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WHAT is "MCATbyJames"?
 

MCATbyJames is designed to prioritize critical thinking through passage application in a unique way in which no test prep company has yet been able to replicate. It is designed to be fully representative of the real exam, rather than just reading through basic theory that most prep companies currently offer.

Active recall is important, but practice and simulated testing is what keeps knowledge. When learning a new skill/theory, active recall is the mechanism which makes the information stick. Things one has done are remembered and actively recalled better than things done by others that one has observed. 

James's unique style as both instructor and coach is what has led him to not only personally achieving a perfect 528 score but has reproduced the same top-tier results (520+) in his own students.  Every year, James's students average between a 520-525 on the four AAMC official diagnostic exams with a +-2 score difference on the real MCAT. Typically, by the end of the course, an average student will have finished 20 full length practice exams with high consistency in the last month.

The major difference in the way James teaches is through a 70/30 approach of application vs theory. Instead of a typical lecture, this course is designed to promote active thinking through a step-by-step breakdown of the passage with required pre-readings before and after each class (all course theory material, exams and homework will be provided at no additional cost). Difficulty is important. The learning process is significantly different in focus and pace. Information will be relevant, theories will make intuitive sense and you will be able to explain the theories and concepts not only in your own words but be able to apply it in a variety of contexts. 

Most importantly, James's unique CARS method called the "ABC's" will show you how and why you have been approaching the passages the wrong way. The "ABC's" is NOT a tip/trick for CARS, but more of a lens to look at a passage through thesis, structure and tone. On the very first session, James will show you a full analysis of a CARS passage and see how easy it is to score a perfect passage. Most students will average around 8-9 minutes/passage in the last month even if their baseline and reading speed is quite low. You will be able read each type of passage with confidence and recognize every question type to see the structure of the MCAT the way that the writers see it.

MCATbyJames is an intense course. Goals will be set every week, and timelines will be checked off every month. Every student will have his/her own file with progress updates daily including reading material and solo-at-home practice. With exposure to a variety of materials increasing in difficulty every week, every student will build the skillset not only in content knowledge but most importantly the exam itself. 
 

WHO is James?  

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James is a former Canadian medical student with over 8 years of professional teaching experience. After scoring a 41 (old MCAT) and a perfect 528 (new MCAT), James found a new passion for teaching through sharing his own MCAT journey with his peers. James has been scouted as the lead tutor for many of the major prep companies before embarking to create his own curriculum. In his academic career, James was awarded the famous Canadian Bourse Loran Scholarship, the major Principal's Scholarship, the President's Award and the Robert and Bella Martin Award at Queen's University pursuing a BSc.H in Life Sciences with a perfect 4.3 GPA. James is also a published poet, An Apple Tree, and winner of the Public Speaking & Advocacy Competition in Alberta's Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP law firm, and a varsity rowing athlete.

In the field of synthetic biology, James won Bronze as the opening speaker at the North American iGEM competition representing Queen's at MIT with appearances on the Kingston Whig and CBC Radio. James's research was for a solution against mosquito-borne illnesses with engineered E. coli. The metabolic pathway was designed to uptake isovaleric acid from the skin surface and transform it into isoamyl acetate through a four part genetic engineering process using AtoE (uptake of isovaleric acid), NCAR + NPT (reduction to aldehyde), YjgB (aldehyde reductase) and ATF-1 (conversion of isoamyl alcohol to isoamyl acetate. With ample experience in biochemistry techniques such as mass spectrometry, chemotaxis assay, gel electrophoresis, NADPH activity assay, Biobrick and SDS-PAGE, James has taught many workshops for high-school and university students collaborating with Shad Valley and QSynBio in synthetic biology. Students in the crash course were introduced to molecular biology foundations and design principles of synthetic biology on the first day. James is trilingual in English, French and Korean.

In James's spare time, James loves playing piano and guitar, being in the water, and is a swim instructor to youth with physical and neurological disabilities, and is also certified personal training specialist (PTS). James is also passionate in mental health, having launched multiple homeless outreaches in Downtown Calgary as an intermediary to the Calgary Dream Center, and currently manages a non-profit microfinance organization for underrepresented third-world entrepreneurs specifically targeting women minority groups.