What can I do now to make life easier for myself when I apply for med school?

[Psyched*Out]

To preface this, I really like to have an idea of my future planned out and knowing what things to do well in advance of doing them is just how I tend to work best. I apologize if this comes off as overboard or anything of that nature, its just how I am.

With that said, I'm just going to list out the stuff I do have lined up or am already doing, and I hope to get advice and what more I can do in the future based on that. For context, I'm finishing up my first semester of college.

I currently volunteer at a hospice, do research, volunteer at a food pantry, and plan to start tutoring students next semester in biology. I still have plenty of time to do other things though in my week and my grades are fine so far so I want to know what else I can add to my plate, or if I should maybe take out some of these things. If you guys could suggest activities related to food insecurity that would be even more helpful since my research and food pantry work tie into that and I enjoy that type of work.

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[SpicyHotSauce]

keep a journal and everyday, write down your thoughts and reflections on events each day (such as maybe a memorable patient interaction, or a specific interaction at the food pantry, etc.) Write down the event as it happened, what made it stand out to you (did it have an impact on you, did it evoke a certain feeling, did it make you question one of your beliefs or values, etc.)

This will be useful by the time you start writing out your personal statement, primary applications, and secondary applications as you can go through these stories that you have written down and your thoughts, and will be much easier to organize them and present yourself in your applications.

This is something I wish I did, and am doing now in my gap year as a prepare myself as a possible reapplicant.

 

[eteshoe]

1. Draft your personal statement early (like start in December) and have it revised and ready to go by April
2. You didn't mention it but do well on your MCAT
3. Pre-write your primary app activities section
4. Pre-write your secondary essays - easy enough since SDN tends to bank several years worth of prompts.
5. Submit your primary app early (like as soon as the portal allows)
6. Have a spread sheet to track important dates (when you receive secondary apps, interview invites, etc.)

 

[RockClimberMed]

1. Draft your personal statement early (like start in December) and have it revised and ready to go by April
2. You didn't mention it but do well on your MCAT
3. Pre-write your primary app activities section
4. Pre-write your secondary essays - easy enough since SDN tends to bank several years worth of prompts.
5. Submit your primary app early (like as soon as the portal allows)
6. Have a spread sheet to track important dates (when you receive secondary apps, interview invites, etc.)

OP just finished his first semester of college...This is good advice for OP in 2-3 years.

OP, just get good grades and and find some service/clinical opportunities 1-2 times a week, maybe shadow every few months. Worry about MCAT and applications in a few years.

 

[Hollow Knight]

To preface this, I really like to have an idea of my future planned out and knowing what things to do well in advance of doing them is just how I tend to work best. I apologize if this comes off as overboard or anything of that nature, its just how I am.

With that said, I'm just going to list out the stuff I do have lined up or am already doing, and I hope to get advice and what more I can do in the future based on that. For context, I'm finishing up my first semester of college.

I currently volunteer at a hospice, do research, volunteer at a food pantry, and plan to start tutoring students next semester in biology. I still have plenty of time to do other things though in my week and my grades are fine so far so I want to know what else I can add to my plate, or if I should maybe take out some of these things. If you guys could suggest activities related to food insecurity that would be even more helpful since my research and food pantry work tie into that and I enjoy that type of work.

I was gonna post the essential wisdom for premeds thing from the sidebar- you should read that if you haven't.

But honestly, the only thing you're missing is shadowing. Shoot for 50-100 hours or so, and try to have some in FM, internal, or peds if you can get it.

Just make sure your grades are as high as physically possible (shoot for all As). Also, if you can plan to have a more relaxed semester spring of your junior year, that'll help when you're studying for the MCAT.

But just keep the faith OP, you're doing great. Make sure you sleep as much as you can and exercise and generally take care of yourself.

Also, as weird as it sounds, if you want to go to a T20, talk to some of the users on here who have done that and see what they say. These days just having a 4.0/520+ and volunteering and shadowing doesn't seem to be enough. But I'm not someone who can advise you there.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

1. Keep your grades up.
2. Stay out of trouble... especially don't cheat.
3. Go to class, and get to know professors and advisors you can trust.
4. Enjoy college and don't do everything with an eye towards a medical school application.
5. Build your mental wellness.

 

[chilly_md]

Point 4 from Mr.Smile is something many forget. And point 1 shouldn't be taken lightly, especially if you haven't had finals for your classes.

 

[eigen]

Don't get so fixated on an identity for one future career that you miss opportunities that might lead you in new directions.

About 1 in 5 students I work with that start college as pre-med end up applying to medical school. For most, it isn't that they couldn't do it. It's that they explored and found other things they were interested in and passionate about. And most don't have the breadth of experience before medical school to know what their other options are.

Sadly, some of the worst applicants I work with have spent so much time focused on preparing for medical school that they're not well-rounded, don't have outside interests, and can't really give a strong answer to "why medicine" because they haven't explored alternatives.

 

[LindaAccepted]

To preface this, I really like to have an idea of my future planned out and knowing what things to do well in advance of doing them is just how I tend to work best. I apologize if this comes off as overboard or anything of that nature, its just how I am.

With that said, I'm just going to list out the stuff I do have lined up or am already doing, and I hope to get advice and what more I can do in the future based on that. For context, I'm finishing up my first semester of college.

I currently volunteer at a hospice, do research, volunteer at a food pantry, and plan to start tutoring students next semester in biology. I still have plenty of time to do other things though in my week and my grades are fine so far so I want to know what else I can add to my plate, or if I should maybe take out some of these things. If you guys could suggest activities related to food insecurity that would be even more helpful since my research and food pantry work tie into that and I enjoy that type of work.

You've gotten lots of good advice and are doing the right things for medical school, I giving you my suggestions, which in some cases repeat what others have said and also adds a bit. A few thoughts:

1. You are doing the right things in terms of gaining clinical exposure, community service, and research. Make sure you journal what you have learned from memorable moments from these experiences.
2. Maintain high grades and then earn a competitive GMAT.
3. Make time for activities (or classes) you enjoy and are interested in that have little or nothing to do with medicine and med school. Music, sports, the arts, cooking, whatever you enjoy. Develop as a well-rounded human being in addition to developing as a future physician.
4 Try to assume leadership roles either in community or campus organizations and also try to engage in activities that require you to collaborate with others, whether it's sports teams, committees, or clubs. People skills count in medicine.
5. complete the courses that MCAT will test before you start your MCAT prep and certainly before you take the exam.

 

[deleted1166622]

Start studying for your boards now.