I am currently a junior in high school right now hoping to get into a good medical school. I will be going to UGA and I was wondering if there was any tips y'all had for aspiring med students like me. Any information about premed, tests or any other opportunities I should take would be extremely useful. Thanks.
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Shadow as many physicians across as many different specialties as you possibly can.
Develop solid, longitudinal professional relationships with a handful of physicians who are genuinely invested in teaching/mentoring you as a pre-med. Firsthand exposure to medicine and honest conversations with practicing physicians about the realities of medicine (both good and bad) is unequivocally the best way to know what you do and don't want out of a life in medicine. This type of exposure will color your application with not only (hopefully) enthusiasm, but a strong dose of realism, too.
GPA, MCAT, ECs, etc. are of course critical to acceptance, but firsthand experience under the wings of excellent physicians is second to none in actually preparing you.
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GPA and MCAT
8
845302
I'm a dental student, but took the MCAT as I was debating becoming a doctor. It was my secondary plan if I failed to find passion in dentistry. I shadowed normal Family Physicians to Cardiovascular Surgeons at Mayo Clinic (I lived in MN and went to the U of M). MCAT is probably one of the most important exams you will take in your life if you decide to become a doctor. Prepare! Also keep a good sGPA as that will be looked at by Med schools. Most of all, as cheesy and cringey as it may be, don't give up. You will go through hard times when you a bazillion things to do, but just keep with it knowing the good times are just ahead. Oh! I almost forgot! Volunteer a whole bunch. Doesn't need to be at a hospital, just volunteer somewhere where you know you will do good and be contributing to your community.
Hope this helps!🙂
-Fyz
Hope this helps!🙂
-Fyz
Gpa and mcat are key. Dont worry about too many extraciriculars yet. Get a solid gpa and mcat score. You'll soon find out that a grade in college is all about the professor you take. Do research and find ones that are sure a's. You'll have the nagging crowd saying oh if you do that you wont learn anything. Learn on your own but take the high gpa road. Trust me i learned the hard way. Dont take the honors courses. They wont do **** but be extra work and give you a b grade.
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I agree. For your first year, don't worry about ECs. Focus on your GPA. Once you get a hang of things, start shadowing and volunteering somewhere you find interesting. It can just be 3-4 hours a week, every other week or something. Don't let that distract you though. To get your foot in the door, its all about MCAT and gpa. The rest is all about the lessons you learned from your experiences and you don't need a substantial number of volunteer hours and physician shadowing, although more will give you a better sense of if the profession is for you. Read up on professor ratings. Often the grades given depend solely on who is teaching and their style. Try to find the easier route to get your requirements met and get good grades. There are already enough challenges and learning opportunities on the path to med school. Don't make your life any harder than it needs to be.
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How good should I pass MCAT test to get enrolled in any good university? Do I have any chances if my GPA is around 3.5-3.7?
3.5 and above is good and around 505 will get you in somewhere. 510 opens up lots of options and 515 you pick
