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Cloe
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Preparing for medical school/college?
As a highschool student how should I prepare myself and what do I need to do to get into medical school?
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Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
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Close there is a multitude of things you can do both inside and outside of the classroom to prepare you for medical school while still in high school.
TAKE CHALLENGING CLASSES — There are a few high school classes you should take for pre med. Classes such as biology, chemistry and physics will give you an understanding of the basic principles of human physiology and anatomy—some of the fundamentals that are required for medical school. It’s even better if you can take these as AP classes, in order to better prepare yourself for the demanding workload of pre med undergrad and medical school.
MEDICAL INTERNSHIPS — Many hospitals and clinics offer high school medical internships, which can give you a better understanding of what it's like to be a physician and what the different medical fields entail. This can include observing surgeries, interacting with patients, and learning about different medical specialties. Additionally, high school medical internships provide an opportunity to work alongside healthcare professionals and learn from their experiences. They can also help you better understanding of the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of a medical professional.
MEDICAL VOLUNTEERING — Equally important are medical volunteer programs that could be be helpful developing important skills such as communication, empathy and problem-solving, which are essential for success in the medical field. Plus, medical schools look for applicants who have a strong sense of social responsibility and a desire to make a difference in the world. Participating in volunteer programs can demonstrate to medical schools that you have these qualities and are committed to an ethical, change-driven career in medicine.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SUMMER — The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) has a database of Summer Enrichment and Pipeline Programs for high school students. These programs vary but tend to offer either volunteering, research, shadowing, educational workshops and/or clinical exposure, all related to healthcare and medicine. Most programs require an application and have posted due dates, so give yourself adequate time to complete and submit all required documentation. When accessing the database, be sure to select “High School Level” in the “Education Level” choice box.
GET RESEARCH EXPERIENCE — In order to be a competitive applicant for some of the best BS/MD programs in the country, it is absolutely essential for you to have some sort of research experience. The most impressive type of research is that which students conduct at university labs, but of course, it’s not all that easy to get access to them as a high school student. If you’re unable to find research at a lab, then even conducting independent research at your high school is impressive. But with that said, it definitely is not impossible to find research at universities. It will require a great deal of effort and persistence, but that’s exactly why BS/MD programs place so much value on it (again, it’s an indicator of work ethic).
Hope this will be helpful Cloe
TAKE CHALLENGING CLASSES — There are a few high school classes you should take for pre med. Classes such as biology, chemistry and physics will give you an understanding of the basic principles of human physiology and anatomy—some of the fundamentals that are required for medical school. It’s even better if you can take these as AP classes, in order to better prepare yourself for the demanding workload of pre med undergrad and medical school.
MEDICAL INTERNSHIPS — Many hospitals and clinics offer high school medical internships, which can give you a better understanding of what it's like to be a physician and what the different medical fields entail. This can include observing surgeries, interacting with patients, and learning about different medical specialties. Additionally, high school medical internships provide an opportunity to work alongside healthcare professionals and learn from their experiences. They can also help you better understanding of the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of a medical professional.
MEDICAL VOLUNTEERING — Equally important are medical volunteer programs that could be be helpful developing important skills such as communication, empathy and problem-solving, which are essential for success in the medical field. Plus, medical schools look for applicants who have a strong sense of social responsibility and a desire to make a difference in the world. Participating in volunteer programs can demonstrate to medical schools that you have these qualities and are committed to an ethical, change-driven career in medicine.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SUMMER — The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) has a database of Summer Enrichment and Pipeline Programs for high school students. These programs vary but tend to offer either volunteering, research, shadowing, educational workshops and/or clinical exposure, all related to healthcare and medicine. Most programs require an application and have posted due dates, so give yourself adequate time to complete and submit all required documentation. When accessing the database, be sure to select “High School Level” in the “Education Level” choice box.
GET RESEARCH EXPERIENCE — In order to be a competitive applicant for some of the best BS/MD programs in the country, it is absolutely essential for you to have some sort of research experience. The most impressive type of research is that which students conduct at university labs, but of course, it’s not all that easy to get access to them as a high school student. If you’re unable to find research at a lab, then even conducting independent research at your high school is impressive. But with that said, it definitely is not impossible to find research at universities. It will require a great deal of effort and persistence, but that’s exactly why BS/MD programs place so much value on it (again, it’s an indicator of work ethic).
Hope this will be helpful Cloe
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Cloe