Seeking Smart Suggestions . . .

[wannabeMD113]

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okay, let me start off w/ a lil 'background: I'm a sophomore pre-med at Franklin and Marshall College. I started off wanting to be a bio major but I've switched to government after taking a gov class last year and really liking it. I'm now a Gov major w/ a minor in Medicine in Society.

I get good grades in bio classes, but I am really bad at chem. I recently decided to drop ochem and focus on salvaging the grades in my other classes - a gov class, bio. and my arts requirement class - & keeping a decent gpa

so, next semester i will take more classes for my gov major and start physics. i will finish physics this summer as well as all of my orgo, because next year I am going abroad in the fall to do a Medical Practice and Policy program in Denmark. At least, that is the plan.

Any advice for changing part of my plan to better my chances at acceptance? i'd really appreciate any help/words of wisdom -- I have wanted to be a doctor ever since highschool when i went to shadow a D.O. for a day in her office & discovered my dream job!

 

[Dr JPH]

Congrats on figuring out what you want to do.

Start looking into the medical school application process now so that you will know what to expect in the next year.

Take a prep course for the MCAT.

Begin meeting with the premed advisor at F&M.

Start working with physicians and get an idea of who you want to ask for a letter of recommendation to medical school.

Best of luck.

 

[Sarikate]

Don't worry about the chemistry so much. I had to drop out of my organic chemistry class in the first semester because I thought I was failing and ended up taking it over the summer. You just have to not be afraid of it, even if its a pain in your arse. It's good that you are majoring in something you are truly interested in; med schools won't care that you weren't a science major as long as you can show them you can handle a science courseload.

JP had some good suggestions, here's a few more:

1) Volunteer. If I were you, I'd volunteer in a nursing home. This is especially good if you want to go D.O., because a lot of D.O. programs are emphasizing geriatrics these days (all the baby boomers). If the schools see that you worked with the elderly, they will love you forever.

2) Definitely study abroad somewhere interesting. It's good for you and it's good for your application, especially if you're doing anything medically-related while you're there. It shows you have maturity and an open mind and are good at dealing with different situations.

3) Try to get some research under your belt, either at your school or over the summer in your hometown. I remember sending letters out to a bunch of docs at a nearby research hospital the summer after my freshman year and ended up doing neurosurgery work for $1200 a month. I thought it was fascinating stuff, and it also helped my application.

4) Definitely take an MCAT prep course if you can. I couldn't because I live in a super-rural area with no prep courses available, but if you can, even during the school year, do it. Or at least get some really good books and spend a good 3-4 hours a day for 3 months or so to get ready for it.

5) Make sure you know how to write. This might sound ridiculous but med schools really want doctors who know how to put sentences together cohesively and concisely. Take a few writing courses if you can. Also, READ as much as you can, about anything and everything.

6) Take a couple upper-division science courses so the schools will see you can handle that kind of coursework. You don't have to go overboard on this, though.

It's a long road sometimes but it's definitely doable. You just have to keep your eye on your goal. Good luck!