I have started college two years early. Now I need to prepare for medical school

[AspiringAnesthetist]

I have received this amazing opportunity. I took a college entry exam called the P.E.R.T (Post-Secondary Education Readiness Test) and have just begun my first term in college. However, I am in a certain program in high school; this program gives me the ability to be a full-time college student while in high school. If successful I will achieve an A.A. upon graduation. So I am technically an 11th grader.

I am wondering what the best approach is for me to become a reasonable candidate for medical school.

My goal is to be accepted into the UF (University of Florida) medical school program

My questions are at the bottom of this message. If anybody could answer any of my questions I would be truly grateful.
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* Some back-round information on what I have already accomplished *​

-- I have approximately 143.75 volunteer hours, but this is at Habitat for Humanities garden.

-- I have just begun my A.A. program

-- I was able to shadow both CRNA's (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) and an anesthesiologist. When I did so I viewed 4 surgeries. I stayed there from 7AM-2PM. After that experience I knew anesthesia was my passion.

-- I have done research on anesthesia already, much research, and have filled a notebook 3.5/5 of the way (180 sheets). This information includes algorithms, drugs used, techniques in anesthesia, pharmacokinetics of major drugs used, certain palpation techniques, and anatomical landmarks that aid in performing nerve blocks (such as the illiac crest or the vertebral prominens), and a whole list of subjects. I do recognize this information is subject to change, but it is a good basis to start out with.

-- I have also done intense research on botany. I have filled out a notebook consisting of actions plants take as well as the secondary metabolites present in botanicals. I am not sure if this will help for medical school, but after I distilled cloves and obtained eugenol (LA) it intrigued me.

-- I am a student in 11th grade, but enrolled full-time at a state college.

-- When I took the P.E.R.T my score in the math portion was 100%. Doubt this P.E.R.T test would have any significance to medical admissions, but if it could help please let me know.
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My questions:​

* Would the fact that I started college 2 years early help my chances at all

* I am wondering which classes I should take upon receiving my A.A degree
- This very first term I am taking basic general education courses
- After this term I will have approximately 45 credit hours left to do.
- One have told me that I should not be taking many science courses significant to Medical admissions during my A.A. degree because I am technically dual enrolled. Is this true? or should I still be taking science courses during my A.A. pathway? I would think it did not matter...

* I am wondering how much clinical experience to get involved in which would help me through admissions. Note that I am only 16 years of age at this moment.

* What would be good programs around me that would help me get clinical experience?
- I live around the Tampa Florida area more so to the west coast.

* Is there any anesthesia specific programs around the Tampa Florida area

* Will programs such as The Apprentice Doctor’s Medical Skills Camp help me out? If so, are there any programs similar to this?


* How do I get involved in research? Am I able to do the research on my own, or does it need to be associated with the college.

Thank You
Sincerly,
AspiringAnesthetist​

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[Lucca]

Moving to hSDN.

1. Accelerated dual enrollment programs are not uncommon but you will still have to apply to college, complete a four year UG degree and apply to medical school after taking the MCAT. It won't make a difference in terms of admissions, but it might help you graduate from college early. So the short answer is no it doesn't explicitly help, but the longer answer is that it might help free up your schedule in college so that you are not overwhelmed with a lot of classes or might be better prepared to tackle college level coursework.

2. Clinical experience is good. I would start by contacting local physicians to shadow. It's great that you're interested in something already, but try shadowing a variety of physicians. It will help you better determine if you want to do medicine or not.

3. Don't worry about specialty-specific stuff at this point. Way too early. Don't even worry about it in college. Worry about it in medical school.

4. I think all of those "doctor skill" camp things are a waste of money. You will learn how to be a doctor in med school. There are far better things to do with your time like clinical volunteering, research, sports, reading a book, or literally most other activities that exist.

At this point just focus on doing the things that will help you become as competitive for undergrad admissions as possible. One thing you can do is look for summer research programs that accept high school students.

 

[candbgirl]

1). What are you going to do with those notebooks you have filled up? That’s not really research that Med school look at. Research opportunities are few in community college. But when you get to the four year university you might be able to hook up with a lab and PI. You aren’t a researcher so I can’t imagine what you would do by yourself.

