Any Black Premedders out there? -Freshmans?

[StudentofHonors]

Hey! i am currently a black freshman premed right now. Is there anyone here too that is a black premed that hasn't started the application process yet?

Please if you are a URM Premed at any stage of medicine, share your experiences and give tips to us youngies to eventually succeed in this field. What did you do as an undergrad to make it to med school and beyond?

I am currently getting involved in a lot of things. Already, i volunteered at a tutoring site for another under represented people in medicine; the American Indians. I am also president of a community residential hall council, and looking forward to joining a major minority program for to-be docs next semester! Am i on a good path? / What should i be focusing on? I am thinking to shadow a doctor during summer, and currently looking for a chance to volunteer in hospital

Thanks for the responses!

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[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Hey! i am currently a black freshman premed right now. Is there anyone here too that is a black premed that hasn't started the application process yet?

Please if you are a URM Premed at any stage of medicine, share your experiences and give tips to us youngies to eventually succeed in this field. What did you do as an undergrad to make it to med school and beyond?

I am currently getting involved in a lot of things. Already, i volunteered at a tutoring site for another under represented people in medicine; the American Indians. I am also president of a community residential hall council, and looking forward to joining a major minority program for to-be docs next semester! Am i on a good path? / What should i be focusing on? I am thinking to shadow a doctor during summer, and currently looking for a chance to volunteer in hospital

Thanks for the responses!

I am pre-med and just graduated from college ^_^

 

[StudentofHonors]

Oh, awesome! So you will be starting the application process soon! Tell me how that goes! Good luck!

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Oh, awesome! So you will be starting the application process soon! Tell me how that goes! Good luck!

Thanks and I will hopefully start this year

 

[maybemed2013]

Black premed here graduating this summer with a BA in biology.

Best advice I can give you is to study, you can never go back and take the test again but you can party some other night.

 

[GoZags]

Study hard, get an excellent GPA and MCAT. I'm URM here (not black) but just because you are URM DOESNT give you a free pass / excuse to be an underachiever in college or on the MCAT. Be involved at your University and ECs / research. If medicine is what you want to do, pursue it with fervor.

/end pep talk

 

[StudentofHonors]

Hey! i am currently a black freshman premed right now. Is there anyone here too that is a black premed that hasn't started the application process yet?

Please if you are a URM Premed at any stage of medicine, share your experiences and give tips to us youngies to eventually succeed in this field. What did you do as an undergrad to make it to med school and beyond?

I am currently getting involved in a lot of things. Already, i volunteered at a tutoring site for another under represented people in medicine; the American Indians. I am also president of a community residential hall council, and looking forward to joining a major minority program for to-be docs next semester! Am i on a good path? / What should i be focusing on? I am thinking to shadow a doctor during summer, and currently looking for a chance to volunteer in hospital

Thanks for the responses!

This is funny! I am now going into my junior year, preparing for the MCAT and everything! Keeping strong!!

Others who might be freshmen looking at this, everything will come in time, just work hard everyday, take advice that you get and determination is the key for success! Also get involved in what you are passionate about!!

 

[NontradCA]

Don't let yourself get distracted; make school your number 1 priority. Don't ever settle for mediocre scores, start off getting As and never look back.

 

[Ambitionista]

My advice:

Don't get discouraged! Being premed is overwhelming but remember you CAN do it. Many people (peers, professors, and advisors) may try to dissuade you from being premed. Don't give in to any doubts. Less than stellar grades happen.

Don't be surprised when many other seemingly 'gunner' premeds drop off the path by late sophomore/junior year. Out of my core group of friends I would say at least 50% of them were premed as well however now that we are in our senior year, I am the only one left on this path. Some left because they realized they were interested in another field but others left because they doubted their abilities after a bad a grade or too. Don't hop on the bandwagon.

Utilize ANY and EVERY resource. If your school is anything like mine, your premed dean/advisor may not take you seriously until late sophomore year or junior year when they see you did not get weeded out in the prereq courses. Many URMs, myself included, are the first to pursue medicine in their families and do not have the luxury of gaining inside advice on the process from a family member. Utilize advice from upperclassmen on the same path, online resources, books, mentor MDs, etc. Educate yourself about the process and the field of medicine in general so you know what you're getting into. I have literally read any and everything I could get my hands on and I feel as though that has made me more confident about pursuing this path.

Don't forget to LIVE. I was the premed who fell in love with ECs. I found so many I enjoyed and didn't want to give any up. Consequently, I ended up completely overextending myself quite a few times. Find an outlet, a hobby or sport you enjoy and keep it in your schedule. For me that was dance and I swear it's the only thing that kept me sane over these past 3 years.

Lastly, as someone preparing to take the MCAT (actually this Friday), master the material as you go. If I could rewind back to freshman year I would get the AAMC MCAT Outlines from off the web and make study materials of the concepts as I learn them during prereq courses.

Good luck! My experiences as a premed not only prepared my résumé for applying to medical school but I feel they also contributed to my personal development. As sentimental as it sounds, I feel as though I have matured so much, learned so much about myself, and really tapped into my motivation to pursue medicine.

 

[medicusdjp]

Well I'm a black premed sophomore now.

 

[WolverineDoc13]

Something I wish I knew earlier: get as much clinical experience you can get. Shadow doctors, volunteer at the hospital, become an EMT, see as many patients as possible. You'd be surprised how much that sticks with you in med school. To this day as I'm applying for residencies, I can still remember the patients I saw in the ED while volunteering in college. You can just email or call local doctor's offices, say, "I'm a pre medical student who's applying to medical school soon, can I shadow you for a few weeks?" You'd be surprised at the answer you'll get.

It'll also solidify your reasons for going into medicine (and not PA school, which is an important distinction), give you something to talk about during interviews, and give you a potential letter or rec!

Hope that helps!

 

[Lucca]

I'm not black but I'm a hispanic URM starting their freshman year as well. Thanks for all the advice everyone, I'll be the first in my family to pursue medicine so it's nice to have somewhere to come for advice.

 

[sausalito]

Something I wish I was told or knew early on: do what you love/love what you do, be it in ECs or in what you're majoring. Once I found that out, it reduced some of the weight on my shoulders.

 

[StudentofHonors]

Thank you all for the amazing advice over the years! I am going into my senior year now and going through the application cycle!!

 

[bonedoc82]

Good luck everyone!

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