What can you do in high school to make yourself appear more competitive when applying to a pre-me program?

Remember that pre-med is not a major, so all the same things that help you get into college, will help you get into pre-med! Good Luck!

Beyond extra-curriculars, volunteering, and (of course) great academic performance, I would say getting experience in whatever field you're trying to get into. Whether it is being a "shadow" to a doctor or nurse, or volunteering at the hospital every weekend, it shows that you're serious about the field.

Here's your answer: learn to represent yourself well (learn to speak, debate, persuade, write) AND prove that you have familiarity with medicine! Medical school interviewers want to know that YOU know what you're getting yourself into, rather than only having a romantic notion about the practice of medicine. Demonstrate how you've worked in medicine (doctor's office, hospital volunteer, Boy Scouts merit badge, etc.) or you are intimately familiar with how physicians live & work (your dad is a doctor, your aunt is a doctor, etc.) And don't bother applying to a pre-med program! Instead, get a college degree which familiarizes you with medicine (bingo!) AND alloys you to both A) actually participate in a medical environment and B) allows you to earn some serious income while you're in medical school (so you can avoid loans!!!). These degrees would include BS in nursing, Pharm D (pharmacy degree), physical therapy degree, etc. When you actually participate in the medical environment, you may learn that you do not like "doctoring", or, you may get even more excited about it! Also, when in medical school, you can use your pre-knowledge to be at ease in the intimate setting that comprises the doctor-patient relationship. This is a very big hurdle for most medical students to get over, and having worked with patients (nurse, pharmacist, therapist, etc) will give you great comfort! Best wishes!