medschool_hopeful Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Hey, im definitely thinking about going to medical school. I was just wondering if any of the students who are currently in or have been in medical school, what is the one thing you wish you had known before going to medical school? Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Also, how do/did you find it? Did it live up to your expectations, was it better/worst than you thought? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 I don't think that anyone can fully appreciate what something is going to be like until they experience it firsthand, but I cannot think of anything I wish I had known before. I researched as much as I could by reading books, talking to people, and searching online forums and the internet (not necessarily in that order.. heh). I'm very happy with my choice of career, and would not rather be doing anything else. I think it is important to do your research so that you are making a well-informed decision, in order to avoid regrets later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medschool_hopeful Posted June 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 I don't think that anyone can fully appreciate what something is going to be like until they experience it firsthand, but I cannot think of anything I wish I had known before. I researched as much as I could by reading books, talking to people, and searching online forums and the internet (not necessarily in that order.. heh). I'm very happy with my choice of career, and would not rather be doing anything else. I think it is important to do your research so that you are making a well-informed decision, in order to avoid regrets later on. Ohh okay. So get as much research done right now. This way i know exactly what is in store and i'm not going to regret doing anything in the future. So you read books on the subject? Could you give any recomendations? Anyways, thanks for your post!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannn Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Read this thread http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42244 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 I read books on medical school admissions and books written by physicians about their experiences. However, I've gained just as much insight from forums like this and SDN (going through the archives for posts of interest), as well as blogs of those in the medical field and websites containing advice from people who have gone through the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobodycirclesthewagons Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 I figured this out along the way, but for some pre-medders who may not know: You don't have to volunteer, especially not in a hospital, to get into med school. It's a common misconception that you need toaccumulate "x" amount of hours in a hospital in order to be a competitive applicant. You can volunteer anywhere and any how (in churches, as a coach, etc.) you'd like, or you could choose to not volunteer at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medschool_hopeful Posted June 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 I figured this out along the way, but for some pre-medders who may not know: You don't have to volunteer, especially not in a hospital, to get into med school. It's a common misconception that you need toaccumulate "x" amount of hours in a hospital in order to be a competitive applicant. You can volunteer anywhere and any how (in churches, as a coach, etc.) you'd like, or you could choose to not volunteer at all. So volunteering does not really give you that extra boost? I'm still going to end up volunteering quite a bit, hopefully in a hospital, but not for that whole "Oh i need to get 1000hours so I'll still be in the running" garbage. I really want to experience the hospital environment to get a feel of what my future could look like. Lactic Folly, thanks for the ideas, it never occured to me to read blogs. Awesome! Shannn, thanks for the link! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobodycirclesthewagons Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 So volunteering does not really give you that extra boost? I'm still going to end up volunteering quite a bit, hopefully in a hospital, but not for that whole "Oh i need to get 1000hours so I'll still be in the running" garbage. I really want to experience the hospital environment to get a feel of what my future could look like.Lactic Folly, thanks for the ideas, it never occured to me to read blogs. Awesome! Shannn, thanks for the link! Volunteering can give you a boost if you do something you're passionate about and you can show how it makes you a great candidate for med school, either because of the experiences you gained from the placement or the way it shaped you as a person. I don't believe accumulation of hours will give you a significant boost because pretty much everyone else is volunteering too. Your motivation for volunteering sounds good. Do you know where you plan to volunteer in the hospital, and what your tasks will be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astudentis Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Volunteering can give you a boost if you do something you're passionate about and you can show how it makes you a great candidate for med school, either because of the experiences you gained from the placement or the way it shaped you as a person. I don't believe accumulation of hours will give you a significant boost because pretty much everyone else is volunteering too. Your motivation for volunteering sounds good. Do you know where you plan to volunteer in the hospital, and what your tasks will be? The bolded parts above are the key things med schools are looking towards to see if you will make a good doc. Even if you dont volunteer, you need to do something in your spare time to show that you tried to accomplish something and that it changed you for the better or not... whatever spin you want to put on your experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medschool_hopeful Posted June 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 Do you know where you plan to volunteer in the hospital, and what your tasks will be? Oh wow, i haven't really even looked into that yet! I'm just about to start my undergrad, you see. I was hoping to maybe do some food bank volunteering this summer and then next summer, i'll be checking out local clinics and hospitals and seeing if they can squeeze me in somewhere. I hope i don't just get folding towels, like the other poster though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobodycirclesthewagons Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 Oh wow, i haven't really even looked into that yet!I'm just about to start my undergrad, you see. I was hoping to maybe do some food bank volunteering this summer and then next summer, i'll be checking out local clinics and hospitals and seeing if they can squeeze me in somewhere. I hope i don't just get folding towels, like the other poster though Oh, that's cool, it's not a problem. You're definitely not "behind the curve" in terms of volunteering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resumedocket Posted July 19, 2010 Report Share Posted July 19, 2010 I read books on medical school admissions and books written by physicians about their experiences. Resume Writing Services Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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