Change For Thoughts
I am not quite sure if this will be helpful to the faceless audience out there (if I have one at all), but to those who are interested in applying to medical schools in the United States, here are my change of thoughts/advice. Take them as you see fit.
1. Start Early/Self-Motivate Early. This may seem really simple, but I think this is the most important thing to do. The path of a physician is a very difficult one - not just in terms of knowledge and academics, but also in lifestyle and the politics that entails becoming one. I always say that your job is what you do for the rest of your life, so you better damn well want to do it when you start because if you do not, you will almost most definitely not love it after ten years of wading in it. Of course, I am talking to the individuals who place career as the foremost priority. I am well aware that there are individuals who see a job as simply a job - to earn bring the metaphorical bread to the table each day, and I honour that. But for those who want to pursue medicine as a physician, most must be willing to sacrifice a lot to get there, so make sure you know that this is really what you want before you get waist deep in it.
Self-doubt is going to be a frequent friend throughout the process, and many of my in-medical school friends have admitted that they have wondered whether they made the right decision or whether it was worth it. In the end, you have to stick to your instinct and remember why it is that you chose medicine in the first place.
Once you have that down, you can start as early as possible.
2. Get Good Grades. The sad (sad for me, that is) thing about the U.S. system is that for many medical schools, it is still a numbers game when it comes to applying. If you have a good GPA and a good MCAT score, you already have a foot in a lot of school. For whatever system that is being used to filter the students, medical schools seem to care a lot more about whether you can get those numbers than whether you can actually function and nurture your talents beyond the classroom and standardized tests. Of course, if you do your homework, there are schools who look at these "non-traditional" students, but those are probably in the minority. Now I do not work in administration, and I do not know anything about the actual process, so I am just writing down my opinions of what I think the system is structured from my own experience as well as from what I see or hear from others. So sadly, grades and tests come so much farther first. Make sure you get those good grades for your GPA - cumulative and science. Plan your 4-year or 5-year or how-many year schedule to ensure you have time to study and get good grades. And give yourself time for the MCATs.
3. Be smart about building that application. Do not do what I did. I overloaded myself with everything in the stubborn insistence that I could achieve all my goals through shear will power. It is important to be well-rounded in your application. Nowadays, most medical schools (in general, of course) likes to see some research and some clinical experience in addition to those beautiful grades. From the perspective of a University of California school, I really enjoyed the research experience there. Because of the strength in research at most of the universities, the faculty are majorly very friendly and receptive to taking in noobies at any level of the undergraduate ladder, which is something I loved. I started research when I entered university knowing that it was something I had to do (which was pretty bold of me, in retrospect; and quite PhD-like instead of MD-esque), and I literally emailed a list of professors explaining to them I wanted to get involved in their work and would start with anything. Be eager and passionate! It will most likely never lead you astray. Because to be honest, no matter how much experience you have whether in high school or during undergraduate, unless you are a very exceptional individual, you will most likely not have enough experience to be ready to work at a research laboratory, but most professors are just happy to share the happiness of doing science. I loved that part of my undergraduate experience, and it is not for everyone. If you are an individual who loves clinical work, definitely explore that! Do whatever you can to pursue interesting opportunities. I think medical schools would rather see a very passionate individual than one who dabbled in everything but had no strength in anything.
My clinical experience was probably one of my weakest links in my application. Sure, I racked up a moderate amount of volunteering hours, but most of those volunteering hours were doing menial tasks and not really interacting with patients. Part of it was that I was not allowed to do the exciting things (technically), and I did not know the personnel well enough so they would feel comfortable to let me do the "cool things". Another part of the lack of my own activism in being more involved. I shadowed surgeries, and that was spectacular, but I was, for the most part, not an active part of the operations. When I did clinical research, I finally had interaction with real patients and got to really get a feel for what clinical exposure is like.
To share a little what I have gleaned from my application cycle and my experiences, here are the reasons I think why medical school emphasize these two things:
1. Research: This shows that you love science and acquiring knowledge. To be successful in research, you must have initiative and actively pursue opportunities. Most of the time, research positions do not fall into your lab. You must put yourself out there and seek it out yourself. To be a good researcher, you require passion, inquisitive and critical thinking abilities, independence, and collaboration with others. There are many more traits inherent in a good researcher, but these are some that overlap with a good physician. Furthermore, with progressive physicians being pushed and pushed in the modern era, it is important for today's physicians to be able to keep themselves updated on the newest information on their own - a cornerstone concept in research.
2. Clinical experience: The idea of helping others and serving your community is a key principle in medicine that often seems lost, but I believe that this is what medical schools are looking for in this experience. You do not have to do something intense like going to Africa, but you need to approach this experience with a sincere, do-unto-others attitude and show that you can be compassionate and know how to interact with those less fortunate than you.
In the end, it is up to you to decide what you like. It is important to have a baseline so there is not severe, gaping holes in your application, but it is also good to focus on what interests you.
