What is some advice to students following the pre-med track?

hi kelly,

i graduated from medical school in 1993 and have been a family physician for 20 years.

here's my answer. in no particular order.

1) learn how to learn. go to your library and check out a book about how to study, how to make good grades. there really are proven ways of learning more efficiently.

2) make friends. you'll do better studying in a group or groups. also, you will want to meet pre-med students who are ahead of you so that you can hear about their experiences with applying, interviewing, and with medical school life.

3) put in some research time to learn about the medical field. some of that can be reading. but some must be one-on-one speaking with medical professionals. their personal insights are invaluable.

4) visit with your college's health professions counselor. regularly. that person can keep you up to date with medical school prerequisite classes, MCAT schedules, preparation courses, summer internships, etc.

5) get to know some of your professors. you will need their recommendations. later they'll also be one of your best connections to your alma mater.

6) scour your college course guide. seek out unique courses that may help you later in your career. some examples, "history of medicine", "history of science", "medical ethics", "medical terminology".

7) start studying for the MCAT early. i strongly recommend taking a minimum of one professional study course. take as many mock MCAT tests as you can.

8) don't forget to exercise. or dance. or play sports. something to train your body while you're training your mind. you'll find this is one of the best stress relievers as well.

9) major in whatever floats your boat. if that's biology then so be it. you'll be in good company in med school. however, i also had classmates with majors in liberal arts, history, engineering, education, law, and business.

10) establish a support group. college is a time when people go their separate ways. find your wolfpack.

11) have some fun. know when to study and when to let loose. make some memories. take some pictures. it only gets harder after college.

12) make time for the application process. it's a whole lot of essays that you'd rather not have to do. but they have value. you can find out a lot about yourself when writing them. take your time. say what you feel and what you're passionate about.

good luck!