2 answers
Ugochukwu
Student
Nigeria
2
Questions
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Advice in my desired career
What inspiring advice do you have for an undergraduate who aspires to become a medical doctor/surgeon?
#medicine
#givingiscaring
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2 answers
Estelle Archer
Gynecologist
1322
Answers
United States
Updated
Estelle’s Answer
In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree. Any 4-year university should suffice.
Pick a major that interests you so you don't mind devoting a majority of your hours to studying. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.
Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters
Try to find opportunities to pursue research.
Volunteer at your local hospital or low-income clinic. Ask physicians, PAs or other clinical providers if you can shadow them.
During college study for and complete the MCAT. Devote an entire summer to studying for the MCAT and consider paying for a prep course if you can afford it.
My son used MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2019-2020: Online + Book + 3 Practice Tests (Kaplan Test Prep) Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep
Apply to medical schools during your last year of college.
Medical school takes 4 years to complete.
After medical school physicians complete a residency for additional training.
Pick a major that interests you so you don't mind devoting a majority of your hours to studying. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.
Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters
Try to find opportunities to pursue research.
Volunteer at your local hospital or low-income clinic. Ask physicians, PAs or other clinical providers if you can shadow them.
During college study for and complete the MCAT. Devote an entire summer to studying for the MCAT and consider paying for a prep course if you can afford it.
My son used MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2019-2020: Online + Book + 3 Practice Tests (Kaplan Test Prep) Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep
Apply to medical schools during your last year of college.
Medical school takes 4 years to complete.
After medical school physicians complete a residency for additional training.
Thanks ma'am..
Of a truism, the journey through medical school might be a laborious and gruelling one buh 'when there's a will, there'll surely be a way'.
Ugochukwu
Absolutely! Good luck to you!
Estelle Archer
Sundar Rajan Padmanabhan
13
Answers
Updated
Sundar Rajan’s Answer
Since my son is currently pursuing medicine, i can offer some perspectives from what i have seen.
1. I may be redundant advicing on MCAT preparation. So, i assume you are already on top of it. Exams, quizzes, tests, study becomes a way of life. Embrace it and you will not regret long hours working hard.
2. Get shadowing and volunteering experience with local medical professionals where possible. It gives you a closer perspective of a life as a medical professional and some hands on exposure. Seeing yourself in their shoes before you even graduate from medical school will help re-assure that the service line is what you want to do for rest of your life.
3. Medicine is a nobel profession. Allow yourself to be fully committed to it as you are touching and saving lives. Nothing can be more satisfying than this even if it called for a lot of hardwork, dedication and study.
4. Study topics, areas that may help make your medical service very effective. Example: Statistics, bio-stat courses, understanding state of the art tools and techniques used in medical research and so on. While you are at medical school, you may not have time for exploring some of these areas and later you will pat yourself for having done the right thing to process journels, papers quicker and save time.
5. Take break year to gain some experience if needed. You are anyway committed to a medical profession that is not short by any standards. You are in it for several years. Might as well give the best shot at it.
6. Try to articulate and build a story about yourself as to why you are into this. Deep introspection will help provide clarify, focus and guide you in the right direction.
7. Never give up. Doctors are the ones defending the country than even soldiers today day in and day out.
8. Learn to be nice to yourself. You will be doing a lot for others. But you can do that only if you took care of yourself first very well to start with!
Best wishes for a glorious medical career!
1. I may be redundant advicing on MCAT preparation. So, i assume you are already on top of it. Exams, quizzes, tests, study becomes a way of life. Embrace it and you will not regret long hours working hard.
2. Get shadowing and volunteering experience with local medical professionals where possible. It gives you a closer perspective of a life as a medical professional and some hands on exposure. Seeing yourself in their shoes before you even graduate from medical school will help re-assure that the service line is what you want to do for rest of your life.
3. Medicine is a nobel profession. Allow yourself to be fully committed to it as you are touching and saving lives. Nothing can be more satisfying than this even if it called for a lot of hardwork, dedication and study.
4. Study topics, areas that may help make your medical service very effective. Example: Statistics, bio-stat courses, understanding state of the art tools and techniques used in medical research and so on. While you are at medical school, you may not have time for exploring some of these areas and later you will pat yourself for having done the right thing to process journels, papers quicker and save time.
5. Take break year to gain some experience if needed. You are anyway committed to a medical profession that is not short by any standards. You are in it for several years. Might as well give the best shot at it.
6. Try to articulate and build a story about yourself as to why you are into this. Deep introspection will help provide clarify, focus and guide you in the right direction.
7. Never give up. Doctors are the ones defending the country than even soldiers today day in and day out.
8. Learn to be nice to yourself. You will be doing a lot for others. But you can do that only if you took care of yourself first very well to start with!
Best wishes for a glorious medical career!
Ohh!!!
Gratias agimus tibi!!
Thank you very much sir!!
No doubts, I'm inspired right now...
Benedicite!
Ugochukwu