What is the single best piece of advice you can give to a freshman pre med?

[Instatewaiter]

you guys sound like a barrel full of fun

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[DrMaximus]

As hard as it is to do sometimes, stay focused on your grades and your goal. Definitely play hard while you're in undergrad, but you can't let yourself get lost in partying all of the time. I'm saying this from experience.

 

[as1212559]

Get A's. Maybe find one good EC to start. Maybe shadow over breaks. Enjoy college, but definitely get A's early. Starting strong is so much better than digging out of a hole. Take it from me, you don't want to be in that hole College is also more fun once you are legal, so focus on school early on.

Doesn't matter what else you do (so long as you don't get in legal trouble), just get A's.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I will share the greatest piece of advice I have ever seen while lurking on SDN...

If you are a Chinese girl, you only need to volunteer in the Chinese community once a month. Then you will automatically receive an acceptance to Harvard without ever even applying in the first place!

As a result: You will be one very happy Chinese girl!

But careful! It's a secret.

 

[911 Turbo]

Find some sloots every weekend and take them home

 

[cheechootrain]

Find some sloots every weekend and take them home

Best advice, hands down

 

[Planes2Doc]

Best advice, hands down

Careful... You wouldn't want to send them on the wrong track.

 

[lobo.solo]

I will share the greatest piece of advice I have ever seen while lurking on SDN...

If you are a Chinese girl, you only need to volunteer in the Chinese community once a month. Then you will automatically receive an acceptance to Harvard without ever even applying in the first place!

As a result: You will be one very happy Chinese girl!

But careful! It's a secret.

Hahahaha I remember this!!

 

[circulus vitios]

you guys sound like a barrel full of fun

 

[JPSmyth]

do not EVER let anything get in the way of a 3.8 gpa. while you're business major friends are drinking on a thursday night go to the library and study for chemistry and biology. It will pay off when you are a successful physician and they are working a dead end desk job.

I would wait until after my first semester at least to look for internships and research opportunities, worry about those later on. GPA first.

 

[SOMBound13]

Balance your schedule. Don't get so excited about being a pre-med student that you load up your first semester with all challenging classes. You'll likely end up with a crappy GPA or not having any life at all.

Also:
Avoid 8 am classes unless you're a natural early riser.
Fall semester of your freshman year will have many new distractions, so stay focused.

 

[Bodysurfer]

Have the audacity to believe and the tenacity to succeed.

Take fun classes for the sake of taking fun classes. Forensic Analysis was da bomb.

Definitely agree. There are so much interesting classes in undergrad to take. Like to debate politics or religion? Take a political sci or religion class[although honestly not quite sure if debating would go on in the 100 level classes or even upper level for either course].

Interested in how physics can make time travel? Take an intro modern physics class. Sailing or tennis? You get the idea. Even if the class isn't for major credit, take it if your intuition tells you and you honestly love the course material

 

[PsychOut13]

Eat your pancakes.

This! Eat them every day.

 

[magicm]

Don't do things to check them off on your application do things you enjoy. In the long run this will strengthen your application

 

[MedPR]

Find some sloots every weekend and take them home

This. Volunteer tutor and Life Coach are the best ECs.

 

[I like meowmix]

Do well in school (GPA + MCAT). And find your significant other before going to medical school.

 

[RCPreMD]

set goals and keep an organized schedule. Work hard and remember that there will be tough times but it will be worth it.

 

[Lady Netter]

Enjoy it - it's a short 4 years, and it'll go by in a flash! Find a new hobby. Find ways to interact with a bunch of different people. Make a list of everything your college's town/city is known for and check it off as you go through the 4 years. Don't stay in your room all day unless you're studying. I know I spent a lot of time "studying" but about 70% of "study time" was actually "youtube and facebook time." Get off of youtube and FB and get out and do something else!

Take advantage of basically 4 free years to practice life skills
- take advantage of your career center (networking workshops especially)
- Do a little research - I suggest research for every science major because I don't think you get the full experience of science unless you get your hands dirty - you'll appreciate how much work research actually is.
- Find leadership opportunities - doctors are leaders, and the more practice you have now, and the more mistakes you make now, the more you learn and the more you'll know in the future. Mistakes made now are much less consequential than mistakes made later in your career.
- Get your nerd on every once in a while and pick up an academic journal - doesn't have to be Science or Nature...you probably won't understand 3/4 of the words. But pick something easy and relevant to you, something that'll stimulate your mind and get you thinking.
- stay on top of the news - just visit your favorite news site and glance at the headlines and read an article or two. get an idea of what's going on in the world.
- find a volunteer opportunity where you can practice listening skills - I volunteered for a hospice, and it was great practice!

As everyone has already said, keep up that GPA!

 

[MedPR]

Do well in school (GPA + MCAT). And find your significant other before going to medical school.

I disagree. This is only beneficial if you can matriculate together (same place, not necessarily same year). My SO is an M3 and I'll likely be matriculating several hours away. It's going to suck.

 

[La Presse]

Find a favorite television series to watch. I know I found mine.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Don't get pregnant (if female)

Don't get anyone else pregnant (if male)