10 minutes on the MCAT got me 8/13 questions right, which is a terrible 61%. From the topic essay, I didn't interpret Confucious as favorably as the answers seemed to want me to. I'll have to pay more attention to what the writer thinks as opposed to what I think.
Those 13 questions ended the multiple choice section and launched me into the essay questions. I didn't think the online practice MCAT would have those. They don't grade the essays, but they let you save them in your profile. It looks like you can read actual essays from when that particular questions was really asked.
I'll do the essay questions another night!
This past week I learned that Wolfram Alpha has a use. Specifically, it's like a super charged periodic table. I can search for things like ammonium sulfate and get everything there is to know about the compound. It's perfect for helping me to learn and memorize what the composition and electrical charge is for ions like perchlorate, and it rocks for converting units.
Feb 26, 2010
Feb 25, 2010
Medical School Preparation: Day 4
Things can move fast when you're motivated. I received a call-back from Chico Immediate Care today and have an appointment for next week to go over what a "medical assistant volunteer" would do.
I hope my full-time employment doesn't become a snare. Hopefully they tell me I can volunteer any time I have available. With furloughs and an ability to both caffeinate and get up early, I can work around my University job if they'll let me.
30 minutes on the MCAT today left me with 26/32 questions right. That's 81%. A big improvement, but it's because I left the chemistry quarter of the test and entered the "verbal reasoning skills" quarter. Finally, a practical use for my BA in English: passing the MCAT real well!
Today I learned that the MCAT has a reading comprehension section. It literally gives you a news article or essay to read and then asks you questions about it. Easiest part of a test ever.
I also learned that cesium is one badass element. Example 1 and Example 2.
I hope my full-time employment doesn't become a snare. Hopefully they tell me I can volunteer any time I have available. With furloughs and an ability to both caffeinate and get up early, I can work around my University job if they'll let me.
30 minutes on the MCAT today left me with 26/32 questions right. That's 81%. A big improvement, but it's because I left the chemistry quarter of the test and entered the "verbal reasoning skills" quarter. Finally, a practical use for my BA in English: passing the MCAT real well!
Today I learned that the MCAT has a reading comprehension section. It literally gives you a news article or essay to read and then asks you questions about it. Easiest part of a test ever.
I also learned that cesium is one badass element. Example 1 and Example 2.
Feb 24, 2010
Medical School Preparation: Day 3
Last night I left out the most important part of getting into medical school: volunteer work. If you pass the MCAT, then the medical schools are going to already know you're smart. Your grades, GPA, courses, and letters from professors will all be superfluous -- passing the MCAT = smart.
That leaves your ability to actually work in a medical environment. Which means a letter from a worker who vouches for your ability to function non-academically in the kind of environment faced by medical workers.
To that end, I've set my sights on Chico Immediate Care. The resident orthopod there fixed my hand a while ago, so I'll try to use that connection as some kind of in.
30 minutes on the MCAT today yielded 8/14 correct answers. That's 57%. Long way to go.
Today I learned that pH = -log[H3O+]. If I know the pH of a solution, I can find the concentration of H3O+ by taking 10 raised to the negative power of whatever the pH was.
That leaves your ability to actually work in a medical environment. Which means a letter from a worker who vouches for your ability to function non-academically in the kind of environment faced by medical workers.
To that end, I've set my sights on Chico Immediate Care. The resident orthopod there fixed my hand a while ago, so I'll try to use that connection as some kind of in.
30 minutes on the MCAT today yielded 8/14 correct answers. That's 57%. Long way to go.
Today I learned that pH = -log[H3O+]. If I know the pH of a solution, I can find the concentration of H3O+ by taking 10 raised to the negative power of whatever the pH was.
Feb 23, 2010
Medical School Preparation: Day 2
I've decided to career change, and become an orthopod.
I'll be applying to medical schools in about one year.
I spoke with Dr. Jonathan Day at CSU, Chico and based on his advisements, I understand that to ensure favorable odds for succeeding in my goal I must:
Technically Dr. Day says one should take an additional 6 courses in order to do well on the MCAT, but the bare minimum to meet admission requirements requires less. I'd like to wrap this up in a timely manner, so I'll be substituting MIT courses and self-learning for those optional courses.
The MCAT is a 5.5+ hour long test, which Dr. Day says is the hardest test in the nation. I believe he believes this, because he had the attitude that if I passed the MCAT, then 4 years of medical school and 2 years of a residency would be so easy as to be hardly worth mentioning. It's the MCAT that's hard.
Today I spent 30 minutes on the bona fide practice MCAT. I finished 17 questions and got 12 of them right, which is 70%. A 70% is required as an absolute bare minimum to be accepted at any medical school. I'll need to push that up to 100% before the end.
Today I learned that wavelength multiplied by frequency equals velocity. Doctors have to know these things.
I'll be applying to medical schools in about one year.
I spoke with Dr. Jonathan Day at CSU, Chico and based on his advisements, I understand that to ensure favorable odds for succeeding in my goal I must:
- Complete MIT Open Courseware material daily, every day.
- Spend time on the practice MCAT daily, every day.
- Pass CHEM 111, CHEM 112, CHEM 270, CHEM 370, BIOL 151, and BIOL 360, and PHYS 202A (admissions requirements for UCSF in particular and med schools in general).
