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how should I prepare as a high school senior for my future in med, specifically for an anesthesiologist?
internships, degrees, tips?
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3 answers
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Marisel Rosa’s Answer
Hi Leanne, you have received very good information. I am an obstetrician/gynecologist and think I can also provide some good advice. Medical is very competitive these day and so as much as you can please get good grades starting in high school and college. Volunteer in a local hospital, nursing home in whatever department(s) you are assigned. Look into High School summer programs that are focused on science and health. Get involved in after school programs of whatever type. Medical schools want well-rounded students so involved yourself in medical and non-medical activities.
Updated
Alex’s Answer
Leanne,
First off, good for you for trying to prepare early! Being proactive will be one of the biggest benefits for you moving forward!
I am a Nurse Anesthesiologist so I didn’t go to medical school like you are planning. With that in mind here are some thoughts I have for you.
1. Start networking and making connections! I would highly recommended try to see if there are opportunities at hospitals near you to do some shadowing of anesthesia providers. This will get you exposed to the world of anesthesia, get you connected to anesthesiologist that can help guide you and connect you to resources for you to be successful, and it always looks good on resumes! Also, whatever undergraduate schools you are looking at going to start calling them and talking with advisors about what you can do now to prepare for a pre med degree.
2. Get involved! This one is huge! I highly recommend starting to beef up your resume with things like community service, school leadership roles (high school and especially college), extracurricular programs. Med schools love to see you involved and engaged, this will help you develop time management skills which you will need in medical school.
3. Find a job in a he medical field now. It could be anywhere in the medical field but having a background working in the medical field will prepare you for med school, get you familiar with the medical field, and med school defiantly look at this! You could become an EMT (emergency medical technician), work in a lab, work as a ER technician, anesthesia tech, or many other things. The more you network/shadow medical professionals the more opportunities will open up!
Hope this helps and good luck with your future endeavors! The world of Anesthesia is amazing!
First off, good for you for trying to prepare early! Being proactive will be one of the biggest benefits for you moving forward!
I am a Nurse Anesthesiologist so I didn’t go to medical school like you are planning. With that in mind here are some thoughts I have for you.
1. Start networking and making connections! I would highly recommended try to see if there are opportunities at hospitals near you to do some shadowing of anesthesia providers. This will get you exposed to the world of anesthesia, get you connected to anesthesiologist that can help guide you and connect you to resources for you to be successful, and it always looks good on resumes! Also, whatever undergraduate schools you are looking at going to start calling them and talking with advisors about what you can do now to prepare for a pre med degree.
2. Get involved! This one is huge! I highly recommend starting to beef up your resume with things like community service, school leadership roles (high school and especially college), extracurricular programs. Med schools love to see you involved and engaged, this will help you develop time management skills which you will need in medical school.
3. Find a job in a he medical field now. It could be anywhere in the medical field but having a background working in the medical field will prepare you for med school, get you familiar with the medical field, and med school defiantly look at this! You could become an EMT (emergency medical technician), work in a lab, work as a ER technician, anesthesia tech, or many other things. The more you network/shadow medical professionals the more opportunities will open up!
Hope this helps and good luck with your future endeavors! The world of Anesthesia is amazing!
Updated
Paul’s Answer
Leanne,
I am a retired orthopaedic surgeon, so I have been through the entire process you are contemplating . In order to become an anesthesiologist, you first need to become a physician by going to medical school. In order to go to medical school you first need to go to college, and this is where the whole process starts. While you finish highschool, work to get the best grades you can. This will help you get into the best college that fits your intrerests. I chose to go to a small liberal arts college, but going to a large university also works. While in college, you will need to study biology, chemistry, physics, and math, and you will also need to develop a relationship with a faculty member who will be a good advisor for you. Becoming a doctor these days requires 12 years of education after high school. This means 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 4 or more years od residency training in the medical field you want to practice in.
As I suggested before, making contact now with people who can advise you will be the most useful step you can take at your present age. Talk to any doctors or nurses you or your family may know, look for any volunteer positions that may be accesible to you in hospitals or nursing homes, and for certain, tralk to your guidance counselor at your high school. Best of luck to you! There is nothing easy about a career in medicine, but if you are successful you will make a good living while helping people who have needs that can only be satified with medical care.
Paul S. Treuhaft, MD, MA
I am a retired orthopaedic surgeon, so I have been through the entire process you are contemplating . In order to become an anesthesiologist, you first need to become a physician by going to medical school. In order to go to medical school you first need to go to college, and this is where the whole process starts. While you finish highschool, work to get the best grades you can. This will help you get into the best college that fits your intrerests. I chose to go to a small liberal arts college, but going to a large university also works. While in college, you will need to study biology, chemistry, physics, and math, and you will also need to develop a relationship with a faculty member who will be a good advisor for you. Becoming a doctor these days requires 12 years of education after high school. This means 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 4 or more years od residency training in the medical field you want to practice in.
As I suggested before, making contact now with people who can advise you will be the most useful step you can take at your present age. Talk to any doctors or nurses you or your family may know, look for any volunteer positions that may be accesible to you in hospitals or nursing homes, and for certain, tralk to your guidance counselor at your high school. Best of luck to you! There is nothing easy about a career in medicine, but if you are successful you will make a good living while helping people who have needs that can only be satified with medical care.
Paul S. Treuhaft, MD, MA