Tiara
When did you realize you wanted to pursue a life in medicine and from that when did you assume it was the right choice for you and your future after college ? #Spring25
I am in the class of 2025, graduating this year as a senior in high school, and my GPA is currently 3.5. In college, I plan to major in biology to further my education in pre-med or medicine. For many years, I have had a desire for medicine. My first interactions with medicine were through my Aunt, who is an OBGYN, and through those little moments of shadowing her through her job and learning more over the years about what it will take for me to successfully become on the right track to become a doctor. The more I fear it, from the stressors of possible research papers to ultimately facing the solid choice if that is the life I want anymore. The closer I get to college, the more I question my abilities and skills to push me forward into achieving my hopes of becoming a medical professional. Equally, it has fascinated me with the little discoveries I have come to learn from it, but the hesitation for my passion makes me question it. All in all, I want to hear personal stories from current and past pre-med students who are recurrently facing my problems of questioning this choice and how you overcame this doubt with either helpful tips for advice or even if you have had any mentors you looked towards when you came into this state. Additionally, Do you have any points on how I can make myself look like a suitable applicant for any pre-med programs or internships for college?
3 answers
Fernanda Revelo
Fernanda’s Answer
Fernanda recommends the following next steps:
Dr H
Dr’s Answer
First off, you’re honestly not alone at all in how you're feeling. I’m walking the medicine path too, and wow, I wish someone told me how normal it is to doubt everything you’re doing even while you're doing it. 😂 Actually, it’s a good sign — it means you care enough to want to do it right.
Your story about shadowing your Aunt as an OBGYN — that’s such a beautiful start. It reminds me a lot of my own journey. I come from a long line of doctors too. One of my aunts is a dentist — I actually watched her grow from a confused student to a full-on specialist, drills and all. I even shadowed my own mom (she’s a surgeon and OBGYN) and trust me — it hit me the same way. I started questioning myself, doubting my choices, wondering if I was even good enough for this whole thing.
And guess what? I wasn't really getting applauded for my effort either — sometimes it felt like I was doing all this work and barely getting a “nice job” in return. 😂
So what did I do? I just kept shadowing. Like... I’ve probably shadowed more people than I’ve opened a textbook at this point. No regrets though — because every time you step into someone else's shoes (or scrubs), you see a little more clearly what could be yours too.
Fernanda gave really solid advice — getting clinical experience, volunteering, researching, even just working a little job related to healthcare — it’s pure gold now. It’s like building little bridges toward your future. Even if you don’t feel 100% ready yet, that's okay. You collect experience like coins in a video game — eventually, they add up.
Quick side story I wanna say is that....
My sister is an amazing artist. Like crazy talented. She was headed for med too... until the same waves of doubt hit her. For a while, she considered mixing her love for art and medicine into art therapy or psychology. What pulled her the most was understanding how the human mind works — like, why do we even say the things we say? Why do we feel certain things? That curiosity led her into psychology, and now she's loving her journey and she loves that the thoughts hit her, ofcourse she figured out she wanted psych as a side understanding her art is everything, but she is 18 and still figuring things out so its totally alright.
So know It’s okay to pivot. It's okay to question yourself. It's even okay to take weird side quests. You don’t have to have it all figured out at 18, 19, 20... even 25. You just have to stay curious, stay brave, and stay moving. You’re already way ahead by asking these questions, Tiara. You’re gonna do amazing things. ✨And I am Rooting for you always,
Dr recommends the following next steps:
Charlotte Geiger
Charlotte’s Answer
It’s completely normal to feel fear and doubt as you get closer to actually starting the path you’ve dreamed about — most pre-med students go through exactly what you’re feeling. Many people realize they want to pursue medicine after small but powerful experiences, just like you shadowing your aunt. For me and many others, the real confirmation didn’t come right away — it came after starting college, taking tough science classes, volunteering with patients, and realizing that even on the hardest days, we still cared deeply about helping others. That passion didn’t disappear under the stress — it grew stronger. Doubt is a sign that you care enough to want to be great at this, not that you’re not capable. Having mentors — even just older students a few years ahead — made a huge difference for me. They reminded me that you don’t have to be perfect to be successful; you just have to keep showing up and pushing forward.
To stand out as a pre-med applicant, start early with getting clinical experience (shadowing, volunteering at hospitals), stay consistent with your GPA (aim for 3.6+ if you can), get involved in leadership activities, and seek out opportunities for research or community service if possible. Most importantly, be able to clearly explain why you want to go into medicine based on real experiences, not just grades or titles. That genuine story will carry you farther than anything else. You’re already on the right path — trust that it's okay to be scared, and know that moving forward through the fear is part of how you’ll become the doctor you hope to be.