How to Study for the MCAT While Working Full-Time: A Physician's Guide
Look, I'm going to be straight with you. If you're working full-time and trying to study for the MCAT, you've probably had at least three people tell you it's impossible. That you need to quit your job, lock yourself in a room for 6 months, and do nothing but MCAT prep.
And here's the thing - while that would be ideal, it's not always realistic.
I'm Dr. Nessim, and I've helped thousands of premeds navigate MCAT prep while managing jobs and life responsibilities. Today I'm going to show you exactly how to do it using evidence-based study methods - but I'm also going to be honest with you about what's actually required to succeed.
The Reality of Studying While Working
First, let's be real: studying for the MCAT while working full-time is hard. Not just "challenging" - legitimately difficult. It requires the same level of commitment as being a full-time student studying for the MCAT, just structured differently around your work schedule.
You'll face distractions. You'll be tired after work. You'll have limited time. And at some point - especially in the last 6-8 weeks before your test - you're going to need to minimize those distractions as much as possible to put in serious study hours.
The key isn't that working makes you better prepared. It's that if you're disciplined enough to commit to this path, it can be done with the right strategy.
Time-Blocking: Your Foundation
Here's what I tell all my working students: if you're working full-time, you'll likely be limited to 2-3 focused hours per day early in your prep. This is actually less than what most premeds study daily - most are putting in 4-6+ hours from the start. But eventually, even while working, you'll need to scale up to 6-hour days, especially as you get closer to your test date.
Most working premeds structure it like this:
Early Prep (Months 1-3): 2-3 hours daily
Morning Block (1 hour before work): This is your practice question time. Your brain is fresh, you're alert, and you can tackle CARS passages or science questions that require real thinking. Do 30-40 practice questions from a high-yield question bank like UWorld.
Lunch Break (30 minutes): Review Anki flashcards on your phone. Seriously, you can get through 100+ cards in 30 minutes if you're consistent. This is pure spaced repetition and it's incredibly effective.
Evening Block (1-2 hours after work): This is when you review the questions you did that morning. Go deep on every wrong answer. Understand why you missed it. This is where the real learning happens.
Weekends: Extend to 4-6 hour blocks for content review and practice.
Late Prep (Last 6-8 weeks): Minimize everything else
This is critical - in your final weeks, you need to find a way to reduce work hours, take time off, or significantly cut other commitments. You'll need:
6+ hour study days on weekends (full-length practice tests + review)
4-5 hours on weekdays minimum
Full-length tests under real conditions
Intensive practice question blocks
If you can't find a way to create this time in your final weeks, you should seriously consider pushing back your test date.
Quality Over Quantity: The 6-Hour Rule
Here's what I tell everyone - and this is true whether you're working or a full-time student:
Quality 6 hours without distraction using effective study techniques is way more effective than 8-10 hours of studying in groups where people get sidetracked, or doom scrolling halfway through your prep.
I see students all the time who claim they're studying "10 hours a day" but they're:
Checking their phone every 15 minutes
"Studying" in groups that turn into social sessions
Having Netflix on in the background
Taking 2-hour lunch breaks
That's not real studying. That's time sitting near your books.
If you're working full-time and can only carve out 3 hours, make those 3 hours FOCUSED. Phone off. Distractions eliminated. Active learning only.
The Question-Based Approach (No Time for Passive Reading)
Here's where working full-time actually forces you to be more efficient: you literally don't have time for passive reading.
You can't spend 2 months reading through massive review book sets cover to cover. You don't have that luxury.
So instead, you need active learning from day one:
Start with practice questions immediately. Even if you don't know the content perfectly, do 30-40 UWorld questions every single day from the moment you begin studying.
Then - and this is critical - spend real time reviewing them. It should take you almost as long to review the questions as it took to do them. Go deep on every wrong answer.
Pair this with spaced repetition. This is where Anki becomes incredibly powerful for working students. You can fit in flashcard reviews during small pockets of time throughout your day - waiting for a meeting to start, on your lunch break, before bed.
I've had students tell me they can't believe that four or five 20-minute Anki sessions throughout the day adds up to an hour and a half of actual studying. And here's the kicker: that hour and a half of active recall through spaced repetition can be more effective than three hours of passively reading review books.
Your Realistic Timeline: 6 Months Minimum
If you're working full-time, don't even think about a 3-month timeline. Give yourself 6 months minimum, ideally closer to 8-9 months.
Here's why: when you're only studying 2-3 hours a day for the first few months instead of 6-8, you need more calendar time to get through the same amount of material and practice questions.
Months 1-3: Build foundation with daily practice questions (30-40 per day) paired with targeted content review. Build your Anki deck. Get comfortable with the test format.
Months 4-5: Increase to 50-60 practice questions daily on weekdays, 4-6 hour blocks on weekends. Start full-length practice tests every other week. Keep up with Anki reviews religiously.