- Pass the MCAT with a high score
Technically Dr. Day says one should take an additional 6 courses in order to do well on the MCAT, but the bare minimum to meet admission requirements requires less. I'd like to wrap this up in a timely manner, so I'll be substituting MIT courses and self-learning for those optional courses.
The MCAT is a 5.5+ hour long test, which Dr. Day says is the hardest test in the nation. I believe he believes this, because he had the attitude that if I passed the MCAT, then 4 years of medical school and 2 years of a residency would be so easy as to be hardly worth mentioning. It's the MCAT that's hard.
Today I spent 30 minutes on the bona fide practice MCAT. I finished 17 questions and got 12 of them right, which is 70%. A 70% is required as an absolute bare minimum to be accepted at any medical school. I'll need to push that up to 100% before the end.
Today I learned that wavelength multiplied by frequency equals velocity. Doctors have to know these things.
Feb 18, 2010
Rainbow Cupcakes
Hello, and welcome once again to Kitchen Experiments.
This episode, we're in an all new kitchen, and we've had some trials and tribulations with the oven and some of our favorite fallback desserts, but now it's time for something new.
Rainbow Cupcakes.
I was inspired by the LJ Comm bakebakebake, in which various persons post of their kitchen exploits and experiments. I came across several posts about rainbow cakes, and one about pudding icing. I couldn't help myself. Off the kitchen I went.
For my cake, I used the tried and true Simple White Cake from All Recipes. It's just awesome. I use it all the time. So the process of separating the batter into six separate containers and dying it all different colors was interesting, and a bit time consuming, but ended up with beautiful results.
This is after being layered in the jumbo baking cups that eventually I'll get rid of.
And into the oven they went!
And out of the oven they came!
And into the fridge they went!
And out of the fridge they came, now ready to be frosted!
For the frosting, I used one box of Jell-O chocolate pudding, 8 oz of cream cheese, and a splash of milk, as suggested by the post. The texture was wonderful, but the cream cheese was a bit pungent for the chocolate flavor, so I added about 1/2 cup powdered sugar, a teaspoon of cocoa powder, and a teaspoon of vanilla. After the additions, the frosting was just right. Very rich, and very smooth.
So, the cupcakes were frosted and sprinkled, (for what is a cupcake if without sprinkles? Answer: A sad cupcake.) and macro-ed.
And the glorious innards:
These are claimed to be a success. Will most certainly use and elaborate on this frosting recipe again. Perhaps, vanilla pudding with strawberry cream cheese? The possibilities are ENDLESS!
This episode, we're in an all new kitchen, and we've had some trials and tribulations with the oven and some of our favorite fallback desserts, but now it's time for something new.
Rainbow Cupcakes.
I was inspired by the LJ Comm bakebakebake, in which various persons post of their kitchen exploits and experiments. I came across several posts about rainbow cakes, and one about pudding icing. I couldn't help myself. Off the kitchen I went.
For my cake, I used the tried and true Simple White Cake from All Recipes. It's just awesome. I use it all the time. So the process of separating the batter into six separate containers and dying it all different colors was interesting, and a bit time consuming, but ended up with beautiful results.
This is after being layered in the jumbo baking cups that eventually I'll get rid of.
And into the oven they went!
And out of the oven they came!
And into the fridge they went!
And out of the fridge they came, now ready to be frosted!
For the frosting, I used one box of Jell-O chocolate pudding, 8 oz of cream cheese, and a splash of milk, as suggested by the post. The texture was wonderful, but the cream cheese was a bit pungent for the chocolate flavor, so I added about 1/2 cup powdered sugar, a teaspoon of cocoa powder, and a teaspoon of vanilla. After the additions, the frosting was just right. Very rich, and very smooth.
So, the cupcakes were frosted and sprinkled, (for what is a cupcake if without sprinkles? Answer: A sad cupcake.) and macro-ed.
And the glorious innards:
 |
| From Rainbow Cupcakes |
These are claimed to be a success. Will most certainly use and elaborate on this frosting recipe again. Perhaps, vanilla pudding with strawberry cream cheese? The possibilities are ENDLESS!
Feb 15, 2010
Experiment with Coconut Milk!
I love coconuts - especially when they're standing in a row. So, I thought - I like coconut peanut sauce... I like peanut butter cookies... hmm - let's try coconut peanut butter cookies! But, the flaked coconut or shredded coconut would not maintain the same awesomeness that is peanut butter cookies. I had an idea - Coconut milk! I could substitute coconut milk for some or all of the butter in the cookies, still get the fat - but I'd lose several calories per cookie and the cholesterol too, which for those of us watching our weight is fantastic.
Now, I knew coming into this that coconut milk ~= butter, but hey - I can run a baking experiment to see HOW right?
Conclusion, replaced 1/2 cup of butter with 1/2 cup of coconut milk + 1 Tbsp butter. Result tastes great, but they feel squishy like a sponge when you pick them up and they're like little cakes when you bite into them. Awesome, 'cause if those were switched they would have gone in the trash.
These are a tasty little experiment - and now we know, if you want little cakes to eat with your tea and biscuits you can swap out butter for coconut milk and have a tasty cake of your choice! I'm sure I'll try this again, 'cause the result was not a failure - just a learning experience.
Enjoy!
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