When people talk about the MCAT, they usually focus on the content—the science, the strategy, the study schedules. But what often gets left out is the reality: the financial strain, the burnout, and the sacrifices students make just to get to test day.

I took the MCAT three times.

The first two times, I was still in undergrad. I was a full-time student and worked 12-hour hospital shifts on the weekends. I’d study during slow moments at work or during my breaks, then come home exhausted and still try to push through another chapter or a few practice questions.

The third time, I had already graduated and was working full-time at a clinic. My only days off were Wednesdays and Sundays, so that’s when I studied. No fancy prep course. No paid tutor. Just me, piecing it all together, trying to make it work.

And I know I’m not the only one.

The MCAT isn’t just a test – it’s a barrier.

Let’s talk numbers:

• The registration fee alone is $349 (at the time of writing this post)
• Prep materials, books, and Qbanks? Easily $300–600+
• All this while many students are juggling full-time work, caregiving, and school

For first-gen, underrepresented students, especially Latinas, this test often feels like a locked door with no key.

So instead of waiting for the system to change, we’re doing something about it.

Introducing the FuturaDoctora MCAT Scholarship Fund

This has been a dream of mine for years.
Back when I was struggling to afford my own MCAT prep, I told myself that one day, I’d find a way to make it easier for the students coming up after me.

Today, I’m finally making that dream a reality.

The FuturaDoctora MCAT Scholarship Fund was created for students like me, and like so many of you, who are smart, capable, and driven… but held back by cost.

Learn more about the FuturaDoctora MCAT Scholarship Fund here.

We’re not just helping students afford a test.
We’re investing in the future of medicine; one that looks like us, understands us, and advocates for us.

Let’s make that future a reality.

To my Futura Doctoras

This has been on my heart for years. I know what it’s like to want something so badly but feel like the odds and the costs are stacked against you. I created this scholarship because I never want you to feel like you’re chasing your dreams alone.

You deserve support. You deserve access.
You deserve to show up to that exam fully prepared and not burned out, not financially stressed, not doubting your place in this journey.

This is for you: the first-gen trailblazers, the daughters of immigrants, the ones holding it down at work and still making time to study. You are the reason this fund exists. You are the future of medicine.

And I’m so proud to be walking alongside you.

Con todo mi corazón,

Melissa, MD

Founder | FuturaDoctora