Community discussion
Real threads from r/premed, r/medicalschool, and r/mcat on the questions applicants actually ask each other. This is unverified crowd sentiment, not editorial fact — kept deliberately separate from the sourced, dated school data elsewhere on this site.
Not verified, not advice. These are individual Reddit posts, linked to their original threads. Anyone can post anything; treat this as color and context, not as a source for accreditation, cost, or admissions facts — those live on eachsourced school page. Scores and comment counts are a rough popularity signal, not a quality or accuracy signal.
MD vs DO
2026 Match Data. Overall Changes in Specialty Competiveness
\\SEE GRAPHS\\ For this year, Neurology is a very clear standout as a relative increase in competiveness in 2026 vs 2025; with improved overall fill, a higher U.S. MD senior…
359 upvotes · 62 comments ↗
Some tips and tricks from the 100th percentile!!
Hey everyone! I'm not gonna make a super long in-depth post about everything I did to achieve my score from the 07/29 exam (524), because there are already plenty on this…
197 upvotes · 54 comments ↗
Let’s talk about elitism
I’ve always wondered why elitism is so normalized in medicine compared to most other fields. In many professions people might care where you trained, but in medicine it often…
112 upvotes · 83 comments ↗
An MD student's guide to 499 --> 517 (95th percentile)
Hey. Current MD student here – as I’m starting to figure out USMLE Step 1 prep, I’ve been thinking back to studying for the MCAT. Across my studying journey, I started with a 499…
100 upvotes · 16 comments ↗
My Story Through Struggle, Strategy, and Growth: 503-> 510-> 515
Hey everyone, This post is for anyone out there who’s deep in the grind, maybe overwhelmed, maybe doubting themselves, maybe just looking for a little clarity in the chaos that is…
85 upvotes · 20 comments ↗
Mcat improvement but offered a deferred guaranteed for 2027
So I tested 6/13 and got 512 after get to 505 x2 I’m really happy with my score (other than cars which I’m too slow of a reader to get better in that section smh) but I am…
77 upvotes · 38 comments ↗
Secondary essay tips
[Vent] Pre/Non-medical students who look down on students from "Non-T20" schools need to fuck off.
Recently met a real gem of a pre-med. Hellbent on knowing which medical school I was attending, and when I told him, he responds, "Oh, yeah, I've never heard of that school, but a…
989 upvotes · 254 comments ↗
It's wild how much we're supposed to learn in medical school when you think about it.
I’m sure we’ve all felt stupid in medical school many times but when you think about it it’s really absurd the amount of nuanced and granular information we’re supposed to learn…
293 upvotes · 33 comments ↗
Dismissed from Medical School After 1st Semester
During my first year of medical school in Fall 2024, I was on probation due to unsatisfactory academic performance in three classes. I had some health issues that were in…
285 upvotes · 108 comments ↗
Medical school lost me my girlfriend
We had been going strong for a long time. She, unfortunately, found a really good job out of state and we were prepping for a year of long distance until I could match there.…
244 upvotes · 66 comments ↗
Want to quit medical school but don’t have any other skills . Help
I want to quit medical school , but I don’t have any other skills that could give me the life that I want. I feel stuck not only because if this, but also because I’m on a…
179 upvotes · 158 comments ↗
Problem with fainting in medical school
Hi guys, pretty embarrassed about this so nice replies would be appreciated. So I have massive blocks of clinical experience this year. I made it through most of them without an…
167 upvotes · 65 comments ↗
Interview experience
[vent] [serious] **Anonymous post from a Physician conducting interviews for Stanford medical school candidates**
Attached (click here) is what I was given to conduct the medical school interviews this year. The students first read the "background" to the topic and then had to answer the…
1593 upvotes · 274 comments ↗
My experience prolifically lying during 17 residency interviews: a guide
With match day approaching, I wanted to share my experience lying at all my interviews. Maybe it wont payoff, IDK, but I did it anyway if for no other reason than to see if all…
1172 upvotes · 156 comments ↗
Dismissed from medical school, how to move on?
