Source: Flickr user defenceimages.
Each year, tens of thousands of aspiring doctors enter their first year of college. Many are confused about what it means to really be a “pre-med” student, but it can mean a lot of things. Pre-med isn’t an official major but a lot of majors fall under pre-med. Biology, biomedical sciences, and biochemistry are the most popular majors for pre-med students. The schooling it takes to become an MD is legendary for its grueling workload and long hours. So, why take it on? We hope it’s because you’re passionate about becoming a doctor and making a difference in people’s lives. (You’ll need that passion later when you’re cramming for the MCAT at 4 AM). Here are some tips for pre-med students to themselves up for success in their college careers and then medical career.
1. Realize what you’re signing up for
As a pre-med student, you’ll first be a student. You’ll be expected to complete tough courses in math, chemistry, physics, biology, and English, among others. The course load can be daunting and time-consuming, but it is doable.
In addition to school, you’ll take part in diverse and interesting extracurricular activities to gain exposure to medicine and related fields. Research, volunteering, part-time work, and shadowing are common premed extracurriculars. Though these activities are not required for academics, they look great on your resume when applying for medical school.
Being a pre-med student is time-consuming, but you should still have some time to spend with friends and family and on hobbies. Be prepared to sometimes make sacrifices when your friends have free time and you’re busy working on something outside of class.
2. Meet with your pre-med advisor
Many colleges offer pre-med advising to set you up for success. This is a great resource for any student considering going into the health sciences, as a pre-med advisor can help guide you as you choose your class schedule, and potentially help you find extracurricular activities at your school. They’ll even help you with finding adequate MCAT exam prep resources to increase your MCAT scores. Advisors have seen hundreds of students in your same situation so they’ll know exactly how to help you.
3. Start planning early
Medical schools look for students with well-rounded experiences, which shows that the candidate is smart, committed, and interesting. It’s also necessary to get experience working or volunteering in a clinical setting and many schools also like to see that you’ve tried your hand at research.
Doing all these things while you go to college may seem impossible but the key is to plan ahead. Will you start working or volunteering your freshman year? Or will you take the year to develop good study habits? What sorts of things can you do over the summer to lighten your load during the school year? Your pre-med advisor can give you tips for planning efficiently.
4. Learn how to study early on
College classes are a lot tougher than high school classes and require a different kind of studying. Even people who flew through high school without having to study find they have to spend time in the library as pre-med students.
Different study methods work for different people. If you’re not sure where to start, you can try talking with your academic advisor or your professors during their office hours. Developing strong study skills and habits at the beginning of your college career will minimize your learning curve and allow you to retain information much easier early on.
5. Pay attention in your classes NOW to save you trouble on the MCAT later
If you take the pre-med requirements (including biochemistry and psychology), you’ll learn almost everything you’ll need to do well on the MCAT. Each year, prospective medical school applicants spend thousands of dollars on MCAT prep materials–even though they’ve already spent tons of tuition dollars on the same classes!
Make sure that you’re doing more than getting good grades. Understanding the underlying topics you’re learning in your classes will serve you well if you start at the beginning of the semester. Don’t fall behind on readings and be sure to go over your work constantly to ensure you actually know it.
6. Don’t overload your class schedule
If you’re planning to go into medicine, chances are you’re interested in science. It can be tempting to enroll in every science class that piques your curiosity, but overloading your schedule can be detrimental to your grade point average. Your academic advisor can help guide your registration decisions, but the general rule of thumb is to take no more than 3 science classes per term. Buffer classes like electives are a great way to get your full-time credit hours while maintaining a doable courseload.
7. Do interesting research
Not only does biomedical research look great on a medical school application, but it can also help you confirm that you want to go into medicine rather than science. Some ways to get involved in research are to get to know your professors and ask them if they have any open positions for undergraduates in their labs. The worst they can say is no!
Some colleges also have websites where they post campus jobs open to undergrads so you can check them throughout the semester. Research experience and opportunities are available in a variety of fields. If you decide to volunteer, make sure you have enough time in your schedule to do so.
8. Volunteer at a medical facility
Medical schools want to see that you’re an empathetic person during patient care. They also want to make sure you get exposure to the medical field before you decide to commit to medicine. While clinical volunteering is a great medical experience (and essentially a prerequisite at some medical schools), don’t pick your volunteer position based on how it will look on your application.
Volunteer somewhere you’ll feel passionate about the difference you’re making. Some non-hospital settings you could look into include nursing homes, animal shelters, soup kitchens, and crisis centers. Double-check if you need clinical hours and if your volunteer facility provides them if it’s not a medical facility. You’ll get more from the experience if you enjoy it, and your enthusiasm will shine through when you write about it in your applications.
