MDCAT: A Fragment of My Life

December 31, 2022 (1y ago)

Academic Timeline

1. 8th Class: The First "Push"

For many students, the dream of becoming a medical doctor starts well before they reach matriculation. My own story is no different. I believe two key factors contribute to anyone's success: hard work and motivation. For me, motivation came in the form of a challenge from my science teacher in 8th grade. He promised a dinner party for anyone who achieved more than 95% in the second semester. This challenge pushed me to work hard, and I was able to achieve 96% marks. This success boosted my confidence and instilled in me a sense of discipline and hard work.

2. Matric: An Unfulfilled Ambition

In my 9th grade, I aimed to score at least 500/505 marks and to secure a position in the board. Although I fell slightly short, achieving 490 marks left me completely satisfied. During my 10th grade, I was less enthusiastic about securing a position, but I still achieved an impressive 1066/1100 marks in matric. It's worth mentioning that my exams took place before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything in 2020.

3. 11th Class: Repeat 1st Year with CS

I was well aware that my F.Sc. results would be the most crucial factor in determining my merit for medical college. Unfortunately, my 11th-grade studies were severely impacted by the pandemic. The closure of colleges, the implementation of the smart syllabus, and the uncertainty of exams all contributed to a difficult year. There was a point during the college closure in March 2021 when I almost decided to switch to computer science and repeat the first year. However, with the eventual reopening of academies and the announcement that only elective subjects' exams would take place, I was motivated to study harder. I spent three months tirelessly studying and was thrilled to receive a score of 500/505 in my 11th-grade exams.

4. 12th Class and IBO: Two Choices

One event that had a significant impact on my journey was my participation in the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2022. In December 2021, I learned that I had been selected among the top 50 students of the National Science Talent Contest (NSTC). To prepare for the IBO, I had to read the massive 1493-page book Campbell Biology. It was a challenging decision, but I ultimately chose to prioritize my preparation for the IBO over my F.Sc. studies. After my selection for the four-member IBO team, we underwent a two-week training camp in June 2022, just before my 12th-grade exams. This was a highly stressful time, but it was worth it when we represented Pakistan at the IBO in Armenia in July 2022. I received a Certificate of Merit for my performance there.

5. Biology: A Piece of Cake

My participation in the IBO had a significant impact on my performance in the MDCAT. My concepts of biology were crystal clear. Biology was like a piece of cake for me, thanks to the IBO. However, I did miss out on some of the MDCAT syllabus due to my participation in the IBO. I had to work extra hard to cover the material I missed before the MDCAT, which was scheduled for September.

6. Focus: A Factor of Paramount Importance

The most important thing in the MDCAT, in my opinion, is not to lose focus. After my regular session of MDCAT concluded in the first week of September, I got admission to a test session. It was mainly for two reasons:

  1. I am NOT one of the students who can study themselves consistently without any distractions.
  2. There should be "pressure" like I have to cover this chapter before tomorrow's test.

Anyhow, the month of September also passed with the uncertainty of MDCAT date.

7. NUMS MDCAT: IBO Saga Paid off

I had applied to NUMS MDCAT, and spent the first two weeks of October solely focused on preparing for that test. During this time, I only reviewed Federal Biology and my personal notes. On the day of the test, I felt well-prepared thanks to my time spent in the IBO, and ended up scoring 95.367%.

8. MDCAT: The Fear of Failure

Finally, the MDCAT date was announced and I felt a sense of relief that the uncertainty had dissipated. However, I still felt the pressure of failure looming over me. To combat this fear, I enrolled in another test session. Although I did not attend every session, it helped me stay accountable and motivated. I chose to prepare solely with Punjab textbooks, against the advice of my chemistry teacher. As the MDCAT date approached, I struggled to complete my revision in time.

9. UHS MDCAT: The Advice of a Teacher

UHS MDCAT question papers were distributed. When I turned the question paper and saw the second question about ssDNA, the face of my chemistry teacher flashed before my eyes and his words echoed in my ears. I had better take his advice. Now, it was useless to cry over spilt milk. I still thought, "I can do it. There is nothing much to worry about." Here comes another blunder: As option "C" was given just below option "A", I wronged two MCQs (I was not habitual to the pattern given in the paper.). Still, I thought, "If I correctly answer the other 195 questions, I can do it." Long story short: Yes, I did it. Alhamdulillah, I got 181/200 marks. My rank in the provisional list was 1002. I expected admission to SIMS. Contrary to my prediction, Alhamdulillah I got selected for Allama Iqbal Medical College.

10. The Lessons I Learned

Some lessons I learned:

  1. Everything happens for our own good ("ALLAH is the best of planners").
  2. Some kind of "push" in your life keeps you on the path.
  3. Always aim for the highest.
  4. The time you spent on any kind of skill or constructive activity always pays off in the end.
  5. Don't lose focus during the MDCAT. Do anything if it helps you in being consistent.
  6. There should be some sort of pressure of a schedule or academy or something like that to prevent distractions.
  7. Keep your nerves under control and don't panic during the test. (Read the point # 9)
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