Hi Everyone, I was wondering if there is a group where there are medical students that had gotten dismissed from medical school. I used to be a fourth-year medical student until…
1113 upvotes · 558 comments ↗
A Guide to Medical School: Things I wish I knew (Part 1)
Hey all, this is part 1 of a guide to medical school. I’m writing this as a fourth-year currently applying for residency in a competitive surgical subspecialty. I got 250+ on both…
322 upvotes · 39 comments ↗
End of medical school regrets
I should be excited because I'm graduating but I feel more empty than anything. I feel like I was on autopilot throughout medical school and didn't make the most of the…
305 upvotes · 30 comments ↗
Medical school is making me suicidal, is this normal?
I’ve wanted to be a doctor/study medicine since I was about 7 years old. It’s literally all I’ve ever wanted to do. From ages 13-17 I took every work experience opportunity…
283 upvotes · 62 comments ↗
Pass/fail grading
If you did bad on the MCAT..
I’m posting this again because I want to give hope to yall. I scored a sub 500 3 times on the MCAT. I remember how devastated I was and applied to medical school anyways. 5…
684 upvotes · 81 comments ↗
The Reality of the MCAT (From Someone Who Overstudied)
Hi. I want to start by saying that I prepared for this exam extensively. And by extensively, I mean with literally no exaggeration, 15 hours a day for approximately 10 months.…
390 upvotes · 90 comments ↗
From a 479, taken 5 times, to a 515, and accepted. It can be done!
515 (129/127/129/130) I just completed my first half of M1, and thought I'd use my time to help others in the same position I was at one point. The only reason why I passed the…
334 upvotes · 91 comments ↗
Your score does not define your future capabilities <3
Hello all! So when I was applying to med School, got a 496 on my MCAT. Many reasons went into the score I got, and do believe I would've done better in different circumstances.…
317 upvotes · 68 comments ↗
494 MCAT/3.89 GPA Acceptances!! :)
Hi everyone, I am writing this post in efforts to give back and instill some confidence in those who are struggling with this process. A little background about me is I grew up in…
301 upvotes · 84 comments ↗
The post I needed when I was preparing for this exam. 492 to 516 in 18 days.
TLDR: Your study journey is your own and there isn't any magic formula. You know what works for you. Trying to force yourself to do some other study method (e.g. Anki, never…
274 upvotes · 52 comments ↗
Campus culture
medical school culture and aesthetic is annoying
M3 here. Maybe it is my problem that i had super high expectations starting medical school. I always thought due to need of discipline and hard work, people who go to med school…
1302 upvotes · 149 comments ↗
Dismissed from medical school, I need advice please.
Hello, US ex- medical student here. I really love medicine and I am pretty devastated that this is probably the end for. Unfortunately, I was just few decimal away from passing my…
733 upvotes · 263 comments ↗
[Serious] Name and shame my medical school
Not sure how many other MS4's are going through this, but the utter lack of care our school has for our graduating class surprised me, so I figured the best way to change the…
694 upvotes · 159 comments ↗
As I have now graduated med school, I have realized this subreddit is one of the most toxic
This Reddit is aways arguing MD vs DO. MDs want to make themselves feel superior even though both are providing the best care possible for the patients. I cannot believe people…
645 upvotes · 159 comments ↗
people in med school are fake and toxic
the most draining thing about med school is not the information overload and the constant exams, but the toxicity of your classmates. it genuinely baffles me how some of these…
622 upvotes · 98 comments ↗
Are other medical schools having large amounts of students unable to Pass STEP1?
M3 at a US MD school here. I have no clue if this is a common problem or if this is just at my school but is anyone else’s class having large numbers of students unable to pass…
507 upvotes · 315 comments ↗
MCAT prep
99.9th Percentile MCAT Test Taker. Answering questions about MCAT and MCAT Prep
Not only did I get a pretty solid score but I also taught at three of the largest MCAT companies in the country and developed university MCAT programs as well. Few people take…
134 upvotes · 100 comments ↗
mcat advice from someone who just took it today👍
my advice for you: \-change your career choice OR \-travel back in time to when you were 5 years old and then start doing practice questions every day (and be sure to start taking…
100 upvotes · 6 comments ↗
Reapplication advice 523 MCAT/ 3.59 GPA
Hi everyone- was hoping I wouldn't have to do this again but here we are. Any support or advice is greatly appreciated. This cycle I received 4 MD interviews. 3 interviews turned…
83 upvotes · 47 comments ↗
Advice for a very competitive applicant disillusioned and completely lost after MCAT expired
I graduated in 2022 with a 4.0 GPA and took the MCAT that summer and got a 520. My MCAT has expired since then and I feel so lost. I have really good clinical and research…
78 upvotes · 19 comments ↗
Applying to MD/DO with very low GPA and MCAT, best advice?
