to try to take in the second trimester or early third. But everyone is different, the best advice that i can give you, is to do whats best for you.

I am in my first year of med school now, so I also can give you advice on the sacrafices that you will have to make as a mother med student.

Good Luck
~Haleemak~

Every pregnancy is different- my first I was totally fine after the tiredness of the first trimester until I developed pre-eclampsia at 32/34 weeks. My second I had hyperemesis and was hopsitalized for a few days at the end of my first trimester- I was sick through the 18th week. My third, I was sick until 14 weeks, then fine until 30 weeks, when I just was no longer comfortable. This time around, it has been spurts of good times and bad throughout.

If you have to take the MCAT pregnant (there is this wonderful pregnancy brain issue, I am often searching for words I would normally know off the top of my head), I would shoot for the 20 - 24 week time period. Anything before that and you may be sick/tired, after that, you may just be so uncomfortable that it affects testing.

Good luck!