i want to be a dermatologist

[thebadguy1999]

hi im 14 years old and since i was little i wanted to be a doctor, but no im getting serious because im in high school and i need good grades to get into a good college( i want to go to ucla). i just have some questions.

1.what grades do you need to get into medical school?

2.is it really hard?

3. is the mcat hard

4.how do you get people to come to you(for those alrady in practice)

5. if i start voluntering at the hospital and when i apply to college would it help alot to show that i did hours or voluntering

6.my mom is a house keeper and i really dont KNOW were shes going to get money to pay for medical school(if i can get to college) is it hard to get a scholarship?

7.is this the right profesion for me

answers for be greatly appreciated thanks.

ohh and if there are any derms of u in los angeles u think maybe i can volunteer for you.

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[FourthTime]

Dermatology is a great field of medicine. It is good that you have interest in it, but you should stay open to other things (including professions outside of medicine) you might want to do with your life, as you still have lots of great experiences ahead of you. With that said, I'll try and answer some of your questions from my personal experience.

1.what grades do you need to get into medical school?

I would say you should get above a 3.5 GPA.

2.is it really hard?

The hardest part is getting in. Once you're in, motivation is the most important part of succeeding. The first 2 years can be academically challenging, but if you did well in your science courses in college, you'll probably do well in these 2 years.

3. is the mcat hard

It's a very strange exam: it's long and obscure. By this, I mean it tests science by hiding it in passages about things that seem unrelated. It is KEY to do well on this exam; I would say more important to do well here than getting a great GPA.

4.how do you get people to come to you(for those alrady in practice)

I can't answer this, as I am still a medical student.

5. if i start voluntering at the hospital and when i apply to college would it help alot to show that i did hours or voluntering

Yes. Healthcare experience in any format is valued in applications. It also gives you an idea of what your day to day would be like if you become a physician. I'm not sure this will help with college, but it is something you should definitely engage in when you are in college, as most medical school applicants will have this.

6.my mom is a house keeper and i really dont KNOW were shes going to get money to pay for medical school(if i can get to college) is it hard to get a scholarship?

It can be. The bottomline is that money should not keep you from pursuing medicine. Loan opportunities will more than cover your cost of living and tuition as a student from college through medical school. I have had to finance my entire education through loans (mostly) and scholarship and am here to tell you that it can be done.

7.is this the right profesion for me

You won't know this until you have gone through college and see all that there is to see. I suggest you keep a very open mind to all experiences. Don't narrow your life learning to just what you think you're career might be. Good luck with everything!

 

[gary5]

Hey - I'm a current med student. Here's some valuable advice:

1) Get with a high school counselor now and ask them to help you plan your career - which classes to take, etc, etc. Since you're interested in medicine, take biology, chemistry, physics, math.
2) Don't worry about MCATs now. Focus on SATs, ACTS, and applying to colleges.
3) Once you're in college, get a pre-med advisor immediately. Ask them to guide you and do *everything* they advise, and still think for yourself.
4) Probably volunteer during high school, definitely volunteer during college in a hospital / clinical setting. In college, choose an additional extracurricular activity that you enjoy.
5) Grades comes first. Don't volunteer too much or work too much that your grades drop. You only get one chance with grades. In college, my goal was go get 4 A's and 1 B for every 5 classes. The 1 B was my safety so I would not stress.
6) Double major in biology and something else. The bio will help you in med school, the (something else) will give you real skills in case you change your mind about medicine. If you graduate with only a bio major and change your mind about med school, there are lots of crappy low-paying lab jobs waiting for you.

Regarding your questions: 1) GPA >= 3.5/4.0. 2) Yes it's hard, but you'll get it done. 3) Yes that's hard too. 6) You'll get financial aid and you'll have to borrow money for college and med school. 7) To choose a career: Pick 3 that you like, interview 1+ people in each career, asking them to describe a typical day for you. If you enjoy doing what they do in a typical day, you'll like the career. Also, during college, volunteer and/or do summer jobs in the fields that you're interested in, and see if you like what they do every day.

Oh ya, most important: (1) Ask people their opinions about things, but always think for yourself. Unfortunately, people you trust can give you advice that isn't right for you. Make your own decisions and always be clear on why you're choosing this or that. (2) Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Ask everyone you know if they think you can become a doctor. Their response will teach you if they are good for you or bad. The good ones are your friends. The rest will bring you down in life. You may find that someone you trust (like a parent/friend/relative) is actually bad for you. If so, now is the time to realize this.

Good luck!


1.what grades do you need to get into medical school?

2.is it really hard?

3. is the mcat hard

4.how do you get people to come to you(for those alrady in practice)

5. if i start voluntering at the hospital and when i apply to college would it help alot to show that i did hours or voluntering

6.my mom is a house keeper and i really dont KNOW were shes going to get money to pay for medical school(if i can get to college) is it hard to get a scholarship?

7.is this the right profesion for me

answers for be greatly appreciated thanks.

ohh and if there are any derms of u in los angeles u think maybe i can volunteer for you.

 

[PathOne]

Yes, good advice from above posters. However, note that you don't NEED to major in biology as an undergraduate. A lot do, for reasons mentioned above, but you can major in ANYTHING, as long as you fulfill your prerequisite courses needed to apply for medical school. A premed advisor can tell you all about those.