2) You need much clinical exposure and shadowing is different. You also need to broaden your horizons as far as shadowing is concerned. Don’t think that because you love Anesthesia now that it will always be that way. Be sure to shadow a primary care doc too.

3) You also need to find non clinical volunteering. Something that will show your altruism. Medicine is a service profession so start looking. Look outside of your comfort zone.

4). All of this doesn’t need to be done in the next two years but it’s good to start working on it.

5). Many Med schools do not accept credits earned at a community college towards your AA. Especially credits earned in science courses.So yes it does matter where you take your sciences. It’s way too early to know where you’ll be attending college so try to take gen ed reqs and leave the Med school pre reqs for when you get to the university.

6)Understand that just because information is current now, it may not be in 4+ Year’s when you will be applying to Med school.

7) Study hard and do as well as you can so your GPA is high. When it comes time to take the MCAT score as high as possible.

8). This is a work in progress so relax and have fun. Get involved in activities on campus. Look for some leadership opportunities.

Good luck and come back with questions as you move along.

 

[AspiringAnesthetist]

Others have adequately answered your questions regarding applying to med school. Curious, though - if you have your heart set on anesthesia and couldn't see yourself practicing in any other field like primary care, as a hospitalist, etc., why not go for CRNA? Much quicker pathway and guarantees you a job in anesthesia (which getting accepted to medical school does not).

I have thought about going down that pathway. However, the education associated with medical school fits my interests more so than nursing school. The classes I will need to take during my UG degree is also different. I have seen the CRNAs in practice, and will go that pathway if medical school does not work out. In fact, when I was shadowing, I was with a CRNA for a lengthy portion of the time; the CRNA did practically the same procedures an anesthesiologist would do... But medical school is the route I see most fit for me at this point, and the more I look into the subjects they learn, the more I become interested in medical school opposed to nursing school.

 

[deleted480308]

1. Timing means nothing
2. Just get good grades, they matter more than the extra stuff
3. If you like filling notebooks, that's cool for you but it doesn't matter
4. Major in anything you want but remember #2
5. Don't ever tell any med school staff/adcom/essay that crnas "do pretty much the same thing". Like ever. Just forget that sentence and don't even mention them. You shadowed anesthesiologists, leave it at that

 

[deleted480308]

And an anesthetist is a nurse, and anesthesiologist is a doctor.....

 

[AspiringAnesthetist]

And an anesthetist is a nurse, and anesthesiologist is a doctor.....

Thank you for the clarification and tips.

 

[SitraAchra]

Don't rush through college to get to Med School, it's not going anywhere I promise. I've been a practicing Anesthesiologist for 3 years now and my patients still routinely comment on how young I look and I have to reassure them I know what I'm doing. Some of the best times of my life were my junior and senior year of college, and I only took 12-14 credit hours each semester and had a great time. Don't over do it, you're already ahead of the pack.

 

[AspiringAnesthetist]

Don't rush through college to get to Med School, it's not going anywhere I promise. I've been a practicing Anesthesiologist for 3 years now and my patients still routinely comment on how young I look and I have to reassure them I know what I'm doing. Some of the best times of my life were my junior and senior year of college, and I only took 12-14 credit hours each semester and had a great time. Don't over do it, you're already ahead of the pack.

Of course. Would you suggest I do a lot of shadowing and volunteering before med school? Or do you have any other advice on what I should do that may help me be accepted to med school?
---P.S.
I admire the fact that you are an anesthesiologist. Honestly I admire all aspects surrounding this art.

 

[SitraAchra]

Definitely do shadowing and volunteering before med school. Follow the advice given on the pre-med forum here on SDN, it is valuable. Set one goal at a time before jumping to Anesthesiologist as a life goal. Maintain a good GPA, participate in volunteer opportunities and try to shadow. Emphasize quality over quantity for volunteering. Someone who spends a considerable amount of time in one volunteer activity who can tell a story of how they made a real impact somehow is worth much more than being in 6 clubs without any leadership or achievement. Focus on getting a high score on the MCAT. Then once you're in Med School, you get to figure out which career path you like best. And that still may be Anesthesia.