Any UCSD premeds in the house

[guamboy]

Just curious!

Any advice for a fellow premed? Things to do, places to study, programs to consider, whatever it may be spill it. I want to milk UCSD with everything it's got.

It doesn't have to be advice, just throw in random stuff about being a premed at UCSD.

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[go lakers]

-It gets competitive.
-Major in what you like.. if you like being around pre-meds for 4 years, major in Human Biology or Neuro/Physio Sciences.
-Don't study @ CLICS during finals week.
-CAPE is your friend when deciding between professors.
-Hospital volunteer positions can be somewhat hard to come by because of the pre-med community.
-MS/BS program in Biology is pretty popular, if you enjoy bench research.
-Career Services is actually a solid reference for med school admissions (especially J.Nye).


gl

 

[mdmarty]

#1 Study at biomed: Very nice building/interior in which you will be surrounded by people much smarter than you. If you make any noises, you will be yelled at. If you fall asleep, you will be secretly humiliated and ousted from the UCSD intelligentsia community. Hence, you are forced to study.

#2 Get involved in research: You cannot possibly milk this cow dry. Look at faculty profiles and shoot them an email if you can start working in their labs. You can do this freshman year, before even taking any real biology classes. Many PIs will even pay you something.

#3 Do something meaningful during your summers: This is especially true after your second and third years. Look into eight and ten week summer research programs like NIH REU and Amgen. You don't have to do them at UCSD. If you are engineering or don't have many AP credits, use the first summer (both sessions) to take two or three classes while doing research at your UCSD lab (#2).

#4 Look into HPMP (physician shadowing): You can do this later in the game, because it is relatively less time consuming, but nonetheless, very fun. A. Wilson has fat binders full of community physician profiles ranging from cardio to ortho to FP, and each physician would love to take you under his or her wing. Much funner and more valuable than hospital volunteering. I doubt other schools have a program as well organized as this.

#5 Pick your major wisely: UCSD has arguably the best bioengineering and neurosciences programs--something hard to come by in a public school. Why not take advantage of this free 'reputation'? Don't try to cheat the system by picking something easy; adcoms aren't stupid.

#6 Consider taking a year off: Never too early to make backup plans. You will make mistakes along the way, everyone does. A year off doing research (i.e. full-time paid lab tech) will give you some breathing room and relieve some of the stress of trying to get into med school before even finishing college. If you were to do this, you would apply at the end of your senior year (prepare apps during Winter quarter).

#7 Keep up good numbers: This is a numbers game. If you don't have them, the said suggestions won't do you any good. It's a lot easier if you alternate three and four classes per quarter. Beware of college writing classes whistle: Revelle HUM) -- you cannot possibly increase your GPA with them.

 

[guamboy]

Wow....great advice. Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Arpan5145]

take advantage of the fact that you live right across the street from the beach!

 

[Med Addict]

#1 Study at biomed: Very nice building/interior in which you will be surrounded by people much smarter than you. If you make any noises, you will be yelled at. If you fall asleep, you will be secretly humiliated and ousted from the UCSD intelligentsia community. Hence, you are forced to study.

#2 Get involved in research: You cannot possibly milk this cow dry. Look at faculty profiles and shoot them an email if you can start working in their labs. You can do this freshman year, before even taking any real biology classes. Many PIs will even pay you something.

#3 Do something meaningful during your summers: This is especially true after your second and third years. Look into eight and ten week summer research programs like NIH REU and Amgen. You don't have to do them at UCSD. If you are engineering or don't have many AP credits, use the first summer (both sessions) to take two or three classes while doing research at your UCSD lab (#2).

#4 Look into HPMP (physician shadowing): You can do this later in the game, because it is relatively less time consuming, but nonetheless, very fun. A. Wilson has fat binders full of community physician profiles ranging from cardio to ortho to FP, and each physician would love to take you under his or her wing. Much funner and more valuable than hospital volunteering. I doubt other schools have a program as well organized as this.

#5 Pick your major wisely: UCSD has arguably the best bioengineering and neurosciences programs--something hard to come by in a public school. Why not take advantage of this free 'reputation'? Don't try to cheat the system by picking something easy; adcoms aren't stupid.

#6 Consider taking a year off: Never too early to make backup plans. You will make mistakes along the way, everyone does. A year off doing research (i.e. full-time paid lab tech) will give you some breathing room and relieve some of the stress of trying to get into med school before even finishing college. If you were to do this, you would apply at the end of your senior year (prepare apps during Winter quarter).

#7 Keep up good numbers: This is a numbers game. If you don't have them, the said suggestions won't do you any good. It's a lot easier if you alternate three and four classes per quarter. Beware of college writing classes whistle: Revelle HUM) -- you cannot possibly increase your GPA with them.

You should author a guide on getting into Med School from UCSD. Great Post and Great information. Two Thumbs Up.