Heading into College- I want college to help me prepare for medical school

[MeatballParmHero]

I've been really motivated to become a doctor for the past five years. I slacked off most of highschool but really have been changing the past year and a half as my future becomes more relevant. I understand the obvious aspects of what it take to get into medical school, high GPA, high MCAT, research, etc. but I want College to also prepare me for Medical School. I plan on taking anatomy and physiology classes just to have that as a background, but as far as major is concerned, I'm in a crutch. I know the workload cannot be matched but is there anything to really help prepare in terms of content? Thanks.

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[HomeSkool]

is there anything to really help prepare in terms of content?

Really just the standard med school prereqs, which you can check in the MSAR. For med school purposes, it doesn't matter what your undergrad major is, either from an admissions standpoint or an academic preparedness one.

 

[Gilakend]

Sleep more than you study, study more than you party, party as much as you can.



Most UG classes won't be useful just because of memory decay IMO. I also had low HS GPA (prolly like 2.0), its important to make sure you study habits are solid. Once you get those down volunteer early and often.

 

[curbsideconsult]

What Homeskool said. Also, since you're just a wee lad who's not even in college yet, here are some general points to keep in mind:

• Don't overload yourself with credits. Take a full course load, but don't do more than that unless you really think you can get excellent grades while taking all those credits.
• Spread out your easy courses and intersperse them amongst semesters/quarters (don't know what system you're on) you'll be taking a lot of heavy duty science courses.
• Read the course description carefully! Your school might have intro bio listed as 101, but what you really need is bio 105 because at your school bio 101 is for non-majors (which means an easy course that will fulfill graduation requirements but will not be good for grad school or med school).
• Advisors try to do their best, but whatever they say regarding med school, double check on SDN before you make any concrete decisions
• If you want to do well on the CARS section on the MCAT and your reading comprehension is weak, start reading difficult books now and through college so you don't have to cram that for the MCAT.
• Like Gilakend said, volunteer early. You don't want to be scrambling for hours 6 months before you submit your app. Volunteer with worthwhile causes you're interested in. Your mom had a brain tumor? Find a summer camp for kids with cancer and volunteer there for a week and do it every summer (you can probably start that this summer). Just a suggestion.
  
• You should also maybe get your CNA or phlebotomy or EMT certification over the summer so you can work while getting clinical hours.
  
• No matter where you go for undergrad, pre-meds as a whole are vicious vipers who'd do just about anything to get into med school. I'm not saying everyone is like that on in an individual level, but you get a bunch of them in a room together and all of a sudden it's Battle Royale
• Learn how to handle stress. Get into good habits early so you can carry those through into adulthood. Life will be a lot easier that way.

There's so much more you'll learn along the way. Don't beat yourself up if you don't do well in a class or two. Just try to figure out what went wrong and learn from your mistakes.

 

[siliso]

Take a liberal arts or humanities degree. I am dead serious that this is the best possible preparation for being a physician. Get liberated from the tyranny of the present. You will learn all the physiology you need to know in medical school: cannot say the same for history, languages, literature, culture. Just get your prereqs in as well.

 

[MeatballParmHero]

Take a liberal arts or humanities degree. I am dead serious that this is the best possible preparation for being a physician. Get liberated from the tyranny of the present. You will learn all the physiology you need to know in medical school: cannot say the same for history, languages, literature, culture. Just get your prereqs in as well.

I've taken 3D art classes all through highschool, if that is what you are referring to then that would be a great idea. I hadn't thought of that, changes the game. Thanks

 

[MeatballParmHero]

What Homeskool said. Also, since you're just a wee lad who's not even in college yet, here are some general points to keep in mind:

• Don't overload yourself with credits. Take a full course load, but don't do more than that unless you really think you can get excellent grades while taking all those credits.
• Spread out your easy courses and intersperse them amongst semesters/quarters (don't know what system you're on) you'll be taking a lot of heavy duty science courses.
• Read the course description carefully! Your school might have intro bio listed as 101, but what you really need is bio 105 because at your school bio 101 is for non-majors (which means an easy course that will fulfill graduation requirements but will not be good for grad school or med school).
• Advisors try to do their best, but whatever they say regarding med school, double check on SDN before you make any concrete decisions
• If you want to do well on the CARS section on the MCAT and your reading comprehension is weak, start reading difficult books now and through college so you don't have to cram that for the MCAT.
• Like Gilakend said, volunteer early. You don't want to be scrambling for hours 6 months before you submit your app. Volunteer with worthwhile causes you're interested in. Your mom had a brain tumor? Find a summer camp for kids with cancer and volunteer there for a week and do it every summer (you can probably start that this summer). Just a suggestion.
  