4. Find At Least 1 Extracurricular Activity. Now that you have done all of these, with all that plentiful time you will have because you never, ever, ever sleep or rest, pick a fun thing to do and keep it with you. Now when I saw fun, I do not mean "fun" like medical research journal club or whatever (unless you actually really love that, then that is fine. No offense to these people!). Pick something outside of academics that you love - whether it is surfing, drawing, writing, creating a club with friends, etc - and maintain it throughout your undergraduate or whatever you are doing prior to applying. Aside from the fact that you still need to convince yourself that you have a life and that you need to maintain some shred of sanity, it is also good to convince medical schools that you indeed are a normal person whose life is not just school and getting into medical schools.
It does not have to be a productive extracurricular activity. It can be anything. Knitting, writing, anything you want. Just so as it is something you like enough that you can strike up a conversation with. I think that is the most important thing.
5. And A Lot More Other Things. To string all these components together, planning is the key here. That is why point 1 is number 1. If you start early, you can get onto planning as soon as you can. As early as you can. Of course, in life, there are surprises, and sometimes the unexpected can be good (like new opportunities you never knew about) or they can be bad. Either way, to have a master plan in mind before you start helps you no matter what. That being said, being flexible is also crucial for your success as well. If you remain adamant about your original plan and refuse to bend with the circumstances, you will suffer and most likely fail.
6. Finally, Have a Contingency Plan. Never tell yourself that it is medical school or it is the end of the world. While you apply or before you apply, make sure you have some sort of backup plan instead of just reapplying. Whether it is graduate school, work a few years, pursue something else for re-evaluation, know what are the next steps you take in your emergency plan if luck fails your or if your plans do not pan out as you want them to. Because hey, sometimes, life happens. It may or may not be your fault, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you have some sort of safety net so you do not end up wasting time frantically figuring the next steps when life surprises you with problems.
This is not a point, but I want to emphasize, if this is not obvious enough in my long list of opinions, but do this at your own pace and in your own way. There is no right way to get into medial school, and I do not believe there is a sure-fire way. Well, there is, and that is to be fantabulous and be the perfect individual, but how many people are extra-extraordinary? It is much harder said than done, but what helps you the most is realizing that you are not everyone else, and that you are you. No matter how amazing you think someone else is, they have holes in their applications, too. Maybe theirs are smaller than yours, but no matter. In the end, your application is yours, and if you need to take some years prior to applying, take them. If you hate research, do not force yourself into it because others are doing so. Find what works for you, and be open-minded.
So those are my very long and stretched-out two cents. I hope it is helpful to those who are looking to apply to medical school or to pursue a life of medicine.
1. Start Early/Self-Motivate Early. This may seem really simple, but I think this is the most important thing to do. The path of a physician is a very difficult one - not just in terms of knowledge and academics, but also in lifestyle and the politics that entails becoming one. I always say that your job is what you do for the rest of your life, so you better damn well want to do it when you start because if you do not, you will almost most definitely not love it after ten years of wading in it. Of course, I am talking to the individuals who place career as the foremost priority. I am well aware that there are individuals who see a job as simply a job - to earn bring the metaphorical bread to the table each day, and I honour that. But for those who want to pursue medicine as a physician, most must be willing to sacrifice a lot to get there, so make sure you know that this is really what you want before you get waist deep in it.
Self-doubt is going to be a frequent friend throughout the process, and many of my in-medical school friends have admitted that they have wondered whether they made the right decision or whether it was worth it. In the end, you have to stick to your instinct and remember why it is that you chose medicine in the first place.
Once you have that down, you can start as early as possible.
2. Get Good Grades. The sad (sad for me, that is) thing about the U.S. system is that for many medical schools, it is still a numbers game when it comes to applying. If you have a good GPA and a good MCAT score, you already have a foot in a lot of school. For whatever system that is being used to filter the students, medical schools seem to care a lot more about whether you can get those numbers than whether you can actually function and nurture your talents beyond the classroom and standardized tests. Of course, if you do your homework, there are schools who look at these "non-traditional" students, but those are probably in the minority. Now I do not work in administration, and I do not know anything about the actual process, so I am just writing down my opinions of what I think the system is structured from my own experience as well as from what I see or hear from others. So sadly, grades and tests come so much farther first. Make sure you get those good grades for your GPA - cumulative and science. Plan your 4-year or 5-year or how-many year schedule to ensure you have time to study and get good grades. And give yourself time for the MCATs.
