The MCAT and ADHD - some tips

ADHD MCAT test prep
By Annah

“I’ll start studying in September. And then, I’ll knock out the MCAT in January, no problem!”  

At least that’s what I told myself going in. September passed, and then October, both with minimal studying beyond the occasional glance at a Kaplan chapter or two. November came, and I ultimately had to push back my MCAT date.  

Studying for the MCAT was harder than I had imagined it would be, due to not only the exam itself but also the reality of prepping for it with ADHD. While many of the usual tidbits of MCAT advice you find on Reddit can apply to most of us, there are unique challenges faced by students with ADHD. As such, I wanted to share some of the tips I learned both in my own study process and in speaking with other medical classmates who have the same disorder.

How to navigate the MCAT if you have ADHD:

1. The Importance of Accountability

As you have continued on your path through the educational system, you may have noticed the progressive lack of oversight. While in high school, you had daily assignments, by the time college rolled around, your evaluations likely dwindled to a handful of midterms. For the MCAT, there is only really one form of external oversight: the day of the exam itself. Given this, it can be easy to push back studying in lieu of life’s other responsibilities with more immediate and formal deadlines.  

As such, for those of us who struggle with a lack of structure, having some form of outside accountability during your studying progress is critical. Tutoring is one great method for this, as your tutor can help keep you on track in your study schedule and take on some of the executive functioning burden of planning a study schedule in the first place. In addition, you can also write out your goals for yourself or share them with a loved one. For staying accountable in individual study sessions, I’ve personally found it really helpful to work next to a friend when I’m struggling to study. In having a “body double”, you can hold each other accountable to studying and keeping away from distractions.  

2. Pomodoro Method

As you might already know, the Pomodoro Method is a time management method in which you do focused work during 25-minute intervals, separated by short breaks. Setting a timer might seem silly but can really help break the paralysis of starting your study session. Even if you don’t feel like cracking up your chemistry notes or doing Anki, commit to doing just 25 minutes of it. By the time the first timer goes off, you’ll have built momentum and continuing to study will be much easier.  

3. Sleep

The importance of sleep for productivity and focus almost seems like a cliché at this point, but it’s because it’s undeniably true, especially for those of us with ADHD. Sleep deprivation will make focusing on studying and retaining the material much more difficult, along with diminish the effectiveness of ADHD medications. While staying up to cram for that chemistry midterm may have worked, there is no cramming for the MCAT (a valuable lesson for medical school later down the line). Sleeping enough is a matter of not only health, but productivity as well, and will ultimately make your study sessions as impactful as possible.  

4. Accommodations

I can’t speak to this from personal experience, but in talking to those who have received MCAT accommodations, I can say that it is critical to apply early as the process can take months. Not only do you need records demonstrating the disability (including a recent neuropsychological evaluation), but you also need to write a personal statement concretely explaining why you need the accommodations. Once you submit the application, turnaround time is up to 60 days before you’ll hear back from the AAMC, after which you can appeal if necessary, which can take another 30 days. Until you know for sure you’ll receive certain accommodations, you should refrain from taking practice exams with any extra time, as you don’t want to get used to a time you may not end up with.  

5. Anki

In addition to teaching me about the human body, my first year of medical school enlightened me on the utility of Anki, an open-source flashcard software. In retrospect, I really wish I had used Anki more during my MCAT studying. The MCAT requires a lot of route memorization, which is only foreshadowing what is to come in medical school. Anki not only makes memorizing a lot easier but also, importantly for those with ADHD, is a highly structured form of studying that requires daily practice. While of course Anki cannot be your only form of studying, it will make learning biology, psychology, and sociology worlds easier.  

ADHD can make prepping for the MCAT a challenge but not an impossibility.

Disability-registry data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) suggests ADHD is the most common disability among medical students, having prevalence of around 1%. So you are not alone! Every person’s experience with the disorder is unique, but hopefully these general tips and considerations can help you ace the MCAT and ultimately take you one step closer to becoming a physician.  

Annah holds a BA in Neuroscience and Gender Sexuality and Women's Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation from Oxford University. She is now an MD candidate at Columbia University.

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