9. Shadow doctors in various specialties
Another great way to get an idea of what it’s like to be a doctor is by shadowing. Many pre-meds will shadow physicians in more than one specialty to get a feel for some different medical careers.
Many doctors are amenable to shadowing and there are a number of ways to find doctors who will let you tag along and observe. Pre-meds commonly ask their personal family doctors if they’re open to having shadows. Some college pre-med societies also have shadow matching programs that can help you get your foot in the door. If all else fails, you can always email hospital departments and individual doctors to see what their shadowing policies are.
Your shadowing experience could be for a few hours, a day, or even a whole week. Some pre-meds who develop good relationships with doctors shadow a few hours every week. Make sure to be courteous and to dress professionally. Shadowing is also a great way to network within the medical community. Who knows, you may even meet your future employer!
10. Get to know your professors
If you’re struggling in a class, go to office hours and ask questions. They have them for a reason, and that is to help you understand the material they’re talking about in class. Getting clarification on difficult material can help you improve your grades and meeting with your professors may also help you get valuable references and recommendations for your medical school applications later.
11. Major in something you’re interested in
As we mentioned before, “pre-med” is not a major. So, you’ll have to study something more specific during your undergrad years.
It turns out medical schools don’t care what you study as an undergraduate as long as you meet their minimum prerequisite requirements which are heavy in science courses. Medical schools appreciate diversity in undergraduate majors. Interested in history? English? Philosophy? Go ahead and feed those interests, but be sure you get all your medical school prerequisite classes done! That being said, many science majors come with the pre-med requirements built-in, so it may be easier to fit them in if you major in science.
Consider double-majoring; your pre-med advisor will tell you more about the prerequisites you need to apply to medical school, but generally, these include inorganic and organic chemistry with labs, introductory biology, physics, and English composition.
12. Join the pre-medical society at your college
Not only is joining the pre-medical society or club at your college a great way to meet new people with similar interests, pre-med societies often have more sway than individual pre-meds. They may be able to help you secure shadowing opportunities, make you aware of volunteer positions, and sponsor college visits and physician lectures. Networking is key to finding good opportunities in the medical community.
The pre-medical society often has actual medical students come and speak to undergraduate students who are on the pre-med track. Their advice about the medical school application process, interviews in front of the admissions committee, and clinical experience can really help ease your nerves.
13. Break your big goals up into smaller ones
As a pre-med, sometimes it can feel like there are more things to accomplish than humanly possible. That’s when it helps to take a step back and look at all the pieces individually. Instead of trying to accomplish everything at once, think about small things you can accomplish now. Take it one test or volunteer a shift at a time!
14. Don’t neglect your social life
It can be easy to get buried in schoolwork and extracurriculars in the thick of the school year. But make sure you don’t burn yourself out! One way to maintain your sanity is to make time for your friends. Obviously, school should be your priority but it doesn’t need to be your whole life. You can plan dinners and other activities together during the semester in advance so you have something to look forward to.
15. Take time for yourself and your hobbies
In that same vein, make sure you leave yourself time for your hobbies and relaxation. Hobbies are great for handling stress, but the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) also allows you to include hobbies on your med school application. Some pre-meds even report being asked about their hobbies during interviews!
Additionally, exercise is a great way to deal with stress. Research even shows that it can help boost your brainpower and overall outlook on life. Schedule workout classes or enjoy a stroll in your local park to get some fresh air while moving your body.
Don’t let these tips overwhelm you when it comes to choosing pre-med. Many college programs can be difficult but so many students get through them so you can too! Use College Raptor to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the U.S.—for FREE!
I work with pre-meds regularly and this is good advice. #6 especially, our advisors always say its preferable to take less classes and get better grades. It’s hard to keep life balanced, stay sane, and get into medical school at the same time, but possible! Thanks Olivia!
This article was extremely helpful! Alothough, I’m only a junior in high school I have a few questions. First, is there anyway to prepare myself mentally for this challenging road to becoming a doctor? What type of classes will be required? And Finally, what are the main jobs of an M.D?
Please get back to me!
Hi Tyler,
A medical student at Brown University has been giving me advice. His website is super helpful!
http://goodlifeguild.com/good-life-guild-md.html
I love, love, love this article. Realistic advice is just what premeds need. I’m looking at Ty’s questions and thinking: there is so much ground to cover, even in high school! Mental preparation requires finding resources and people/communities who can support these students in their challenging endeavors.
Nice to read. So useful and informative tips. Many thanks for sharing them all.
I like what you said about not getting burned out and making sure that you maintain your social life for your own sanity. This is great advice on how to manage being pre-med and not get too stressed out. My daughter is considering doing a research program with some fellow students, but I want her to still be having fun with her college experience.
Extracurricular activities are a great idea. As I understand, if you can balance play and work, it makes doing both easier. I can only imagine it is the same for a physician’s class.