Months 6+: This is when you need to minimize work if possible. Full-length practice tests every weekend. Daily practice question blocks. Final polish on weak areas.
The Tools and Support That Actually Work
Don't waste money on everything. Here's what you actually need:
The Most Efficient Path: Our Ultimate Advising Program
If you're serious about this and want comprehensive support, our Ultimate Advising program gives you everything in one place:
UWorld MCAT Question Bank - Included through our partnership (normally ~$300)
Live group coaching sessions - Weekly strategy sessions and accountability
Private 1-on-1 tutoring - Personalized guidance from coaches who scored in the top 1%
Office hours - Get your questions answered in real-time
Study plan customization - Built around your work schedule
MCAT PowerBook - High-yield content review included
Community support - Connect with other working premeds going through the same thing
This is the community aspect I took from being in Phi Delta Epsilon at Cornell, combined with the best prep materials and expert coaching. It's everything you need without piecing together 10 different resources.
If You're Going the DIY Route:
Essential:
UWorld MCAT Question Bank (~$300) - Best practice questions available
AAMC Full-Length Practice Tests (~$130) - You need all of them
Anki (free) - For spaced repetition
MCAT PowerBook - High-yield content review for when you don't have time to read thousands of pages
Optional but helpful:
Khan Academy videos (free) for content gaps
AAMC Section Banks (once you're in Month 4+)
The DIY route can work, but most working students benefit from the structure, accountability, and expert guidance that comes with a comprehensive program.
Managing Burnout When You're Already Tired
Let's be real - you're going to come home from work exhausted most days. You're not going to want to study. This is normal and expected.
Here's what I tell my students: on those days, do the minimum viable studying. Review 50 Anki cards. Do 10 practice questions. Something is better than nothing, and consistency matters more than perfection.
But also recognize - if you're having more "exhausted days" than "productive days," that's a sign you might need to adjust your timeline or reduce work hours sooner.
Schedule one day per week completely off. No MCAT. No guilt. You need it to stay sane over 6+ months.
The Hard Truth About Work and MCAT Prep
I'm going to level with you because I respect you enough to be honest:
Studying for the MCAT while working full-time is comparable in difficulty to studying while being a full-time student. Both have challenges. Both have distractions. Both require serious commitment.
The difference is just where your time goes - class vs. work, homework vs. job responsibilities.
Don't go into this thinking "I work, so I'm more disciplined and this will be easier." It won't be easier. It will be hard. But it's doable if you're strategic.
And remember: at some point, probably in those final 6-8 weeks, you'll need to figure out how to significantly reduce work hours or take time off. Whether that's saving up PTO, going part-time, or taking a leave of absence.
If you can't create that intensive study time in your final weeks, seriously consider whether now is the right time to take the MCAT.
When to Consider NOT Working Full-Time
You should honestly assess whether you need to reduce hours or quit if:
You can't consistently find even 2-3 hours daily for studying
Your job is mentally exhausting (healthcare, teaching, etc.) and you have nothing left for MCAT
You're more than 2 years removed from prerequisites and need significant content relearning
You're aiming for top-tier scores (518+) and need maximum study time
You can't reduce hours in the final 6-8 weeks
There's no shame in admitting the timing isn't right. Better to wait and do it properly than rush and underperform.
Your Next Steps
If you're serious about studying for the MCAT while working full-time:
Assess if you can commit 6+ months - don't try to rush this in 3-4 months
Plan for reduced hours in final 6-8 weeks - start saving PTO now or talk to your employer
Consider our Ultimate Advising program - it includes UWorld, live coaching, private tutoring, and office hours all designed for working students
If going DIY: Get UWorld and start doing 30 questions per day immediately
Download Anki and commit to daily reviews, even if just 20 minutes
Block out study times in your calendar for the next week. Treat them like mandatory meetings.
And if you want personalized guidance on building your study plan around your work schedule - including an honest assessment of whether your timeline is realistic - book a free consultation with our team.
We'll help you figure out if this is doable with your current work situation, what support structure makes sense for you, and whether you need to make changes before starting.
The Bottom Line
Can you study for the MCAT while working full-time? Yes.
Is it as hard as studying while being a full-time student? Yes, just with different challenges.
Will you eventually need to reduce work hours or take time off? Almost certainly, at least in the final weeks.
Is it worth it if you're strategic and realistic? Absolutely.
Just go in with your eyes open. This isn't a "hack" to make MCAT prep easier. It's a strategic approach to make it possible when your life circumstances require you to work.
If you're disciplined enough to commit to focused study time every single day for 6+ months, minimize distractions when it counts, and scale up to intensive studying in your final weeks, you can absolutely do this.
You've got this. Just be realistic about what it takes.
