If you're like most people, you don't want to go to an osteopathic school and you certainly don't want to go to an offshore school. I know there are a lot of people here that might not approve of my saying that, but it's true. I'm also guessing that with so much experience you are very comfortable with allopathic medicine, so there isn't any reason for you to consider osteopathy, unless you don't think you can improve your performance on the MCAT--I doubt this is the case.
You absolutely must improve on the MCAT. The only way to do this is to practice, study, and consult with people who can help you (test-prep courses aren't a sure fix for everybody, so try to find help from professors or friends who did well on the exam). If this is important to you then you need to clear your schedule for the next six months. Devote all of your spare time to studying and try to take a practice exam each week (use quality exams like old tests from the AAMC).
I can't emphasize this enough. PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE MECHANICS OF THE TEST!!! Get a hold of one and dissect it like a first year med student does a cadaver. A little secret I learned when I took the test: it's not as hard as most commercial tests. Many of the practice tests I took (even Kaplan's) were WAY more difficult than the real thing. This is because they would have you believe that you need to memorize every detail of your pre-med classes in order to do well on the test. This is a lie. You need to understand the basic concepts, but that's it! Once you can grasp those concepts, all you need to do is employ them to solve the problems on the test--problems that are way easier than the ones you will find in your textbooks at the end of each chapter. The type of reasoning that is required to employ the basic concepts does not come naturally to everybody--BUT IT CAN BE LEARNED. In summary:
1. Dissect the exam. Figure out for yourself what kind of reasoning is required to get the correct answers for each passage.
2. Begin practicing the test, but without time constraints. Give yourself as much time as you need to employ your newfound reasoning.
3. After awhile, this skill will become second-nature. Now you can begin working on your time. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. You can have the best reasoning in the world, but if you can't use it quickly you will bomb the test.
You're in it for the long haul, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen overnight. Also, don't neglect the basic concepts. If you're practicing the exam and you realize you forgot how to identify a strong acid, go back and review the material ASAP. If you follow my advice, you'll be able to take the April exam and be back in the game for the next admission cycle--DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPLY FOR A POSITION IN 2004's ENTERING CLASS. First you have to prove to them that your first score was a fluke. Dedicate yourself. Be patient; if your not ready by April, wait and take it next August. Don't give up. I'm confident that you can earn at least 10 in each section on your next shot, but if you're a few points shy your nursing experience will go a LONG WAY.
Good luck,
CC
