So I've got another wave of midterms coming, and consequently my reserve of ideas and posts is also going down. Because I haven't posted in a while, here's a little something to entertain you guys.
As you know, I danced for a while, especially when I was in high school. So, behold the greatest solo in dance you ever saw! *cue dramatic music*
Just kidding, but it's halfway decent.
Here's the link
For those of you not too familiar with dance, this may (or may not, who knows) be boring, but a little explanation can help. The style of dance being performed is called Contemporary. This style is relatively new and can be related to the genre Alternative, in music. That is, it doesn't really fit in the other categories of dance (jazz, lyrical, ballet, etc), so it has its own. It's characterized by a variation of sharp, sudden movements, and smooth, drawn out ones. A lot times, choreographers like to use contemporary as a way to tell stories through dance. Very cool stuff!
Anyway, this particular dance doesn't really have a storyline, but it has a theme, which is overcoming struggle. A common theme, but a good one. So, listen to the words, hear the music, and just absorb that theme. I personally loved living and breathing this piece. Give me some slack though.....I was 16 at the time, so not the most mature dancer!
Also, the song is "Raise it Up" from the August Rush soundtrack. By the way, that soundtrack is amazing! So underrated.
I'll get off my soapbox now. One more thing though......
Do what you love, and do it well. Then making a living will be the most fulfilling you'll ever do.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Spotlight: M.D./Ph.D Programs
Wait, these are a thing?????
Yes. Yes they are. They're currently growing in popularity too. When I first heard of these type of programs the first thing I thought was "how do you live?". I mean, to get an M.D. is pretty darn impressive and requires a lot of sleep loss and dedication, not to mention major sacrifice. How does someone survive graduating with both an M.D. and a Ph.D in half the time????
Well, apparently there's a growing demand for clinical scientists. That is, people who have an understanding of the medical field, and do research related to better treatments for diseases such as AIDS, cancer, and artificial matter too (artificial hearts, skin, limbs, etc).
It's a win-win for the medical schools too, because in order to get a Ph.D you have to submit a thesis of some sort for a gigantic research project that you've been conducting. So doing this, medical schools have access to the best minds to solve our greatest problems, during their time in medical school. It also provides the student access to more opportunities other than just being a doctor. For example, say you're VERY interested in the medical field, but you hate working with people. Either you do biomedical engineering, or you get an M.D./Ph.D and get the best of both worlds.
So the way this would work for you, the student, is that you would take all the same classes as an M.D. candidate, plus a few others related to your Ph.D (i.e. neuroscience, cardiology, psychology). You would perform research in the labs provided (which are actually pretty neat at medical schools), and submit a thesis on whatever your heart desires to know, and get yourself published. Then, after four years of no sleep and no social interaction, you've got yourself an M.D./Ph.D!
I'd say most medical schools have jumped on this bandwagon by now, so if you're interested in that kind of thing, I'd suggest taking a look at what programs they have to offer and see if there's any specialties you'd be interested in!
Yes. Yes they are. They're currently growing in popularity too. When I first heard of these type of programs the first thing I thought was "how do you live?". I mean, to get an M.D. is pretty darn impressive and requires a lot of sleep loss and dedication, not to mention major sacrifice. How does someone survive graduating with both an M.D. and a Ph.D in half the time????
Well, apparently there's a growing demand for clinical scientists. That is, people who have an understanding of the medical field, and do research related to better treatments for diseases such as AIDS, cancer, and artificial matter too (artificial hearts, skin, limbs, etc).
It's a win-win for the medical schools too, because in order to get a Ph.D you have to submit a thesis of some sort for a gigantic research project that you've been conducting. So doing this, medical schools have access to the best minds to solve our greatest problems, during their time in medical school. It also provides the student access to more opportunities other than just being a doctor. For example, say you're VERY interested in the medical field, but you hate working with people. Either you do biomedical engineering, or you get an M.D./Ph.D and get the best of both worlds.
So the way this would work for you, the student, is that you would take all the same classes as an M.D. candidate, plus a few others related to your Ph.D (i.e. neuroscience, cardiology, psychology). You would perform research in the labs provided (which are actually pretty neat at medical schools), and submit a thesis on whatever your heart desires to know, and get yourself published. Then, after four years of no sleep and no social interaction, you've got yourself an M.D./Ph.D!
