Connecting Caltech
through medicine and service.

Study resources and timelines reflect personal experience. Check AAMC for current exam information.

Phase 1: Content review

The goal is to bridge the gap between Caltech coursework and the ways the AAMC tests your knowledge. Prepare for all four sections: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (C/P), Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS), Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (B/B), and Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (P/S).

• C/P and B/B: Review the relevant biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and physics foundations. Coursework such as Bi 8, Bi 9, Ch/Bi 110ab, Ch 41abc, Ph 1abc, and Bi 145ab can provide useful background; exam preparation may require additional review. Students have used Kaplan review books and the Jack Sparrow Anki deck, organized by Kaplan chapters.
• P/S: Review psychology, sociology, and biological influences on behavior and health. Psy 13 and PS 12 may provide background, but course coverage may differ from exam content. Suggested resources include the Khan Academy 300-page study document and the Mr. Pankow Anki deck.
• CARS: Practice regularly with reading passages, such as Jack Westin Daily Passages. Focus on understanding the reasoning behind each answer.

For a quick daily warm-up, consider Kaplan’s Question of the Day. When choosing books, compare editions and exam coverage rather than assuming a particular edition is necessary.

Phase 2: Practice and review

Students contributing to this guide suggest beginning focused practice roughly one to one-and-a-half months before test day, adjusting for your own schedule and readiness.

• UWorld: Work through practice questions and read explanations for both correct and incorrect answers. The contributors preferred other resources for CARS because third-party reasoning can differ from AAMC material.
• Third-party full-length exams: Contributors found Altius useful for building stamina; Kaplan and Blueprint are other options. Difficulty and usefulness vary. Review mistakes, make flashcards for concepts you need to revisit, and track your progress.
• AAMC official materials: Use question packs, section banks, and full-length practice exams to become familiar with official question styles. One approach is to take a full-length exam each week in the final weeks, leaving time for careful review.

The MCAT requires endurance and data interpretation as well as scientific knowledge. Give yourself time to adjust to the question style, and don’t let a difficult practice exam discourage you. Happy studying and good luck!

Official AAMC MCAT information and preparation resources ↗

A student reflection adapted from our club’s website content. The schedule describes that experience; future placements and application requirements may differ.

For many Caltech students, the transition from doing sets or lab work to the clinical atmosphere of a hospital can feel like entering a different world. I had the opportunity to join the Caltech/CHLA (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles) Preceptorship Program. If you are considering medicine, especially pediatrics, it offers a close-up view of physician life across specialties.

Getting to know physician life

The program began with breakfast with pediatricians, who shared their journeys into medicine and their day-to-day work. One valuable takeaway was the CART framework for the different responsibilities physicians balance:

• Clinical: Direct patient care and diagnosis.
• Administrative: Running departments and managing healthcare systems.
• Research: Advancing the field through clinical or bench science.
• Teaching: Mentoring residents and medical students.

Seeing that balance was especially eye-opening for those of us interested in the physician-scientist path.

Two weeks across specialties

During my two-week rotation, I shadowed a new department each day for about four to eight hours, sometimes with one physician in the morning and another in the afternoon. My rotations included General Pediatrics, Neonatology, ENT, Emergency Medicine, Endocrinology, PICU, Gastroenterology, and Cardiology.

That variety showed me the differences between inpatient and outpatient care. On morning rounds, I watched medical students, residents, nurses, and physicians collaborate on complex cases. In outpatient clinics, I observed checkups and follow-ups and the long-term relationships pediatricians build with families.

How to learn about applying

Email Lori Eiland at [email protected] to ask about the pre-med mailing list and the current Caltech application process.

For the experience described here, announcements arrived around March or April, with the program taking place in late August to early or mid-September, after SURF. The application included a résumé and essay response, followed by an interview for selected applicants. Confirm the current schedule and requirements with your advisor.

This experience gave me a clearer picture of a specialist’s daily life and the dedication involved in caring for young patients. If you are curious about clinical medicine, I strongly recommend exploring the program.

CHLA medical internships and training information ↗