Humble Advice from one Pre-Med to Another

Ask any college student, and you will likely hear that pre-medicine is one of the toughest undergraduate paths. From Organic Chemistry to hours of labs, pre-med students work incredibly hard! Through all the stress and studying I hope you remember that you have made an amazing commitment that you should be proud of. Someday when you have the career of your dreams you won’t remember the details of cellular respiration or the misery of all night studying. But for the moment, before that dream can become a reality, I have gathered my best advice for the stress of the day-to-day.

Consider a Non-Science Major

It makes sense to major in biology or chemistry. Your major requirements will overlap with the pre-health requirements, reducing the number of courses you need to take. But even if there are only a few courses beyond the pre-med requirements to finish a biology major, do you really want to take MORE science courses? I decided to major in Computer Science and I consider it the best decision of my undergraduate years. Coding feels like a break from hours of reading science textbooks. It is more of a logic puzzle than memorization, so I feel that I am using a completely different part of my brain. Also, when it comes time to apply to medical school, non-science majors have a distinctive quality in a pool of mostly science majors.

Read the textbook

I honestly cannot recommend this highly enough. Pre-med tests are tough and require knowledge of details. Rarely have my own rapidly-typed or illegibly written notes truly prepared me for a test. On the other hand, I have never seen something unfamiliar or felt unprepared after having read the corresponding textbook sections. Just read a few pages a day very closely and carefully in the weeks leading up to a test and you won’t regret it. Also, be sure to ask your professor or TA if any sections are not on the test as I have often eliminated quite a few pages this way!

Plan Which Classes to Take, and When, Strategically

If you can take Organic Chemistry with only two other classes, do it! Or if you can take it on its own in the summer, do that (This is my plan!). Certainly try not to pair it with any other very challenging classes. Never simply check off a list of science classes thinking that when does not matter, because it does. Consider combining a class without a lab with one that has a lab. If you are a non-science major take one of your easier major requirements along with a tougher pre-med class. Avoid taking three pre-med classes at once at all costs. In general, think things through before registration and you will thank yourself all semester.

Don’t Procrastinate on Work Experience and Volunteering

I spent the summer before my sophomore year traveling Europe and the Middle East and even stopping by Disney World! It was wonderful, but not exactly the summer plans that impress graduate schools. So last year and this summer I dealt with the consequences, struggling to get my extra-curricular activities together. Unfortunately, hospital volunteer/research/doctor shadowing positions can be very difficult to find. I have learned that you certainly do not want to wait until the last minute. So start looking far and wide very early on to avoid the pressure I’m facing now!

​

Source