I'd say most medical schools have jumped on this bandwagon by now, so if you're interested in that kind of thing, I'd suggest taking a look at what programs they have to offer and see if there's any specialties you'd be interested in!
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Advice Column: Getting to shadow Doctors.
So I'm in the middle of trying to grab volunteer opportunities in hospitals, and surprisingly, it's much more difficult than I thought it would be. You would think that since my university has a medical school not even a mile from the main campus, that there would be volunteer positions in abundance!
Not really.
Apparently, since there's such a demand for volunteer positions (too many pre-meds here), it's actually very competitive to get myself one unless I apply 7-8 times. Yay. However, all hope is not lost! There are ways around this in order to get your required amount of volunteer work in.
First off, let's go over why it is so dang important to get volunteer work specifically in a hospital setting. Medical schools stress the fact that they want you to know what you're signing yourself up for. Hate hospitals? Probably shouldn't apply...So, volunteer work shadowing a doctor is your way of saying "been there done that, I'm still applying". Additionally, when you do apply, some of the most important recommendation letters are going to come from the physicians you shadowed. To emphasize further the importance of shadowing doctors: IF YOU HAVE NOT VOLUNTEERED IN A HOSPITAL SETTING DO NOT APPLY. I REPEAT: DO NOT APPLY. They will quite literally toss your application in the trash if they don't see any hospital work on your resume.
Now that we've gotten that covered, for those who have an easily accessible hospital within driving distance, email the hospital and/or doctor and you'll be fine. For those in my position, where it's abnormally difficult to get in because of the competitive applicants in the area, we'll have to be a bit more creative.
Out of staters: we have a little advantage since we have two areas of hospitals to choose from. Unfortunately for me, I'm actually from Houston, one of the largest medical centers in the world, with over 4 medical schools and several universities with plenty of pre-meds. So lots of competition. The way I'm getting around this is going through all of my high school contacts and checking to see if they have a parent or family member that is currently a physician. So far I've found several, and I'm emailing all of them to beg their parents to let me shadow them for a month or so. This should work perfectly.
This also applies to non-out of staters as well. If you do not have connections through friends or family to physicians, you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. Email every physician you can google in the area. I can guarantee you guys that the physicians will probably NOT answer back. Why? They're doctors. They're busy, and they get hundreds of emails per day. It's too much extra work and mental energy to get everything organized to teach someone that will shadow them.
Persistence is key. Email these guys on almost an obnoxious level. As much as it takes for you to get their attention. The funny thing is, even though they'll be jerks about ignoring you at first, if you actually become the squeaky wheel, the doctors will completely understand. They were once pre-med too. They had to fight for every opportunity they got to make it to the next step. They know. So, if you show persistence, one of them is bound to notice and think "sure, let's give him/her a try".
Boom. You have your volunteer position. From there, it's super easy. You now have a contact that will know several other doctors that you can talk to. Not as fascinated with gastroenterology as you thought you were? Talk to the physician you're shadowing, and chances are they'll know someone from every possible facet of medicine you can think of.
Side note: Another easy way to get opportunities is joining pre-medical oriented clubs. A lot of times they have shadowing events scheduled just for club members. Personally, I am involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta, the official national pre-health honor society for universities. Look them up! There's probably a chapter at your school.
Not really.
Apparently, since there's such a demand for volunteer positions (too many pre-meds here), it's actually very competitive to get myself one unless I apply 7-8 times. Yay. However, all hope is not lost! There are ways around this in order to get your required amount of volunteer work in.
First off, let's go over why it is so dang important to get volunteer work specifically in a hospital setting. Medical schools stress the fact that they want you to know what you're signing yourself up for. Hate hospitals? Probably shouldn't apply...So, volunteer work shadowing a doctor is your way of saying "been there done that, I'm still applying". Additionally, when you do apply, some of the most important recommendation letters are going to come from the physicians you shadowed. To emphasize further the importance of shadowing doctors: IF YOU HAVE NOT VOLUNTEERED IN A HOSPITAL SETTING DO NOT APPLY. I REPEAT: DO NOT APPLY. They will quite literally toss your application in the trash if they don't see any hospital work on your resume.