3. Be smart about building that application. Do not do what I did. I overloaded myself with everything in the stubborn insistence that I could achieve all my goals through shear will power. It is important to be well-rounded in your application. Nowadays, most medical schools (in general, of course) likes to see some research and some clinical experience in addition to those beautiful grades. From the perspective of a University of California school, I really enjoyed the research experience there. Because of the strength in research at most of the universities, the faculty are majorly very friendly and receptive to taking in noobies at any level of the undergraduate ladder, which is something I loved. I started research when I entered university knowing that it was something I had to do (which was pretty bold of me, in retrospect; and quite PhD-like instead of MD-esque), and I literally emailed a list of professors explaining to them I wanted to get involved in their work and would start with anything. Be eager and passionate! It will most likely never lead you astray. Because to be honest, no matter how much experience you have whether in high school or during undergraduate, unless you are a very exceptional individual, you will most likely not have enough experience to be ready to work at a research laboratory, but most professors are just happy to share the happiness of doing science. I loved that part of my undergraduate experience, and it is not for everyone. If you are an individual who loves clinical work, definitely explore that! Do whatever you can to pursue interesting opportunities. I think medical schools would rather see a very passionate individual than one who dabbled in everything but had no strength in anything.
My clinical experience was probably one of my weakest links in my application. Sure, I racked up a moderate amount of volunteering hours, but most of those volunteering hours were doing menial tasks and not really interacting with patients. Part of it was that I was not allowed to do the exciting things (technically), and I did not know the personnel well enough so they would feel comfortable to let me do the "cool things". Another part of the lack of my own activism in being more involved. I shadowed surgeries, and that was spectacular, but I was, for the most part, not an active part of the operations. When I did clinical research, I finally had interaction with real patients and got to really get a feel for what clinical exposure is like.
To share a little what I have gleaned from my application cycle and my experiences, here are the reasons I think why medical school emphasize these two things:
1. Research: This shows that you love science and acquiring knowledge. To be successful in research, you must have initiative and actively pursue opportunities. Most of the time, research positions do not fall into your lab. You must put yourself out there and seek it out yourself. To be a good researcher, you require passion, inquisitive and critical thinking abilities, independence, and collaboration with others. There are many more traits inherent in a good researcher, but these are some that overlap with a good physician. Furthermore, with progressive physicians being pushed and pushed in the modern era, it is important for today's physicians to be able to keep themselves updated on the newest information on their own - a cornerstone concept in research.
2. Clinical experience: The idea of helping others and serving your community is a key principle in medicine that often seems lost, but I believe that this is what medical schools are looking for in this experience. You do not have to do something intense like going to Africa, but you need to approach this experience with a sincere, do-unto-others attitude and show that you can be compassionate and know how to interact with those less fortunate than you.
In the end, it is up to you to decide what you like. It is important to have a baseline so there is not severe, gaping holes in your application, but it is also good to focus on what interests you.
4. Find At Least 1 Extracurricular Activity. Now that you have done all of these, with all that plentiful time you will have because you never, ever, ever sleep or rest, pick a fun thing to do and keep it with you. Now when I saw fun, I do not mean "fun" like medical research journal club or whatever (unless you actually really love that, then that is fine. No offense to these people!). Pick something outside of academics that you love - whether it is surfing, drawing, writing, creating a club with friends, etc - and maintain it throughout your undergraduate or whatever you are doing prior to applying. Aside from the fact that you still need to convince yourself that you have a life and that you need to maintain some shred of sanity, it is also good to convince medical schools that you indeed are a normal person whose life is not just school and getting into medical schools.
It does not have to be a productive extracurricular activity. It can be anything. Knitting, writing, anything you want. Just so as it is something you like enough that you can strike up a conversation with. I think that is the most important thing.
5. And A Lot More Other Things. To string all these components together, planning is the key here. That is why point 1 is number 1. If you start early, you can get onto planning as soon as you can. As early as you can. Of course, in life, there are surprises, and sometimes the unexpected can be good (like new opportunities you never knew about) or they can be bad. Either way, to have a master plan in mind before you start helps you no matter what. That being said, being flexible is also crucial for your success as well. If you remain adamant about your original plan and refuse to bend with the circumstances, you will suffer and most likely fail.
6. Finally, Have a Contingency Plan. Never tell yourself that it is medical school or it is the end of the world. While you apply or before you apply, make sure you have some sort of backup plan instead of just reapplying. Whether it is graduate school, work a few years, pursue something else for re-evaluation, know what are the next steps you take in your emergency plan if luck fails your or if your plans do not pan out as you want them to. Because hey, sometimes, life happens. It may or may not be your fault, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you have some sort of safety net so you do not end up wasting time frantically figuring the next steps when life surprises you with problems.
This is not a point, but I want to emphasize, if this is not obvious enough in my long list of opinions, but do this at your own pace and in your own way. There is no right way to get into medial school, and I do not believe there is a sure-fire way. Well, there is, and that is to be fantabulous and be the perfect individual, but how many people are extra-extraordinary? It is much harder said than done, but what helps you the most is realizing that you are not everyone else, and that you are you. No matter how amazing you think someone else is, they have holes in their applications, too. Maybe theirs are smaller than yours, but no matter. In the end, your application is yours, and if you need to take some years prior to applying, take them. If you hate research, do not force yourself into it because others are doing so. Find what works for you, and be open-minded.
So those are my very long and stretched-out two cents. I hope it is helpful to those who are looking to apply to medical school or to pursue a life of medicine.
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