Becoming a doctor without a scientific background is not a fairytale. It’s possible but very challenging. For non-scientific majors, we would recommend at least 6 months. Too long? Too laborious? Don’t panic yet. Let us explain why.

According to the AAMC, you need an introductory level of knowledge of physics, biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, psychology and sociology for the MCAT. You need at least 1 month to lay the foundation of the mentioned subjects. Once you acquire the foundation, you need at least 3 months to deal with the real MCAT content and familiarize yourself with infinite question banks.

Then you're ready for a full-length exam. we recommend you to do at least 4 full-length exams, one per week. It helps evaluate the questions you got wrong, revise those topics, strengthen your weak points.

In addition, you will need to familiarize yourself with laboratory techniques, graphs, statistics. As a non-native, you'll also need more practice on English skills. These together will need at least 1 month.

This post has not been written to scare but to paint a real picture of the career-change journey. It seems overwhelming but at the finish line, an MD degree awaits.