Now that we've gotten that covered, for those who have an easily accessible hospital within driving distance, email the hospital and/or doctor and you'll be fine. For those in my position, where it's abnormally difficult to get in because of the competitive applicants in the area, we'll have to be a bit more creative.
Out of staters: we have a little advantage since we have two areas of hospitals to choose from. Unfortunately for me, I'm actually from Houston, one of the largest medical centers in the world, with over 4 medical schools and several universities with plenty of pre-meds. So lots of competition. The way I'm getting around this is going through all of my high school contacts and checking to see if they have a parent or family member that is currently a physician. So far I've found several, and I'm emailing all of them to beg their parents to let me shadow them for a month or so. This should work perfectly.
This also applies to non-out of staters as well. If you do not have connections through friends or family to physicians, you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. Email every physician you can google in the area. I can guarantee you guys that the physicians will probably NOT answer back. Why? They're doctors. They're busy, and they get hundreds of emails per day. It's too much extra work and mental energy to get everything organized to teach someone that will shadow them.
Persistence is key. Email these guys on almost an obnoxious level. As much as it takes for you to get their attention. The funny thing is, even though they'll be jerks about ignoring you at first, if you actually become the squeaky wheel, the doctors will completely understand. They were once pre-med too. They had to fight for every opportunity they got to make it to the next step. They know. So, if you show persistence, one of them is bound to notice and think "sure, let's give him/her a try".
Boom. You have your volunteer position. From there, it's super easy. You now have a contact that will know several other doctors that you can talk to. Not as fascinated with gastroenterology as you thought you were? Talk to the physician you're shadowing, and chances are they'll know someone from every possible facet of medicine you can think of.
Side note: Another easy way to get opportunities is joining pre-medical oriented clubs. A lot of times they have shadowing events scheduled just for club members. Personally, I am involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta, the official national pre-health honor society for universities. Look them up! There's probably a chapter at your school.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
A Little About My Research
After a busy week of more tests (yay), I was finally able to get back to some of the research I've been conducting here at the university. So far, I haven't gotten myself into a laboratory; it's mostly analytical research and having people fill out surveys. However, I still find it very fascinating and I would love to share with y'all the kinds of things that interest me within the field of Neuroscience and Cognitive Science!
One project that I've been working on for a year now is on these things call brain fogs, or fibro fogs. They're relatively common symptom found in people with chronic pain diseases, namely fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. I was inspired to begin this project when my roommate brought these up to me, because she happens to have spondyloarthropathy, and experiences brain fogs on a regular basis. Knowing I was a NSCS major, she thought I might know something about them that she didn't already know.
Of course I had no idea what she was talking about at the time......but I REALLY wanted to know. So, I started a case study on her. I did a series of interviews with her, took down all the medications she takes on a daily basis, took note of her most recent brain fogs, and postulated questions from there.
Here's what I know so far: brain fogs are basically a transient incapacitation of the brain. They can come in different strengths, with the most mild brain fogs being just sudden confusion, to the strongest being 20-30 minute spans of straight up amnesia. Every time my roommate has one, she experiences post-headaches that vary in strength depending on how bad the brain fog is. The medication Tramadol seems to increase the frequency and strength of brains fogs, at least in the case of my roommate that is. There is also a definitive correlation between lack of sleep and frequency of brain fogs. Looking at the evidence I have gathered, I'm looking to test the hypothesis that the mechanism of brain fogs is similar to that of absence seizures. If there is a connection between these two conditions, there may be a way to effectively treat brain fogs.
To assess and analyze my hypothesis, I'm in the middle of handing a lengthy survey to other young adults with rheumatoid arthritis, with various questions about the frequency and strength of their brain fogs, as well as medication they take and the presence of headaches post-fog.
While I'm on this topic, if any of you guys happen to know someone with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis, please refer them to this site if you could! The more surveys I take, the more data I can gather and the clearer a line of correlation (or lack thereof) can be seen.
I have one other project I'm working on in regard to eating disorders, but that's one that I'm barely beginning. I will most definitely be posting updates about that one as well though!
Happy Wednesday, and keep fighting for your dreams! You deserve every ounce of success that comes to you.
One project that I've been working on for a year now is on these things call brain fogs, or fibro fogs. They're relatively common symptom found in people with chronic pain diseases, namely fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. I was inspired to begin this project when my roommate brought these up to me, because she happens to have spondyloarthropathy, and experiences brain fogs on a regular basis. Knowing I was a NSCS major, she thought I might know something about them that she didn't already know.
