Incoming College Freshman with some questions

[tzuyu&yuqi]

Hi!

I will be attending UCSB as a pre-bio major with pre med focus. I am just wondering if I should focus on grades alone and maybe one extracurricular or start getting involved in more volunteering (clinical/nonclinical) and extracurricular?

Also, is it possible for me to get a medical scribe/medical assistant/shadowing position by the end of freshman/beginning of sophomore year? When do people normally get these clincal volunteering experience?

As for shadowing, should I just call around the neighborhood clinics and ask if they could let me shadow?

Thanks

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[tskbdmnd]

Focus on being a college student. You think, "oh I'm gonna do this, oh I'm gonna do that" now, but come college, you'll just be a college student, and then what huh? Where'd your plans go? On another matter, I'd recommend taking a real major. Get yourself an engineering degree. If you're going to try for As why not make some money if you get a few Cs? Just my tidbits at least. Listen to anyone else above me though haha.

 

[Dr.Forssmann]

I will be attending UCSB as a pre-bio major with pre med focus. I am just wondering if I should focus on grades alone and maybe one extracurricular or start getting involved in more volunteering (clinical/nonclinical) and extracurricular?

Hi, I would focus on both. I would recommend start using google calendars and sync it with your phone so that you can schedule out your week and when your studying. and outside of that schedule your extracurricular activities. I would start doing some early like research because as you put time in you reap the rewards and also so that you can build rapport with your PI and others in the lab. On the AMCAS, you have to list out 15 extracurricular activities. I would start mapping these out and having a plan for how I would accomplish all of them and when i was going to do them. I wish i thought like this when i started school. obviously, at the same time you want to master the classes your in and get the best grades you can so that you nail the MCAT and ace your classes for a strong GPA. JUMP ON GOOGLE CALENDARS! cant stress this enough. especially when you start out cause your classes are so irregular you have to carve out time for everything or else your going to end up wasting it.

Also, is it possible for me to get a medical scribe/medical assistant/shadowing position by the end of freshman/beginning of sophomore year? When do people normally get these clincal volunteering experience?

yes, absolutely thats a great idea. whatever you do, start early cause you need stories so that you can share them on amcas and admission officers look greatly at the length of time you spent doing the activity as another measure of quality for your activities.

As for shadowing, should I just call around the neighborhood clinics and ask if they could let me shadow?

Yeah, this is how its done. (unfortunately things don't fall into your lap.) even for research i recommend calling and emailing or even just showing up in their lab.

 

[WedgeDawg]

It's harder, slower, and more expensive to repair a GPA than it is to fix or add literally any other part of your application

 

[jtd2081]

I was a scribe by the end of my freshman year. Take the first semester to figure out how you need to study, and what you need to do to achieve the grades you want. Pay close attention because all the info you learn in intro classes is likely to appear on the MCAT. So by the end of your freshman year you can definitely look into a scribing position.

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

I was a scribe by the end of my freshman year. Take the first semester to figure out how you need to study, and what you need to do to achieve the grades you want. Pay close attention because all the info you learn in intro classes is likely to appear on the MCAT. So by the end of your freshman year you can definitely look into a scribing position.

Did you study to be one your fall freshman year :O

 

[tzuyu&yuqi]

Hi, I would focus on both. I would recommend start using google calendars and sync it with your phone so that you can schedule out your week and when your studying. and outside of that schedule your extracurricular activities. I would start doing some early like research because as you put time in you reap the rewards and also so that you can build rapport with your PI and others in the lab. On the AMCAS, you have to list out 15 extracurricular activities. I would start mapping these out and having a plan for how I would accomplish all of them and when i was going to do them. I wish i thought like this when i started school. obviously, at the same time you want to master the classes your in and get the best grades you can so that you nail the MCAT and ace your classes for a strong GPA. JUMP ON GOOGLE CALENDARS! cant stress this enough. especially when you start out cause your classes are so irregular you have to carve out time for everything or else your going to end up wasting it.



yes, absolutely thats a great idea. whatever you do, start early cause you need stories so that you can share them on amcas and admission officers look greatly at the length of time you spent doing the activity as another measure of quality for your activities.



Yeah, this is how its done. (unfortunately things don't fall into your lap.) even for research i recommend calling and emailing or even just showing up in their lab.

Should I plan to fill out all 15 :O

 

[jtd2081]

Did you study to be one your fall freshman year :O

I mean you just apply and study after you are hired, so I did not start studying until spring semester as that is when I was hired. It's really not too difficult. . I was doing this on top of research, and taking 21 credits so it is definitely possible. Just put in the work. The job is worth it. I love it and really have enjoyed my time scribing. 10/10 would recommend.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Should I plan to fill out all 15 :O

It's 15 categories, not 15 activities. And no, it's definitely not expected, and usually not even possible to fill out all 15. To answer your OP, I would recommend focusing on getting your bearings, studying, and learning your best practices for success. Then in your second quarter you could start looking for some very part-time research and/or volunteering. Then ramp it up as you get more comfortable handling your class workload. Classes should be your primary focus, for reasons that WedgeDawg mentioned above.

 

[Toutie]

Hi!

I will be attending UCSB as a pre-bio major with pre med focus. I am just wondering if I should focus on grades alone and maybe one extracurricular or start getting involved in more volunteering (clinical/nonclinical) and extracurricular?

Also, is it possible for me to get a medical scribe/medical assistant/shadowing position by the end of freshman/beginning of sophomore year? When do people normally get these clincal volunteering experience?

As for shadowing, should I just call around the neighborhood clinics and ask if they could let me shadow?

Thanks

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