When Gabby Carle walked into a Washington Spirit team meeting in mid-March, she was met with a roar of applause, cheers from her teammates, and a cluster of balloons spelling out “congrats.” For a moment, the defender was stunned, the sudden celebration momentarily blurring the reason for the festivities.
The celebration was for an achievement far removed from the soccer pitch. Carle, a standout defender for the Spirit, had recently learned that she scored high enough on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to qualify for medical school. The news sparked a month-long celebration within the locker room, where teammates affectionately began referring to her as “Dr. Carle.”
While most professional athletes dedicate their full attention to their playing careers until retirement, Carle spent the last year navigating a grueling dual existence. Her Gabby Carle MCAT journey became a testament to balancing the physical demands of elite competition with the mental rigor of pre-medical requirements during a championship season.
For the Quebecer, the pursuit of medicine is a lifelong ambition rooted in family. Her father, Jean, is a physician, and Carle grew up with a deep interest in STEM topics that flourished throughout high school. However, as her soccer talent grew, so did the conflict between her two passions.
The Decision to Delay
The tension between medicine and athletics reached a crossroads in 2021. Carle graduated from Florida State University with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in exercise physiology. Despite her academic success, she chose to enter professional soccer rather than enroll in medical school.
At the time, Carle had already been integrated into the Canadian national team program since her teenage years. The window for professional sports is notoriously slight, leading her to conclude that while medical school could wait, the opportunity to play at the highest level of soccer could not.
“Both professional soccer and med school require full-time (attention) and your whole commitment, so they will have to be staggered,” Carle said. “But for sure, I think I would have never sacrificed my soccer career for med school.”
Four years later, Carle decided it was time to bridge the gap. Without consulting family or friends, she decided to simply “go for it,” initiating a rigorous study regimen to prepare for one of the most challenging entrance exams in the world.
Balancing the Grind
The MCAT is a comprehensive exam designed to assess a candidate’s problem-solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science prerequisites. To navigate the material, Carle enrolled in a Kaplan course, re-learning college-level science while tackling latest, complex subjects.
| Exam Section | Primary Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Chemical and Physical Foundations | Physics and Chemistry |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | Reading Comprehension and Logic |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations | Biology and Organic Chemistry |
| Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations | Psychology and Sociology |
Carle’s study routine was woven into the fabric of the Washington Spirit’s schedule. After morning training sessions, she would retreat to her apartment or a local coffee shop for two to three hours of intense study. Her teammates often accompanied her to the coffee shop, understanding that she was often in a “zone” of deep concentration.
“Sometimes, if I found the conversation really captivating, I just pulled my AirPod out and just chime in, and then put the AirPod back in and keep working,” she said.
The challenge intensified during Washington’s run to the National Women’s Soccer League Championship. Carle managed her time by splitting seven-hour practice sessions into segments, ensuring her academic preparation didn’t slip. Even the Christmas holiday was spent in a sprint of practice tests and review sessions.
“It definitely was a grind, but when you’re in it, I think you’re just fully committed to it,” Carle said. “If you start thinking about how much of a grind It’s, you’re going to want to stop. So for me, it was focus.”
Overcoming Exam-Day Adversity
Despite her preparation, the day of the exam in January brought an unexpected hurdle: a severe migraine. Combined with high stress and nerves, Carle arrived at the testing center feeling physically and mentally on edge.
The start of the test was particularly daunting. Upon reading the first chemistry passage, the questions appeared overwhelmingly complex, triggering a wave of self-doubt. Carle recounted feeling as though she had been “put in the spin cycle in the washing machine.”
To recover, she utilized deep breathing techniques and made the tactical decision to skip the first passage to find her rhythm. This mental pivot allowed her to push through the remainder of the exam. The anxiety continued through February as she waited for her results, using the start of the Spirit’s preseason as a necessary distraction.
The resolution came one afternoon in February. Returning to her hotel room alone after a training session, Carle opened her results to find she had achieved a positive score. She called her boyfriend first before sharing the news with her family and teammates.
While Carle chose not to disclose her specific score, benchmarks from Kaplan indicate that a score of 511 or higher typically places a test-taker in the higher percentiles nationally.
Future Outlook and Career Timeline
Although the MCAT results are valid for three years, Carle is not rushing into the application process. Her immediate priority remains her professional soccer career. She recently signed a new contract with the Washington Spirit that extends her tenure through the 2029 season.
When she does eventually apply to medical schools, Carle expressed a preference for staying in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area, though she remains open to returning to Canada.
Reflecting on the experience, Carle encourages other athletes to pursue their academic or professional goals outside of sports, regardless of the perceived difficulty. “The worst that can happen is it doesn’t happen,” she said. “But that’s life, and there’s so many things you can achieve in life, so why not try it?”
Note: This article provides information regarding academic testing and career paths and is intended for informational purposes only.
Carle will continue her role as a key defender for the Washington Spirit through the upcoming seasons, with her medical school applications remaining a future milestone.
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