I went to a small liberal arts college in my home state of Oregon with a great science program (I'd prefer not to name it, just to keep a little online anonymity). Said science program was a major factor, but I was also going through some pretty big health issues during undergrad so being closer to home and at a school where I wasn't going to be walking two miles between classes were also important. I probably would have chosen a more urban setting if I'd been healthy, but I wasn't. I was a bio major, psych minor.
I applied some years after graduation with a 3.3 GPA (see above re: health problems in undergrad) having aced a retake and a couple other upper division science classes once I was in better health and a 34 MCAT. I also worked as a research assistant, though I didn't get to publish. I knew I wanted to be a physician, and while I feel confident I could have succeeded at an MD school I knew they were less likely to look past that GPA (and, my AACOMAS GPA was higher anyway, since they factor in only the last retake of a class). I was also interested in learning osteopathic manipulation, which while there are...questionable...aspects ::cough::cranial::cough:: I've found others really helpful in relieving pain or freeing up motion. One DO I know says the MD students he's taught might be slightly more knowledgeable, but that many seem afraid to actually touch a patient into intern year.
I'm hoping to go into internal medicine, since I think I'll like the variety. And, if I find I do want to specialize more, there are a lot of subspecialties under the IM banner I could pursue - cardiology, rheumatology, etc.
My advice? Have some fun, but keep your nose clean. Don't get so caught up in grades a B+ is cause for a full mental breakdown, but recognize your course will be smoother if you do your best and you'll be better prepared. Balance. Most of all, be a considerate and ethical person. That'll serve you wherever you wind up, and if you do go into medicine one of the first things anyone evaluating you for a residency slot or a job is going to ask themselves is 'Can I work with this person day in and day out for the next however many years?'