Of course I had no idea what she was talking about at the time......but I REALLY wanted to know. So, I started a case study on her. I did a series of interviews with her, took down all the medications she takes on a daily basis, took note of her most recent brain fogs, and postulated questions from there.
Here's what I know so far: brain fogs are basically a transient incapacitation of the brain. They can come in different strengths, with the most mild brain fogs being just sudden confusion, to the strongest being 20-30 minute spans of straight up amnesia. Every time my roommate has one, she experiences post-headaches that vary in strength depending on how bad the brain fog is. The medication Tramadol seems to increase the frequency and strength of brains fogs, at least in the case of my roommate that is. There is also a definitive correlation between lack of sleep and frequency of brain fogs. Looking at the evidence I have gathered, I'm looking to test the hypothesis that the mechanism of brain fogs is similar to that of absence seizures. If there is a connection between these two conditions, there may be a way to effectively treat brain fogs.
To assess and analyze my hypothesis, I'm in the middle of handing a lengthy survey to other young adults with rheumatoid arthritis, with various questions about the frequency and strength of their brain fogs, as well as medication they take and the presence of headaches post-fog.
While I'm on this topic, if any of you guys happen to know someone with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis, please refer them to this site if you could! The more surveys I take, the more data I can gather and the clearer a line of correlation (or lack thereof) can be seen.
I have one other project I'm working on in regard to eating disorders, but that's one that I'm barely beginning. I will most definitely be posting updates about that one as well though!
Happy Wednesday, and keep fighting for your dreams! You deserve every ounce of success that comes to you.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Advice Column: Dealing With Bad Grades
I was just inspired to write this post when I received my organic chemistry test grade back. I studied for this exam in every way I could: practice problems, reading the textbook, doing all the homework, actively listening in class, going to office hours, etc. For some reason however, the grade I received was a failing grade. My hard work and dedication did not show on this test evidently. I was devastated.
This event prompted me to think: what am I going to do about this?
Here's the thing. We've already established time and time again on this blog that we're basically all hobbits going against the forces of the universe trying to accomplish a seemingly impossible goal. It sounds like a fun storyline, and it gets you excited to think that you're going on this epic adventure that will end up being the most rewarding experience of your lifetime; BUT, where we fall short is when the hard times come, it's hard to imagine how we will pull ourselves out of it.
Bad grades at the beginning of the semester are awful, because it means you were bad at the easiest stuff. Everyone knows that in science classes, the first two exams are going to be the most fairly written ones, with the third making everyone go "WTF!?!?!" and single handedly destroying everyone's grade except those who aced the first two (it's how they weed out the students). So you think "Maybe I'm not up for this. Maybe I should drop out of the class and do something easier."
That's great, for people who figure out that their passions lie elsewhere. But it's extremely disconcerting for students like us who literally cannot see ourselves doing anything else with our lives. So what do we do?
First, take a step back, and breathe. Check the syllabus for any grading rules. Make sure you know all of your options. Then, make a plan. The SAME DAY you get your test back, you're going to look over it, and go straight to office hours to get that test looked over and explained. This is of utmost importance, because this is where you get to ask the professor "what can I do to raise my grade from here?" and they'll actually be more than willing to help you! In fact, there have been professors known not to give any extra credit out, except to those that came to office hours regularly throughout the semester. SO GO. Like immediately.
Trust me when I say this is the biggest stress reliever you can give yourself after a bad grade. Once you reevaluate yourself, know exactly what you've done wrong, and made connections with the professor, you're almost guaranteed to do better on the second try. Plus, when you get to that third WTF test, you're going to have an advantage because the professor will give you hints on what the plot twists actually are on that test. This is seriously the secret to science classes, and I'm honestly so disappointed in myself for not figuring this out sooner.
Which is why I'm posting this. So other people don't make my mistakes.
Another piece of advice is make sure you know who grades the tests that are free-written. Since the grading is always biased based on the grader themselves, knowing what that particular person looks for can be the difference between a C and an A. The grading isn't always done by the professor. In my case, it's the TA's, and you best believe I'm going to be hunting down the TA that graded my test thinking "I will find you, and I will kill you".
