10 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner As a Pre-Med

By Anonymous Pre-med

Six months ago I graduated with my bachelors degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. While it is an important milestone worth celebrating, I couldn’t help but feel anxious about this chapter of my life ending. I was filled with uncertainty about my future. One chapter done and onto the next but the rest of my book felt empty. I’ve known for a very long time that I would pursue medicine but I’ve made lots of mistakes in my undergrad that hindered my path. Mistakes that stopped me from applying to medical school. 

This blog post is dedicated to all the pre-meds, especially those who are just beginning their journey. Here are 10 things I wish I knew sooner:

1. You don’t have to major in biology to go to medical school

   • While it may be helpful to major in the sciences, it is not required. Major in something you are passionate about whether that be public health or cultural studies or political science. Just make sure that you are taking your prerequisites for medical school at the same time.

2. Don’t stretch yourself out too thin

   • It’s okay to say no to things. You don’t have to do everything! For example, joining 2 clubs that will give you meaningful experiences is better than joining 10 clubs all at once. 

3. Be proactive

   • Take responsibility for every choice you make. Don’t blame others or the world if things don’t go your way. Opportunities don’t fall on your lap. Work for it. 

4. Stop comparing yourself to other pre-meds

   • It is easy to fall into the trap of the “I’ll never be good enough” mentality and comparing yourself to your classmates. Keep in mind that each and every one of us have unique stories and have something to offer. You are enough.

5. Keep up with your GPA

   • Grades are not everything but they do matter. Hear the saying “C’s get degrees?” While that may be true, it will hurt your GPA. They don’t define you but it is an important component that adcoms look at. 

6. Build better study habits 

   • Don’t procrastinate! Your future-self will thank you for learning how to study in your classes now. If you’ve procrastinated your way through high school and college with stellar grades, cool. But you won’t succeed with bad study habits in medical school.

7. Take a break

   • We live in a generation where we idolize productivity and always being on the go. Slow down, take a breath and remind yourself that you can only do so much. Burnout is real so try to listen to your body when it needs rest.

8. Don’t rush your medical school application

   • Apply when you’re ready, not just because you are following a certain timeline. Otherwise, you will waste time and energy. It is an arduous process and quite expensive too. Take a look at every part of your application and think “am I ready?” If not, it’s okay to take some time to prepare. It’s not uncommon to take gap years to work on it. Take more classes to boost your GPA, volunteer, shadow, research, etc. There are many ways to spend your gap years.

9. Seek mentorship 

   • It can be a professor, advisor or medical student or physician! Building connections is important. Reach out to someone who can give you guidance and reassurance. You don’t have to do this alone.

10. Do what makes you happy 

    • Signing up to go to medical school requires hard work and sacrifice. Can you see yourself going to medical school and residency for many years? Studying days on end? Dedicating your entire life prioritizing your patients? If not, there are other roles in healthcare that you can pursue.