• You should also maybe get your CNA or phlebotomy or EMT certification over the summer so you can work while getting clinical hours.
  
• No matter where you go for undergrad, pre-meds as a whole are vicious vipers who'd do just about anything to get into med school. I'm not saying everyone is like that on in an individual level, but you get a bunch of them in a room together and all of a sudden it's Battle Royale
• Learn how to handle stress. Get into good habits early so you can carry those through into adulthood. Life will be a lot easier that way.

There's so much more you'll learn along the way. Don't beat yourself up if you don't do well in a class or two. Just try to figure out what went wrong and learn from your mistakes.

This is awesome, thanks. Lots to take in. I've never been the best at intensive reading, so definitely a good idea to work on it. And I never considered an EMT certification, sounds like a good way to prepare for med school, and something I'd enjoy as I'm interested in Emergency Medicine. Thanks for the help!

 

[curbsideconsult]

Oh and I just realized you have what looks like a personal picture on your profile. I strongly suggest you removing it. And on the subject of online stuff, be careful what you post on any social media and what your friends might tag you in that will be public.

 

[MeatballParmHero]

Sleep more than you study, study more than you party, party as much as you can.



Most UG classes won't be useful just because of memory decay IMO. I also had low HS GPA (prolly like 2.0), its important to make sure you study habits are solid. Once you get those down volunteer early and often.

Oh and I just realized you have what looks like a personal picture on your profile. I strongly suggest you removing it. And on the subject of online stuff, be careful what you post on any social media and what your friends might tag you in that will be public.

Gotcha, just did. New to this. I don't use social media often, never been a fan. But Why are profile pics important to stay anonymous here?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I know the workload cannot be matched but is there anything to really help prepare in terms of content?

Nope, just major in whatever will get you the highest GPA possible. Also I advise to try and enjoy college, its a great time to see what you like and have fun experiences. Medicine isn't going to go anywhere.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Gotcha, just did. New to this. I don't use social media often, never been a fan. But Why are profile pics important to stay anonymous here?

Good. Don't start. Remain a Luddite except for the things you absolutely need. Even though none of the faces in your profile pic were very identifiable, you never know who's on SDN and looking at posts and profiles. Just browse through the various forums and threads and you'll see what I mean.

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

High school matters zero. College is a good time to instill study habits and become disciplined. Just make sure to take all the courses that are on the MCAT to help you. My only advice is to take biochemistry with a light workload. Biochem is the most helpful for the MCAT. Also make sure you take at least two english/writing courses.

 

[siliso]

I've taken 3D art classes all through highschool, if that is what you are referring to then that would be a great idea. I hadn't thought of that, changes the game. Thanks

When I say liberal arts I mean not just fine art, but history, literature, language, politics, philosophy, theology - any of those as a major or some combination. You don’t have to go into the premed viper den someone described above and you’ll be better prepared as a human if you don’t, IMO.

 

[Dr. Snow]

The one thing that helped me the most was using Ratemyprofessor.com

Outside of my required courses, I made sure to pick courses that would inflate my GPA as much as possible. Some courses in college don't require any real effort to get an A. Pick electives that you are interested in and may be helpful to taking the MCAT (genetics, psychology, sociology). I may just be lazy, but I laugh when my fellow science majors pile on extremely tough yet irrelevant courses.

Some of the easiest courses actually taught me the most because I wasn't cramming for useless memorization exams and I had more time to commit to my important classes and extracurriculars.

 

[Lucca]

Agree with @Gilakend and @siliso

 

[Goro]

I've been really motivated to become a doctor for the past five years ever since my mom was saved after a brain tumor was removed from her. I slacked off most of highschool but really have been changing the past year and a half as my future becomes more relevant. I understand the obvious aspects of what it take to get into medical school, high GPA, high MCAT, research, etc. but I want College to also prepare me for Medical School. I plan on taking anatomy and physiology classes just to have that as a background, but as far as major is concerned, I'm in a crutch. I know the workload cannot be matched but is there anything to really help prepare in terms of content? Thanks.

Read this:
Med School Rx: Getting In, Getting Through, and Getting On with Doctoring Original Edition by Walter Hartwig

ISBN-13: 978-1607140627

ISBN-10: 1607140624

 

[lpp06]

Key point to remember:

Colleges and majors don't prepare you for medical school, you prepare you for medical school. You could wind up at an ivy in its most difficult major, but if you don't put in the work, create the opportunities, or push yourself to succeed, you won't be prepared.

 

[trev5150]

Do take the Freshman Seminar and How To Study courses whatever they call it.
Get tutoring help before you need it.
Study groups.