Oftentimes, we are asked about the performance of our past MCAT students; how they did on the test, where they went for medical school, and where they are today. Recently, we had the opportunity to talk with one of our many amazing Kaplan MCAT course alumni, Dr. Ricky Grisson, about where his journey in medicine has taken him and the role that Kaplan played along the way.
1. What was your reaction to taking the MCAT for the first time?
Wow! I was surprised by the difficulty and really disappointed in myself. I performed poorly and felt really terrible about my hopes of becoming a physician. I was doing well in school, as an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, but I did not feel prepared at all to take the MCAT!
2. What do you think it about the MCAT that makes it so challenging for premeds?
The MCAT is a very unique test—from the passage-based format to the types of questions it poses. The MCAT tests more than just factual scientific information that premeds learn in college. I’m sure that many students who take the MCAT without using some sort of prep course wind-up feeling as disappointed about their outcomes as I did about mine.
3. How do you think the Kaplan MCAT course helped you prepare for the test?
After having my dreams crushed by the MCAT, Kaplan really helped restore my confidence. A large part of me still believed that I could become a physician, but I needed guidance and support—Kaplan provided it. Kaplan gave me strategies to deal with difficult questions and passages that make the MCAT so challenging. Finally, Kaplan also helped me focus on the science topics that I needed to know to ace the MCAT.
4. What area of medicine were you most interested in as a medical student and how did you pursue your interest?
As a medical student, I was most interested in infectious diseases. After starting Harvard Medical School and studying at the Pasteur Institute in France to gain further experience, I helped develop HIV vaccine candidates. These research experiences motivated me to travel to South Africa, where I helped develop a curriculum to train clinicians to treat HIV.
5. Do you have any last advice for premeds?
Take advantage of every opportunity that you are given. By taking advantage of opportunities when they were presented to me, I have been able to travel around the world in my quest to understand and help reduce the impact of HIV. After taking my first MCAT, I could have given up on my dreams. Instead, I looked for ways to enhance my MCAT preparation and found the Kaplan prep course. Sometimes you aren’t given a second chance, so don’t pass up potentially life-changing experiences and opportunities!
Now that you’ve read about where Dr. Ricky Grisson took himself, we’d like to hear from you! Where will you take yourself? Tell us what lies in your future, what your ambitions are, how you’re going to leave your mark on this world. In short, tell us what and who you’re going to be. We want to hear the story of the “future you”—in 120 characters or less—and give you the chance to win cash and a free Kaplan course. Click here to enter.
The post From the MCAT to Harvard Medical School: Dr. Ricky Grisson’s Journey appeared first on Med School Pulse.