Just kidding
But seriously. Hunt down those TA's.
Don't let the bad grades get you down.
This event prompted me to think: what am I going to do about this?
Here's the thing. We've already established time and time again on this blog that we're basically all hobbits going against the forces of the universe trying to accomplish a seemingly impossible goal. It sounds like a fun storyline, and it gets you excited to think that you're going on this epic adventure that will end up being the most rewarding experience of your lifetime; BUT, where we fall short is when the hard times come, it's hard to imagine how we will pull ourselves out of it.
Bad grades at the beginning of the semester are awful, because it means you were bad at the easiest stuff. Everyone knows that in science classes, the first two exams are going to be the most fairly written ones, with the third making everyone go "WTF!?!?!" and single handedly destroying everyone's grade except those who aced the first two (it's how they weed out the students). So you think "Maybe I'm not up for this. Maybe I should drop out of the class and do something easier."
That's great, for people who figure out that their passions lie elsewhere. But it's extremely disconcerting for students like us who literally cannot see ourselves doing anything else with our lives. So what do we do?
First, take a step back, and breathe. Check the syllabus for any grading rules. Make sure you know all of your options. Then, make a plan. The SAME DAY you get your test back, you're going to look over it, and go straight to office hours to get that test looked over and explained. This is of utmost importance, because this is where you get to ask the professor "what can I do to raise my grade from here?" and they'll actually be more than willing to help you! In fact, there have been professors known not to give any extra credit out, except to those that came to office hours regularly throughout the semester. SO GO. Like immediately.
Trust me when I say this is the biggest stress reliever you can give yourself after a bad grade. Once you reevaluate yourself, know exactly what you've done wrong, and made connections with the professor, you're almost guaranteed to do better on the second try. Plus, when you get to that third WTF test, you're going to have an advantage because the professor will give you hints on what the plot twists actually are on that test. This is seriously the secret to science classes, and I'm honestly so disappointed in myself for not figuring this out sooner.
Which is why I'm posting this. So other people don't make my mistakes.
Another piece of advice is make sure you know who grades the tests that are free-written. Since the grading is always biased based on the grader themselves, knowing what that particular person looks for can be the difference between a C and an A. The grading isn't always done by the professor. In my case, it's the TA's, and you best believe I'm going to be hunting down the TA that graded my test thinking "I will find you, and I will kill you".
Just kidding
But seriously. Hunt down those TA's.
Don't let the bad grades get you down.
Medical School Radar: Tufts University School of Medicine
Alright, so I'm actually really biased for this one because it's my dream school. However, it really is a great school, and here's why.
Tufts is located in Boston, MA, just a hop and skip away from Harvard and MIT. While these guys appreciate research (they offer M.D./PhD programs), they are more patient care-based. In fact, some of your exams as a medical student involve being filmed working with an actor playing as a patient. They evaluate what questions you ask, what order you ask the questions in, and how you deal with personality differences. And get this: the filming takes place in an actual hospital room with all the knick-knacks that come with hospital rooms, just to make the experience as real as physically possible. Super cool!
One of the most unique things about this school though, is their interviewers. They're notorious for asking very weird, creative, and sometimes impossible questions, just to see how you think. An example I snagged from a current med student from there was "describe the color purple to me as if I was a blind person from birth".
WHAAAAAAT. I wish I had asked him his response.
To speak from personal experience about this place, I took a thorough tour of them when I was a junior in high school. I got to speak with medical students going there, an admissions board personnel, and they let us play with cadavers!
I'm being completely serious. I played with a human brain. It was great.
Anyway, my impression of the place was amazing from the beginning. The medical students themselves were really laid back, and you could tell they really loved it there. The medical student that toured me kept giving random fun facts about the human body whenever he smelled or saw something. Then he taught us how to take blood pressure and analyze reflexes just for giggles. I could definitely see myself going here.
Some stats:
Average accepted GPA: 3.67
Average science GPA: 3.61
Average MCAT: 32.6
54.5% female, 45.5% male
Interested in them? Check them out at their official website at http://medicine.tufts.edu
Hope y'all's weekend was fantastic! If you have any questions you want me to try to answer or research you'd like to see, go ahead and comment, or email me!
