Highschool student interested in UofM med school

[lsmith]

Hi there,

I am currently sixteen years old, planning on attending grade eleven next fall.

I'm very curious about the input those of you may have for someone like myself, interested in enrolling in medical school.

 

Please share anything you feel is even vaguely necessary or interesting to mention, any advisements you wished you were given, experiences you've overcome thus far or considerations specific to the University of Manitoba. Anything!

 

Thanks for your time.

[gogopogo]

Sure, I'll bite.

 

My first recommendation would be to read these boards and use the search option for various topics you may be interested in. This site holds a wealth of information about almost everything you may ask and it has been an invaluable resource to myself and countless others.

 

Take all your sciences and math. Biology, Chemistry, Physics. Calculus is great but not a strict requirement (I have zero calculus ability). Give yourself the opportunities to practise essay and argument writing.

 

Follow your passions. Successful applicants have demonstrated that they are not just robot students with great marks. If you love music, keep practising. If you love travel, keep travelling. Your application will involve a description of your extracurricular endeavors. This is so much easier to do if you do what you're passionate about.

 

Be aware of current events. Read the newspaper, watch the news. Be conscious of the world around you, not just the scientific perspective (and especially not just the pre-medical world! We get kinda neurotic when left to our own devices). Can you consider both sides of the arguments being made?

 

Most importantly, be sure that medicine is what you want. It's gonna be hard. you may not like it. Volunteer at the hospital, shadow a doctor, ask your family doc questions and inform yourself of the challenges ahead. Ask yourself over and over, Why do I want this? What can I do to deserve this opportunity? Understand that many students don't get into med school right away and some will never succeed, despite years of effort. Think realistically to yourself: What do I want to do if I don't make it? What if medicine isn't right for me? Ask yourself tough questions and be honest with yourself.

 

 

I wish you the best and all the luck in the world, but luck isn't gonna get you in. It will be your passion, your committment and the strength of your well-rounded character that will show the admissions committees that you deserve to get in. So, prove to them that you have earned the opportunity to learn medicine.

[Doc Wannabe]

Well put gogopogo! Based on personal experience I would just elaborate on the portion about perseverance in the application process. The hardest struggle for me was succeeding in most everything I did prior to my application, being rejected (3 times) and taking it personally to the point that it affected my confidence for the next application cycles. Please go into this process knowing that you will have MANY smart, articulate, kind, well rounded peers applying with you and you may not be noticed immediately. If this happens (and I sincerely hope it doesn't) please realize this is not because you're not meant to be a doctor. If this is what you feel you're meant to do, find ways to improve upon yourself and your application and reapply.

 

This being said (and I know this will annoy you because all you want to do is be a Dr.) have a backup plan. This could be research, traveling, education in another health care profession, etc.... but make it something you really enjoy and something that will strengthen you application. Part of being a well rounded applicant and Dr. is having some life experience, both good and bad.

 

Okay, so I don't want to be too much of a downer, but I just wish someone would have told me this when I was first applying. Best of luck with everything!

[Renin]

I second everything my colleagues have said, but I wanted to add that also do not be disappointed in yourself if you change your mind.

 

If you asked my high school science class, a lot of us wanted to be doctors.

If you asked my first year biology class, about 80% of them wanted to be doctors.

 

Of course 80% of 500 people do not end up being doctors... there are many other careers out there that are rewarding and fulfilling. Do not work yourself into the mindset that medicine is the be-all and end-all. If you find something else you love even more, do not feel compelled to continue on the medicine bandwagon...

 

... oh, and if it takes you multiple tries to get noticed, there will be people who are snarky and tell you that you're not good enough. Ignore these people. And avoid them. They are toxic. (Cootieeees!)

[liszt]

Sure, I'll bite.

 

My first recommendation would be to read these boards and use the search option for various topics you may be interested in. This site holds a wealth of information about almost everything you may ask and it has been an invaluable resource to myself and countless others.

 

Take all your sciences and math. Biology, Chemistry, Physics. Calculus is great but not a strict requirement (I have zero calculus ability). Give yourself the opportunities to practise essay and argument writing.

 

Follow your passions. Successful applicants have demonstrated that they are not just robot students with great marks. If you love music, keep practising. If you love travel, keep travelling. Your application will involve a description of your extracurricular endeavors. This is so much easier to do if you do what you're passionate about.

 

Be aware of current events. Read the newspaper, watch the news. Be conscious of the world around you, not just the scientific perspective (and especially not just the pre-medical world! We get kinda neurotic when left to our own devices). Can you consider both sides of the arguments being made?

 

Most importantly, be sure that medicine is what you want. It's gonna be hard. you may not like it. Volunteer at the hospital, shadow a doctor, ask your family doc questions and inform yourself of the challenges ahead. Ask yourself over and over, Why do I want this? What can I do to deserve this opportunity? Understand that many students don't get into med school right away and some will never succeed, despite years of effort. Think realistically to yourself: What do I want to do if I don't make it? What if medicine isn't right for me? Ask yourself tough questions and be honest with yourself.

 

 

I wish you the best and all the luck in the world, but luck isn't gonna get you in. It will be your passion, your committment and the strength of your well-rounded character that will show the admissions committees that you deserve to get in. So, prove to them that you have earned the opportunity to learn medicine.

 

Nice post, gogopogo.

[gonnabeadocta]

Don't get disheartened by isolated negative experiences! What I mean to say is let's say you're overall a really good student, but there's that course that you're not doing as well in and it's stressing you out. Sometimes you have to just let it go. That doesn't mean let yourself fail, but really try to gauge whether something is worth freaking out over or not. If it is, implement study plans that will make you focus and do better, figure out what's going on etc. If it's not worth freaking out over, recognize that fact, still study hard and do your best, but leave it at that. It will save you A LOT of stress going through undergrad.

Also- you will be stressed, there's no way to avoid it. 1- make sure this is something you are committed to, and 2- find healthy ways of dealing with stress (sign up for judo or something:))

 

Hi there,

I am currently sixteen years old, planning on attending grade eleven next fall.

I'm very curious about the input those of you may have for someone like myself, interested in enrolling in medical school.

 

Please share anything you feel is even vaguely necessary or interesting to mention, any advisements you wished you were given, experiences you've overcome thus far or considerations specific to the University of Manitoba. Anything!

 

Thanks for your time.