Hey guys, Medicool here.
I thought I'd write a little entry on the path from undergrad to medical school for those interested in gaining admission and pursuing a career in medicine (or research even).
Well, not emerging from the womb as a 20-some-odd-year medical student has it's advantages: plenty of time to learn what to do as well as what not to do.
I think my biggest piece of advice is: "Do soul-searching," and find out if medicine is really what you want to do. Sure, it's pretty exciting, you get to work with people, and there's science involved, but a lot of jobs contain the same thing. Medicine is a big commitment, not only to a career, but to patients who will come to you with needs both simple and complex.
Medicine really attracted me and became "the only thing that makes sense" because there's the human condition present everyday: illness, recovery, connecting with people, doing what you can to make someone feel physically or psychologically better, and just being there for someone who needs it. I find it really rewarding to help a patient understand a procedure or test a little better, and see them relax, since there can be a lot of discomfort in not knowing. I think half of medicine (outside of surgery) is composed of medications, and the other half, the personal aspect.
Anyway, here are a few tips for those interested in applying to med school:
1. Always study and work hard (painfully obvious), but it WILL pay off, and you'll be where you want to be. Typically, a GPA above 3.5 and an MCAT above 29 should make you a competitive applicant.
2. If you don't have free time, make time! Take time to spend with people you love, and time doing the things you love, it'll be a great balance to your hard studying.
3. Gain research experience: Sure, you might start out washing glassware in a lab, but once you get to work on a project, the rewards are amazing: research teaches you to think critically, and you gain a better appreciation of how medicine and research are intertwined.
4. Gain clinical experience: This is crucial (in my opinion) because it exposes you to the "real world" of medicine. Some people find out that medicine isn't for them halfway-through med school, and you definitely don't want to be that person. Medicine isn't glamorous, it's hours of hard work, dedication to your patients, emergencies, difficult times, but it's also a really unique profession that encompasses both science and the human condition.
5. Gain volunteer experience: Different people will tell you different things about the importance of volunteer experience. However, if you love volunteering, do plenty of it since that makes sense to you. Aside from giving back to your community, you'll also mature a bit, I think, since there's something cool about helping others reach a goal.
6. Get solid letters of recommendation from laboratory supervisors, physicians who've you shadowed, and professors who taught you in classes you did very well in. Be sure to build up a sincere professional relationship with people you want to write you a strong letter. Starting early is great here.
7. Apply early! Get that app out as soon as possible, it can make a really big difference.
8. Don't worry! After you've submitted that app, take some you-time.
9. When you hear about interviews, all you have to do is go over your AMCAS/TMDSAS app, keep up with some news involving health care (if there's a lot going on), and relax! All of my interviewers have been really down to earth, they just want to get to know you as a person and see if they'd like to have you for the next 4 years.
I hope that helps, and remember, fellow pre-meds, advisors, and mentors are great sources of information and advice. Be sure to ask the same question to multiple people, as you always get different answers.
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