Tufts is located in Boston, MA, just a hop and skip away from Harvard and MIT. While these guys appreciate research (they offer M.D./PhD programs), they are more patient care-based. In fact, some of your exams as a medical student involve being filmed working with an actor playing as a patient. They evaluate what questions you ask, what order you ask the questions in, and how you deal with personality differences. And get this: the filming takes place in an actual hospital room with all the knick-knacks that come with hospital rooms, just to make the experience as real as physically possible. Super cool!
One of the most unique things about this school though, is their interviewers. They're notorious for asking very weird, creative, and sometimes impossible questions, just to see how you think. An example I snagged from a current med student from there was "describe the color purple to me as if I was a blind person from birth".
WHAAAAAAT. I wish I had asked him his response.
To speak from personal experience about this place, I took a thorough tour of them when I was a junior in high school. I got to speak with medical students going there, an admissions board personnel, and they let us play with cadavers!
I'm being completely serious. I played with a human brain. It was great.
Anyway, my impression of the place was amazing from the beginning. The medical students themselves were really laid back, and you could tell they really loved it there. The medical student that toured me kept giving random fun facts about the human body whenever he smelled or saw something. Then he taught us how to take blood pressure and analyze reflexes just for giggles. I could definitely see myself going here.
Some stats:
Average accepted GPA: 3.67
Average science GPA: 3.61
Average MCAT: 32.6
54.5% female, 45.5% male
Interested in them? Check them out at their official website at http://medicine.tufts.edu
Hope y'all's weekend was fantastic! If you have any questions you want me to try to answer or research you'd like to see, go ahead and comment, or email me!
Saturday, February 7, 2015
FAQ: What extracurriculars look good on my application?
Alright, so we've all been through this one. They always say, "Make yourself stand out. Be unique." By "they" I mean anyone trying to tell you how to make your medical school application perfect.
What's weird is the more I've heard these people's advice, the more I've figured out that it's a load of B.S. The reason why, is the advice they give ends up motivating pre-medical students to do things they aren't passionate about, or volunteer just because they need to get it on their resume.
This is the part where I come in. You are on this page, reading this blog not because you're looking for an instructional manual on how to get into medical school, but because you're already past the part where you've made a decision on your path. All you need is a light tap to remind you of where you're going. So I'm not here to tell you HOW to get in, only merely to REMIND you of what your passions really are.
So with that, let's answer this FAQ. Basically, there is no cookie-cutter extracurricular that looks particularly good or unique on your resume. Literally, all you need to do, is find what you like and what you're good at, and make the most of it. Go far with it. Don't hold back. That in it of itself is what is going to make you stand out. I can guarantee you that the medical school admissions people have seen it all: skydiving, traveling to exotic countries, acrobatic yoga instructors, olympic athletes. All they're looking for in your extracurriculars are two main aspects: passion, and excellence. Is this something you're truly passionate about, and if so, did you excel at what you did? That's it.
For example, I'm passionate about dance, Krav Maga, and the study of eating disorders. Because of this, I have been seeking out every opportunity I can to enjoy these activities. I'm vying for a minor in Dance here at the university, I train in Krav Maga on my off time, and I'm currently working with a Neuroscience professor on a semester-long research project on the nature of predispositions in eating disorders. By the time I apply for medical school, these activities will all be on my resume and ready to talk about. It will be evident that I truly love what I do, and I will be able to elaborate on my experiences. This all basically helps the admissions board person know me as a person, and remember my name and attributes when they start making final decisions.
That being said, volunteer/shadowing experience in a hospital setting is a necessary component of your extracurriculars. The admissions people want to know that you know exactly what you're getting into by applying as a future doctor. They want to make sure you won't drop out just because you realized that you hated hospitals right in the middle of it.
So, what am I doing about that? I am an out-state-student here, so I can't actually volunteer for years at a time. What I've come up with, is emailing every physician I know, and trying to get them to let me shadow them. Personally, I've already spent a lot of time in hospitals just from personal experiences as a kid and in high school (these experiences are actually what inspired me to be a doctor at 5 years old), so it's a bit annoying to me that I have to prove that I actually like the setting, but a little shadowing never hurt anyone. Over the summer, I'm set up to volunteer at a hospice, working with the patients there. I'll actually dedicate a post later to those, they never get the volunteer attention they deserve! Now, the hospice is actually my own deal. I've always been interested in the psychology behind death, so this provides a personal opportunity for me to explore my interests while getting patient experience.
