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Cloe
Student
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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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2 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1616
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
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 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 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
Michael Torio
Consultant - Data Reporting & Analysis (HQ Finance)
363
Answers
Alpharetta, Georgia
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Cloe:
To become a Physician or a Surgeon, a Bachelor Degree in Biology, pre-med or another science related field has to be earned at a college or university. Afterwards, a doctorate degree from an accredited medical school has to be obtained. The next phase will be training through a medical residency as well as medical certification and licensing.
For education and training, it will take up to 14 years to become a Physician or a Surgeon. The Bachelor Degree will be between 4-5 years. Medical school will be another 4-5 years. Medical residency, medical certification and licensing can take up to 3-4 years.
Physicians and Surgeons are similar in their responsibilities and duties in taking care of patients and in dealing with hospital staff and medical personnel. The main difference between the two professionals is that Surgeons operate on patients whereas Physicians do not. Physicians diagnose patients and treat their medical conditions. Operations performed by Surgeons can be treating injuries like broken bones, removal of diseases like tumors and cancers, deformities, etc.
Being a Physician or a Surgeon can be a demanding and rewarding profession, especially depending if there is a specialized field or concentration. Remember, as a Physician or a Surgeon, you are the professional who saves lives. Your patients are impacted by you.
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Physician or a Surgeon:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is an overview of pursuing medical school:
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools
According to U.S. News & World Report, here are the top colleges and universities to consider for Medical School:
- Harvard University
- John Hopkins University
- University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)
- Columbia University
- Duke University
- Stanford University
- University of California (San Francisco)
- Vanderbilt University
- Washington University (St. Louis)
- Cornell University (Weill)
- New York University (Grossman)
- Yale University
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/research-rankings
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There will be a application fee to pay for when submitting college applications. The amount of application fee will depend on the college that you are applying to. If there are questions about the college application process, please reach out to the college's Registrar Office.
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship and gain entry to the college of your choice, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
There should be no limit on the amount of scholarships that one can apply to. It will take time to fill out the scholarship applications and provide all of the necessary required information. Also, there should no fee and no cost to fill out and submit scholarship applications. If there is a fee or cost that is associated with a scholarship application, then please do not send this particular scholarship application in. It will be a scam and money will be lost.
Best wishes for your education and medical career!
To become a Physician or a Surgeon, a Bachelor Degree in Biology, pre-med or another science related field has to be earned at a college or university. Afterwards, a doctorate degree from an accredited medical school has to be obtained. The next phase will be training through a medical residency as well as medical certification and licensing.
For education and training, it will take up to 14 years to become a Physician or a Surgeon. The Bachelor Degree will be between 4-5 years. Medical school will be another 4-5 years. Medical residency, medical certification and licensing can take up to 3-4 years.
Physicians and Surgeons are similar in their responsibilities and duties in taking care of patients and in dealing with hospital staff and medical personnel. The main difference between the two professionals is that Surgeons operate on patients whereas Physicians do not. Physicians diagnose patients and treat their medical conditions. Operations performed by Surgeons can be treating injuries like broken bones, removal of diseases like tumors and cancers, deformities, etc.
Being a Physician or a Surgeon can be a demanding and rewarding profession, especially depending if there is a specialized field or concentration. Remember, as a Physician or a Surgeon, you are the professional who saves lives. Your patients are impacted by you.
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Physician or a Surgeon:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is an overview of pursuing medical school:
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools
According to U.S. News & World Report, here are the top colleges and universities to consider for Medical School:
- Harvard University
- John Hopkins University
- University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)
- Columbia University
- Duke University
- Stanford University
- University of California (San Francisco)
- Vanderbilt University
- Washington University (St. Louis)
- Cornell University (Weill)
- New York University (Grossman)
- Yale University
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/research-rankings
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There will be a application fee to pay for when submitting college applications. The amount of application fee will depend on the college that you are applying to. If there are questions about the college application process, please reach out to the college's Registrar Office.
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship and gain entry to the college of your choice, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
There should be no limit on the amount of scholarships that one can apply to. It will take time to fill out the scholarship applications and provide all of the necessary required information. Also, there should no fee and no cost to fill out and submit scholarship applications. If there is a fee or cost that is associated with a scholarship application, then please do not send this particular scholarship application in. It will be a scam and money will be lost.
Best wishes for your education and medical career!