The Dark Side of Premed Reddit

By Evan Botterman, Founder & CEO, PreMedley

Have you ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through r/premed or r/MCAT, feeling increasingly anxious with each post you read? You’re not alone. The premed journey is challenging enough without the added pressure that often comes from online forums—particularly those on Reddit.

The Reality of Premed Reddit Culture

As a former premed who spent countless hours on premed Reddit communities, I witnessed firsthand how these spaces can sometimes create more anxiety than support. The MCAT Reddit discussions and premed Reddit threads often feature posts that sounded something like this: 

• “HELP! I got a 525 on my MCAT and a 3.99 GPA but only have 8,073 volunteer hours and 15,603 clinical hours, am I screwed?!”
• “Hey, I’ve been accepted to 34 MD schools with full merit scholarships at 27 of them but am still waitlisted at 2 other schools I applied to and I’m not sure what to do – need advice!”
• “If you got an A instead of an A+ in any science class ever then you probably won’t get into med school. You should reevaluate every decision you’ve ever made in your life.”

OK, I’m exaggerating— but only slightly!

While r/premed and the MCAT Reddit community can occasionally offer valuable insights, they’re also notorious for toxic comparison culture and unreliable advice from anonymous sources.

Why You Should Be Cautious with Premed Reddit Advice

The truth is simple: don’t believe everything you read from strangers on Reddit. Many posts in these premed communities are well-intentioned but inaccurate. Others are thinly veiled humble-brags disguised as requests for help. This environment can lead to unnecessary stress and unrealistic expectations about what it takes to succeed on your premed journey.

Building a Better Alternative to r/premed and r/MCAT

When we created PreMedley, we made a commitment that toxicity would have no place in our community. Unlike the often chaotic and anxiety-inducing experience of browsing premed Reddit forums, we’ve built structured channels dedicated to:

• Sharing genuine wins and celebrating each other’s successes
• Connecting about clinical opportunities
• Finding compatible study buddies
• Mapping out premed coursework
• And much more

Join Our Supportive Premed Community

It’s been truly inspiring to see thousands of premeds and mentors across North America come together to create something different from the typical r/MCAT or premed Reddit experience. Our community is focused on providing actually helpful advice and supporting each other around the clock.

Your premed journey doesn’t have to be filled with the anxiety that often comes from spending too much time on r/premed. If you’re looking for a more positive, structured environment to support your medical school journey, we invite you to explore what our community has to offer.