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Are you a student who aspires to attend medical school in the future? Wondering what it might take to pursue a career in medicine? Never assume it’s too early to start planning for your future, primarily your career, and the steps you will need to take to achieve it. In this guide, we will take you through our top recommended tips on achieving a career in medicine.
Understand What You’re Getting Into
As a student, it can be scary planning for your future. After all, there is an endless supply of jobs that you get into, the first thing you need to focus on when deciding a medical professional future, is to fully understand what you’re getting into. As a pre-med student, it’s important that you understand that you are going to need a detailed background in biology, English, math, physics, just to name a few.
Besides school, you should be expected to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities or clubs that can hone on the medical field, including part-time, volunteer work, and research work.
Don’t forget that getting into the medical industry is time-consuming. Even though you will still have plenty of time to spend with friends and family, as well as hobbies, it may not be as much as you’d like.
The most important thing to prepare for a career in medicine is the ability to make sacrifices, whether it’s time with family or working on extracurricular activities to higher education.
Planning Early Can Help You in the Long Run
You may not be making a surgeon’s salary right away but if that is the career you want, it is important to start planning right away. Medical schools primarily look for students that have a long history in medicine. Their desired candidates are both committed and interested in the industry they’re aspiring to become a part of. To do this, make sure that you get plenty of experience in learning about medicine in school, as well as hands-on experience.
Although, if you plan to start early, your chances of succeeding in a medical field will only increase. The longer you wait to make your choice of whether or not you want to be serious about medicine can delay your career.
It’s also wise to start having a strong suit in science as soon as possible since you will be expected to have a vast understanding of physics, math, chemistry, and biology. Try taking as many advanced courses as you can, while still maintaining excellent grades in all your courses. However, you can go over this more with your academic advisor.
Interview or Job Shadow an Industry Professional
Interviewing or job shadowing an industry professional is a great way to get a better understanding of the career you are pursuing. Here are some example questions you should ask during your interview or job shadow day:
- What is your workday like?
- Why led you to the medical field?
- What do you enjoy most about your job?
Start Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to show colleges and employers that you care about the work you do. This can also lead you to get hands-on experience in your field before you decide it is the right one for you. However, make sure that you don’t just volunteer because it will look good on your resume or school application.
You should focus on volunteering at a location or organization that you know it can make a difference. These locations include animal shelters, nursing homes, crisis centers, and soup kitchens. Just remember, the more experience you get, the happier you will be in your field, and the better your chances are of getting accepted to the college you want to go to.
Research Other Ways You Can Gain Medical Experience
If you want to get an early start on your medical education, consider looking up other ways to jumpstart your career. You can complete your training to become a Certified Nurse Assistant when you are as young as 16 years old. This age varies from state to state. Training can take anywhere from three weeks to three months.
Once you complete your training and receive your certificate, you can find a job as a certified nurse assistant. This will help you to gain some experience in the medical field even before you go to medical school. Plus, you can make some extra money, too!
You also have the opportunity to finish your training to become an Emergency Medical Technician. People can begin training once they turn 18 years old. Basic EMT training can be completed in as little as two months. This, again, will provide important knowledge and experience for your future career in medicine.
Be Prepared To Work Hard
Getting a career in medicine is not an easy task. It is going to require a lot of time, studying, and challenging work. You will need to keep your GPA up and pass every standardized test with flying colors all throughout high school and college.
Academic excellence is crucial in order to be accepted to a good medical school. You will also need to focus on extracurriculars and consider getting real-world job experience in the medical field. This is a lot of work that will require long hours working and self-motivation.
If you are the type of person to skip classes and not complete assignments, you may want to give a career in medicine a second thought. However, if you are willing to put in the effort, it is all worth it for a fulfilling career helping and healing people.
Pursuing a career in the medical field is no easy task, especially for a student. However, with our tips, we hope that you can better prepare for your future and aspire to the career that is meant for you. Remember, preparation will only lead to success. Make sure that you make good choices for your career in school to better your future.
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