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What should I do in HS if I want to become a doctor? Especially during COVID?

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Doc’s Answer

Gabrielle your high school years are the perfect time to begin exploring your interests and preparing yourself for a background. Take advantage of the resources available at your school and in your local community to begin your preparation for a medical career. Consider volunteering at a local hospital, nursing home, or other health-care establishment. Ask any contact with whom you have developed a nice rapport if you can shadow them as they go through their day. These observations will help you evaluate your comfort with medical environments and interventions during COVID. Consider which type of volunteer activity is not only right for you, but also for others. Because you'll want to include your volunteer experience on your medical school application, be sure that your choice of activity reflects critical thought. If you choose an activity that demonstrates a lack of regard for others simply so you can get on-the-ground experience during a pandemic, you will not win over any medical school admissions committee. Because this is such an unusual and challenging time, premed students may be asked by medical school admissions committees to describe how they coped during COVID.

Stay Safe Gabrielle

Doc recommends the following next steps:

Develop a strong background in science and prove that you can handle rigorous courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and math. Take AP and advanced courses as often as possible and maintain high grades. Meet with your guidance counselor to plot the appropriate high school courses. Carefully research four-year colleges in collaboration with your high school guidance counselor. Identify highly regarded schools and find out how many of their grads are accepted to medical school.
Once you are 16 (age varies by state), you may want to complete training during the summer to be a certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). Training takes anywhere from three weeks to three months. Once you have your certificate, you can earn good money and gain valuable experience prior to medical school.
Thank you comment icon Thank you Raquel for your continued support. Of all the 'attitudes' we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing. Doc Frick
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Dan’s Answer

Hello.

I would recommend just reading and doing well in all subjects. The goal at this point in your life is to learn how to learn and the only way to do that is to excel at all your studies. In college you'll do the same thing but focus it a bit more on life sciences via the pre-med route.

I cannot emphasize this, but read! Novels, your textbooks, whatever it is that you enjoy. The more you read, the better you'll be at it.

Exercise too, the stronger you are physically the more stress you'll be able to handle mentally.
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Yasemin’s Answer

Hi Gabrielle! Right now with COVID getting involved in activities may be difficult but in the future I would recommend volunteering. It may be difficult as a high school student to volunteer in a medical setting but some hospitals do accept high school students as well as nursing homes; these are areas you can apply to. They can expose you to patient care! I think it's beneficial to be involved in volunteering and helping others because this showcases empathy and compassion as well; this is also something to definitely continue during college as a premed, and looked upon favorably by medical schools. Academic wise I would try to take AP courses, and be active in science curriculum; if you have any difficulties in those subjects definitely seek out help early! Khan academy is very helpful as well as your teachers; I would struggle in math a lot and would always go to my teacher for extra help after school! In addition make sure to have some hobbies and things that you like to do, being a premed student is a lot of discipline and hard work and having some balance with doing things you love can help ease the stress!

I hope this helps, best of luck!
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