Hi everyone!
New to the group-I'm a premed undergrad and gearing up to take the MCAT in a little over a month. Wondering if anyone here had experience with taking long tests (it's over 6 hours long) with keeping your blood sugar stable.I have had type 1 diabetes for 18 years in May and so I know fairly well how to handle it, but also wanted any advice from fellow T1Ds! Thanks in advance!
Best,
Colleen
I used small amounts of dry cereal (I think it was oatmeal squares). Ordinarily this would spike me, but I was so nervous I was low-ish the whole time. I also ate small amounts. Just remember they don't allow ANYTHING in the room, including food. If you want to bring in your meter, you need special permission. The earlier you request it, the better off you'll be.
Good luck!
The prof. will make an exception, as it is deemed a medical necessity. This is a non issue. You must however approach her/him
well ahead of time, to bring discreet dry snacks and metre. Wishing you the best of the best in your MCAT. Keep us posted :)
Welcome to the group and congrats on taking the MCAT!! I'm not sure about snacks, I like little bags of jelly beans and Smarties for running, they are very east to stick into a pocket and hold about 35G of carbs each. You could really stick anything in the bags and they would still be handy, the # of carbs would just be dependent on what you stick in there!
I would recommend eating a smaller than normal meal before the test and try to limit the number of carbs so that you limit the amount of insulin you have onboard when the test starts. If you don't usually eat like this, perhaps rehearsing a time or two will inform and give confidence. I would try a meal like bacon and eggs with maybe a half slice of toast.
I would take two 10-pack rolls of glucose tablets. That will give you 80 carbs of quick acting glucose, way more than you'll probably need, but the stakes are high and too many won't hurt but too few could be a problem.
Good luck with your MCATs and congratulations on your budding medical career.
Congratulations on taking the MCAT!
In addition to the other excellent advice here, you could also use a lower temporary basal rate starting about 1-2 hours before the test begins and running until 1-2 hours before it ends.
I got low BG at the end of the GRE, which wasn't great. That's happened a couple times during those long tests where they pat you down and don't let you bring anything in. I would call them before hand and make sure they understand that you'll be bringing in a snack. Prometric tried to make me remove my insulin pump once. They, honestly, have harder security than any airport that I have ever been in.
Six hour test. Don’t change anything. High BG doesn’t help. Take the day before off to relax. Get mild exercise. Read the test rules.
The MCAT is administered through the American Association of Medical Colleges. It is not run by a professor, and they can be extremely unreasonable. It is a HUGE issue, and approval for snacks and a meter is an exercise in navigating red tape.
I don't mean to sound harsh, but I know from several friends that they can be cruel and unusual. The earlier you contact them, the better. And there's a deadline to contacting them, as well. I'm pretty sure it's 30 days, but it might be longer.
Exactly! I signed my name to get into the test, and when they checked it against my ID it didn't match up enough and they made me sign it again! I also got fingerprinted every, single time I entered and left the test, and I wasn't even allowed to wear a watch.
You need to go to this link and apply for an accommodation to be able to bring in what you need like glucose tabs, your testing equipment, insulin pens/ pump etc. That will require a letter from your doctor and listing the various things that you need. For bringing in medical devices and diabetes equipment etc. you need to apply 30 days ahead of time it seems.
I frequently go long periods without eating, usually 4-5 hours between meals normally, I think eating low carb, high fat helps. I like Terry's idea of eating a protein fat meal with low carb content meal before and keep your bolus insulin low to avoid lows. If you have a pump then obviously you can reduce basal if you go low, or increase it or whatever. I guess it all depends on you. Snacks like nuts, cheese and raw veggies can keep me going for hours.
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/accommodations/
Application Time Frames and Types
2015 Time Frames
Most initial requests for accommodations will be reviewed within 60 days of submission of a complete application. The review cycle for Reconsiderations, Appeals, and Extensions is 30 days. Remember that submitting an incomplete application may extend this time frame considerably and may prevent you from testing on your preferred test date with accommodations, so pay particular attention to the application requirements that apply to your request.
You must submit your application far enough in advance to allow us time to confirm or arrange your accommodations on your preferred test day. We are not able to begin the confirmation process after your exam’s Silver Zone deadline, as that is the minimum amount of time needed to confirm your accommodations. To help you submit your application on time, please refer to the table below. Submitting your complete application by the date listed will guarantee a decision in time for any approved accommodations to be confirmed for your exam date.
Submission Dates for Preferred Exam Date
Exam Date (2015) 60-day Review Cycle* 30-day Review Cycle**
April 17 & 18 February 16 March 4
May 22 March 9 April 8
June 19 & 20 April 6 May 6
July 17 & 18 May 4 June 3
August 5 & 6 May 23 June 22
August 21 & 22 June 8 July 8
September 3 June 21 July 21
September 11 & 12 June 29 July 29
*Applies to initial applications, including previously incomplete applications.
**Applies to Personal Medical Item Requests, Appeals, Reconsiderations, and Extensions.
Application Types
Initial
An Initial application is your first request for accommodations and is submitted via MCAT Accommodations Online (MAO). The review cycle for an Initial application is 60 days for a complete application, so make sure to submit your application as soon as it is complete, but no later than the date in the table above that corresponds with your test date. To ensure your application is complete when you submit it, make sure to carefully review the Application Requirements associated with your request.
Personal Medical Item
If you have a medical condition that necessitates that you bring a personal item into the testing room and you are not requesting any other accommodations, the review period is shorter (30 days). You can still submit your application via MCAT Accommodations Online (MAO).Your application should include a cover letter along with documentation in the form of a detailed letter from your physician, on letterhead, that explains the rationale for your request. Written notes on prescription paper will not be accepted. Examples of personal medical items include, but are not limited to:
Medication
An insulin pump
A cast
A prosthetic device
An inhaler
Food or beverage
Extension
Your approval letter will specify when your accommodations expire. If you need to extend your approved accommodations beyond the specified date, you may submit an Extension Request. Before doing so, make sure the documentation you submitted with your initial application is still current. If the documentation is not current, you may need to submit updated information. Then, complete the form below and mail it to the address on the form. The review cycle for an Extension is 30 days.
They gave me some kinda laser eye scan to take the actuarial exam. I felt like I was in the Robocop movie. (Really they were just photographing my eyes, but it was strange enough).
I took something similar to the MCAT here in Switzerland, I dont think they are as horrible as in the US, but i requested to take all my stuff with me. As for snacks i had glucose tabs, juice boxes, dried fruit and bananas i think.
and WATER. so much WATER. you dont want to forget that. not only for D, but for everyone water is important during such a long exam. i put the filled bottles in the freezer the night before, so i actually took an ice block in a bottle to the exam, that way the water stayed cool the entire test and it was extremely refreshing and revitalizing each time i took a sip. but dont drink too much either, or youll be spending precious exam time with running to the bathroom ;)
all the best in your test, you will love medschool!
SC