I just started my sophomore year of college. Last year I took general bio 1 and 2 and general chem 1 and 2. I'm taking O-chem this year. I have a 3.46 GPA in the science classes (but I go to a respected, challenging institution). I've been shadowing doctors at a nearby hospital, and I think some of what they do is pretty cool but some specialties seem a little boring. Sometimes when I shadow a doctor, it seems cool but other times it doesn't look so fun. But my adviser says that I have to really love medicine to get through medical school and a residency. But my dad (who is a dermatologist) said that it's not that bad, you just have to study like you do in college and you'll be okay. How do I decide of medicine is right for me?
How can you decide if medicine is for you
- Thread starter bookish17
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I think an important thing that helped me realize medicine was what I wanted to do was experience - real, hands on experience. Shadowing is great, it shows you what a day in the life of a doctor is like. Obviously, it's not all incredible. You're not going to love every single second of every day no matter what profession you end up in. For me, treating and helping patients (I'm an EMT) helped me realize that medicine was right for me. Also conducting research helped me realize that I didn't want to do bench work for the rest of my life. For you - find some way to volunteer or work with patients. Shadowing won't tell you for sure whether you really want to be a doctor, you need some genuine clinical experience to help you decide that.
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Shadowing is a good start. It sounds like you've shadowed multiple specialties. Which ones did you like the most? You can take a class in whatever topic you found interesting (like neuroscience if you liked shadowing neurologists), and taking advanced biology classes like anatomy and physiology can help you decide if you actually find the basics of medicine interesting or not. You can also volunteer in hospitals or try to get some hands-on clinical experience (like working as an ER scribe or an EMT) to see if you enjoy working in healthcare.
And lastly, remember that it's perfectly fine if you decide that you like something else more than medicine. If you're not interested, then you're just not interested and that's OK. I'm not interested in going into journalism or law and that's OK too.
And lastly, remember that it's perfectly fine if you decide that you like something else more than medicine. If you're not interested, then you're just not interested and that's OK. I'm not interested in going into journalism or law and that's OK too.
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Lowblowjoebro
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Have you had any patient exposure? Not shadowing, actually volunteering and interacting with patients. Dealing with patients is a good way to see if you enjoy the patient interaction aspect and whether you are able to provide for a patient's non-medical needs.
I also agree that a 3.46 is *not* the same at every school, especially if he/she goes to an Ivy. My school didn't have +/- system for grades.
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Shadowing doesn't give you any "hands on" experience. At least it shouldn't. It should let you see, over the course of several sessions, what the average day in the life of a doctor is. In fact, no experience working in a clinical setting is going to give you the "hands on" experience of what it's like to be a doctor, with the possible (not so hands-on) exception of scribing, where you complete the physician's chart. Nonetheless, reflect on those clinical experiences that have exposed you to the role of physicians and decide if there's anything else you'd rather do.
Medicine isn't fun 100% of the time. No job is. There are more boring jobs though, in my opinion.
I struggled for a long time over whether to apply to medical school. I shadowed, scribed, volunteered in different healthcare settings, and talked to as many doctors as I could. I made pro and con lists. I went back and forth for years.
In the end, my biggest piece of advice is this: know yourself. If you know yourself, inform yourself about the profession, think hard, and finally decide that medicine is a good fit, you'll have done all you can do to make an informed choice.
EDIT: It sounds like you're at Cornell. If so, I have friends who are there, and they've told me that pre-meds can expect exceedingly little leniency for lower grades when applying... So you may get a small break, but not much... and I wouldn't bank on the school's name to save you. Of course, I defer to adcom members' thoughts on this.
Medicine isn't fun 100% of the time. No job is. There are more boring jobs though, in my opinion.
I struggled for a long time over whether to apply to medical school. I shadowed, scribed, volunteered in different healthcare settings, and talked to as many doctors as I could. I made pro and con lists. I went back and forth for years.
In the end, my biggest piece of advice is this: know yourself. If you know yourself, inform yourself about the profession, think hard, and finally decide that medicine is a good fit, you'll have done all you can do to make an informed choice.
EDIT: It sounds like you're at Cornell. If so, I have friends who are there, and they've told me that pre-meds can expect exceedingly little leniency for lower grades when applying... So you may get a small break, but not much... and I wouldn't bank on the school's name to save you. Of course, I defer to adcom members' thoughts on this.
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Scribing is also a good way to see every aspect of at least an ED doctor's job. With shadowing, especially with surgery, you sometimes only get to see the exciting parts of the job. In my opinion its much more important to see how you feel about the most boring and tedious aspects of being a doctor.
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Cannot stress the bolded enough. You will be dealing with this profession for likely the rest of your life. Make sure you know you can remain satisfied throughout even the least satisfying portions of it.
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So many Princeton folks posting these days
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OP, it's all about the patients. Volunteer at a hospital, clinic, nursing home or hospice to see if this is for you.
Out of curiosity, what kind of grades are necessary to have a shot at getting into a M.D. program at some of the less selective medical schools? Also, do medical schools consider the rigor and difficulty of the college you attended or do they consider a GPA at Ameherst College (where I go) to be equal to a GPA at a less rigorous, less selective school? Also, is medical school admissions similar to college admissions in that extracurricular activities, essay and recommendation letters can compensate for a GPA that is slightly low? Also I'm African-American. Does being black increase my chances of being admitted? If I were to decide I wanted to apply, when do I need to start thinking about and preparing for the MCAT?
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There is no hurry to decide but on the chance you may decide to move forward work on your ECs and work hard at school. You can take the MCAT whenever you feel you are fully prepared. And don't take it until you are consistently scoring above your intended target. You only want to take it once.
You said your dad is a derm. Most likely when he applied and went to school things were vastly different. Spend some time reading through the What are my chances threads. See what other premed a are doing and saying. But if you decide medicine isn't for you that's fine! It's really important that this is your decision and not something your dad would like you to pursue. Good luck!
You said your dad is a derm. Most likely when he applied and went to school things were vastly different. Spend some time reading through the What are my chances threads. See what other premed a are doing and saying. But if you decide medicine isn't for you that's fine! It's really important that this is your decision and not something your dad would like you to pursue. Good luck!
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Please use the search function for these questions. You will find plentiful discussion on alllllllllllllll of these questions and more.
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Lowblowjoebro
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I have some links in my signature about GPA and Ivy Leagues. Feel free to read them and let me know if you have questions about my thoughts on the subject.
Edit: just realized above poster was not OP
Still, if anyone is curious, please check them out. Remember that they're my opinion and shouldn't be viewed as fact.
Edit: just realized above poster was not OP
Still, if anyone is curious, please check them out. Remember that they're my opinion and shouldn't be viewed as fact.
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Cornell then. Same thing. It's not the prestige because some Harvard kid ain't gonna be cut slack. It's the reputation for grade deflation that gives slack to the GPA and garners quotes like the one you posted. There's slack to be cut but not that much