I am a very high risk applicant, my overall GPA is 3.53 and my science is 3.15 and my MCAT score has not broken 500 despite retaking 3 times and taking 2 gap years. I know people…
37 upvotes · 40 comments ↗
Advice wanted: bf of 7 years broke up with me after MCAT + taking preview in a week + applying this cycle
I thought I was going to marry this fucker. Turns out he had another gf who he moved in the day after I left. I travelled to take my exam (27th) and when I got out he wanted to go…
13 upvotes · 34 comments ↗
Acceptance timeline
Dismissed from medical school, how to move on?
Hi Everyone, I was wondering if there is a group where there are medical students that had gotten dismissed from medical school. I used to be a fourth-year medical student until…
1113 upvotes · 558 comments ↗
Dismissed from medical school, I need advice please.
Hello, US ex- medical student here. I really love medicine and I am pretty devastated that this is probably the end for. Unfortunately, I was just few decimal away from passing my…
733 upvotes · 263 comments ↗
Today I Withdrew From Medical School
I'd be lying if I said I was one of students who said they wanted to be a physician from a young age. Something about being shuttled from specialist to specialist at a young age…
689 upvotes · 89 comments ↗
A Guide to Medical School: Things I wish I knew (Part 1)
Hey all, this is part 1 of a guide to medical school. I’m writing this as a fourth-year currently applying for residency in a competitive surgical subspecialty. I got 250+ on both…
322 upvotes · 39 comments ↗
How to deal with people who think less of my acceptance because it’s a DO school?
TL:DR - Friends and family questioning my choice of DO school instead of MD, taking a lot of the excitement out of my acceptance and causing a ton of anxiety. Sorry for…
173 upvotes · 104 comments ↗
Non-trads: Do you find medical school easier than your newly graduated peers?
Have always wondered this. To clarify, this question is not to discount the difficulty of getting accepted to and completing medical school. I’m curious about the relative,…
161 upvotes · 117 comments ↗
Match Day experience
My experience prolifically lying during 17 residency interviews: a guide
With match day approaching, I wanted to share my experience lying at all my interviews. Maybe it wont payoff, IDK, but I did it anyway if for no other reason than to see if all…
1172 upvotes · 156 comments ↗
I didn’t expect to cry on match day
Fell down super hard down my rank list and it feels so terrible right now. I’m struggling to even feel happy or proud of myself. My attending came over to ask me where I matched…
846 upvotes · 198 comments ↗
If you're considering IM, do yourself a favor and experience a full day-to-day of IM residency.
I only post this because the IM experience varies drastically. For instance, as an MS3 at my medical school, they had us carrying 3-4 patients on day 1 of our IM rotation. We…
581 upvotes · 77 comments ↗
Unfiltered Match Day Thoughts from a Trauma Therapist (Spouse of an M4)
Disclaimer: information is for entertainment purposes and not intended to serve as therapeutic information. What the actual hell. I knew anecdotally that match day was completely…
463 upvotes · 32 comments ↗
did anyone else just absolutely get dunked on in their rank order list on match day or was it just me LOL 😭😭
Hi! USDO here post-match and all. After a long match week, here I am, lol. Long story short, I repeated M1, came back, top quartile of my new class, classic comeback story and…
335 upvotes · 98 comments ↗
Match day woes and falling down my list
Seems like it just never quite works out for me. Fell way down my rank list for IM and ended up at a solid community program. I know I will be happy there but to get passed up by…
249 upvotes · 36 comments ↗
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