Highschool

[Ross]

I just thought I'd throw this out and see if anyone had any advice.

I'm a highschool student in Helena, Montana. I'll be starting my sophmore year, and I amazingly already know what I want to do. I want to go into medicine. Surgery, to be more exact. Well, my grades are good (3.8 - 4.0) .. I take all honors classes. I take arts, music, etc. Well rounded, I'd say. I am going to start volunteering at the hospital once school starts and I get it all figured out. I guess I was just wondering if there's anything else anyone thinks I should do? And, also, how do I keep a record of my volunteer time? I mean, I could just write it down, but do I need something from the hospital that says I was there for during so and so hours?

Thanks..

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[Luminox]

"...but do I need something....."

Yes, you do. It's called a chill pill. No one will care what you did in HS once you get into college and do the pre-med thang. My take: relax and find a sport you like. THen play it hard and become a standout.

take care

Lumi

 

[moo]

Originally posted by Ross:
• I guess I was just wondering if there's anything else anyone thinks I should do? •

Yes, explore other career options. You are way too young to be sure you want to go into medicine, or "surgery to be more exact."

 

[Jonny-5]

Dear Ross,

Please do not feel bitter that most comments to follow will not be of a favorable disposition towards your *early* decision.

That said, take some time and enjoy school. Believe me, I grew up in Montana, I thought I knew and had seen alot before college. I was very wrong. There is so much out there to experience and see but you have to be open to it. Don't start worrying about med school now. If you want to volunteer then do it, but don't limit yourself (there is a great fire-lookout station where you can volunteer near Hamilton).

OK, now go enjoy high school and sports and movies and friends and driving and all the rest.

Good Luck!

 

[Dr Krazy]

i agree with the other two. you still have seven more years to go before you graduate from college, and a lot can change during that time. but volunteering is cool, just use that experience to learn more about medicine and as something to chew on...it is not likely that anyone can really figure out what field they want to do until they're in med school. there is nothing wrong with being interested in medicine at your age, but also keep your mind open to other options. heck....stop thinking so much about what you think you want to do 17 years from now and just HAVE FUN!!

Dr Krazy,
who wishes she were playing tennis on this beautiful day but is stuck indoors writing essays for secondaries

 

[JenniferC15]

While I think it's great that you know what you want to do already, I wouldn't worry so much about tracking your volunteer work and activities. When you apply to medical school, the section where you put all that stuff is called "post secondary experiences". The med schools don't care what you did in high school. Just relax and enjoy your high school years.

 

[TXKID]

My advice is to submit your AMCAS application. It may seem early but by the time your ready for an interview it will be processed. Good Luck

PS Have you heard of girls? Spend some time researching them!

 

[Scooby Doo]

Focus on getting into college first big guy.
Jeez....I mean it's great that you think you know what you want to do..but after rereading your post a few times, I just cringe for some reason. You are 15 years old probably..(or 14)...have some fun...but do some volunteering and stuff to get into college...but don't stress out about it..
Right now you are on a rock on one side of the river...in order to get to the other side..you can't make one big jump..you need to jump to another rock called "First Kiss", then to another rock called "Driver's License", then to another rock called "ExtraCurriculars you wouldn't want your parents to know about", then finally you can jump to the big rock called "College" which can be slippery so be careful. Then you will see many different paths of rocks....but they will all lead to the other bank called "M.D. Haven"...
Keep an eye on the one or two rocks in front of you...not the bank on the other side.

 

[fishtolive]

I'd...
a) listen to TXKID's comment...it's high school man! i won't get graphic.

b)keep medicine in the back of my mind...i felt similarly in h.s. but never to the extent you seem to be confident...i knew i wanted to do it but kept my mind open to other things...then, as you come of age (and beleive me, college will change everything about your life) you will decide if this kind of commitment is right for you

c)set small goals that lead to a big picture...my buddy in high school was so gung ho about medicine and blablabla...after one semester, he was crushed emotionally and after two, he was a business major...he always planned his practice and his SPECIALTY right from high school (sound familiar) and he didn't even get past one year...that says something

d)refer to a

e)you sound bright, devoted, goal-oriented, all that you will need for medicine...be content with that and don't fall into the numbers game already...have fun now, and even in college...i'm ready to interview in 2 weeks and have to say i'm the happiest i've ever been in my life..did amcas have problems? yeah. did the MCATs stress me out? yeah. but i'm this close to getting in to my top choice and i don't attribute having gotten to this point to my good grades, mcats, volunteer work, etc. i attribute it to having a good attitude, having fun, and knowing that there's more to life than a great proffession...what's an MD if you're miserable and never cared about anything but those two letters? being a doc is not the end all be all...it's just great in a unique way...let tht be enuff for you and live your life...and kick back a bit...it's not that hard, really!

 

[praying4MD]

Originally posted by praying4MD:
•

Originally posted by TXKID:
[QB]My advice is to submit your AMCAS application. It may seem early but by the time your ready for an interview it will be processed.•

This was HILARIOUS. (and sadly, probably true).

 

[tidy_kiwi]

Ross - I would personally flag volunteering for the time being. Try various part-time jobs - flip burgers for a few months (get a McD instead of an MD), do a job that is traditionally considered to be the domain of the opposite gender, get a job in a factory on a production line etc. I think that it is cool that you know what you want to do this early (I was the same) but man, once you hit med school you ain't gonna have time to do much else so cram as many life experiences into the years you got left. It will make your app seem so much better to have a vast array of experiences than just one line saying 7 yrs hospital volunteer - that just says you are 1 dimensional.

 

[labrynth79]

Hey Ross,

I think it's great you have a career choice you are incredibly interested in. Before you set your mind completely, try volunteering at a hospital or something to see if this is the career for you. And if this is what you really want, I say go for it. I also was in high school - actually before that- when i really considered becoming a doctor (pediatrician, mainly), but I didn't test that desire until I started volunteering and understanding what it was all about. I worked in about 5 different wards in two hospitals my senior year of high school, just to get a good grasp on the various fields of medicine I could go in to. But it was worth it! For the time being, focus on this and see what it's like.

On a side note, if you are set on going into medicine, there are B.A./MD programs available for students to join right after high school. I sometimes wish I did this, but am incredibly glad I chose UC Berkeley as my undergraduate institution. The downside is that they don't offer a program like that. But this way, if you do well, you can get your undergraduate degree and your MD from the same school - usually a good one. I know Brown University, USC, Boston U, and University of Missouri (not sure if it's the one in Columbia or Kansas City) are just some of the schools that do this. Do some research and look into it.

good luck

 

[Ross]

Thanks everyone, that really helps. I guess I shouldnt jump in too head first, I'll take it easy and just enjoy things for a while. I really got interested earlier this year after I had to have knee surgery (Arthroscopic Lateral Release)... but I'll have to learn more first I guess.

Thanks!