Similarly, you guys should explore your individual interests in patient care!
So.....in a nutshell, do what you love, and do it WELL. Then add a splash of hospital/patient experience in there and you're good to go!
Side note: Extracurriculars are my absolute favorite subject, because as the underdog with bad stats, I can really show myself through my outside work, and you guys can too!
Happy Saturday, and remember: don't slack on your studies! Keep it up.
What's weird is the more I've heard these people's advice, the more I've figured out that it's a load of B.S. The reason why, is the advice they give ends up motivating pre-medical students to do things they aren't passionate about, or volunteer just because they need to get it on their resume.
This is the part where I come in. You are on this page, reading this blog not because you're looking for an instructional manual on how to get into medical school, but because you're already past the part where you've made a decision on your path. All you need is a light tap to remind you of where you're going. So I'm not here to tell you HOW to get in, only merely to REMIND you of what your passions really are.
So with that, let's answer this FAQ. Basically, there is no cookie-cutter extracurricular that looks particularly good or unique on your resume. Literally, all you need to do, is find what you like and what you're good at, and make the most of it. Go far with it. Don't hold back. That in it of itself is what is going to make you stand out. I can guarantee you that the medical school admissions people have seen it all: skydiving, traveling to exotic countries, acrobatic yoga instructors, olympic athletes. All they're looking for in your extracurriculars are two main aspects: passion, and excellence. Is this something you're truly passionate about, and if so, did you excel at what you did? That's it.
For example, I'm passionate about dance, Krav Maga, and the study of eating disorders. Because of this, I have been seeking out every opportunity I can to enjoy these activities. I'm vying for a minor in Dance here at the university, I train in Krav Maga on my off time, and I'm currently working with a Neuroscience professor on a semester-long research project on the nature of predispositions in eating disorders. By the time I apply for medical school, these activities will all be on my resume and ready to talk about. It will be evident that I truly love what I do, and I will be able to elaborate on my experiences. This all basically helps the admissions board person know me as a person, and remember my name and attributes when they start making final decisions.
That being said, volunteer/shadowing experience in a hospital setting is a necessary component of your extracurriculars. The admissions people want to know that you know exactly what you're getting into by applying as a future doctor. They want to make sure you won't drop out just because you realized that you hated hospitals right in the middle of it.
So, what am I doing about that? I am an out-state-student here, so I can't actually volunteer for years at a time. What I've come up with, is emailing every physician I know, and trying to get them to let me shadow them. Personally, I've already spent a lot of time in hospitals just from personal experiences as a kid and in high school (these experiences are actually what inspired me to be a doctor at 5 years old), so it's a bit annoying to me that I have to prove that I actually like the setting, but a little shadowing never hurt anyone. Over the summer, I'm set up to volunteer at a hospice, working with the patients there. I'll actually dedicate a post later to those, they never get the volunteer attention they deserve! Now, the hospice is actually my own deal. I've always been interested in the psychology behind death, so this provides a personal opportunity for me to explore my interests while getting patient experience.
Similarly, you guys should explore your individual interests in patient care!
So.....in a nutshell, do what you love, and do it WELL. Then add a splash of hospital/patient experience in there and you're good to go!
Side note: Extracurriculars are my absolute favorite subject, because as the underdog with bad stats, I can really show myself through my outside work, and you guys can too!
Happy Saturday, and remember: don't slack on your studies! Keep it up.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Humor of the Day
The Life Cycle of a Doctor
Okay guys, this one's a bit more cynical, but TOTALLY relatable. It just goes to show just how much of a journey we pre-meds have left!
I'm not sure if this is weird, but looking at what else I have to look forward to, I'm actually really excited. This journey's going to be long, hard, strenuous, and it will require a lot of tenacity and luck, but it's a journey we will never forget.
TGIF, and remember, we can do this!
Thursday, February 5, 2015
FAQ: How many medical schools should I apply to?
Another segment I think could be useful will be the Frequently Asked Questions. Basically, questions that we all ask ourselves when considering strategies of our path to medical school, but never really receive definitive answers to.
Well, now ya'll will get some! (yes, I was raised in Texas. Gig 'em Aggies!)
For years, I've been asking anyone from medical school admissions board people, to physicians, to teachers: how many schools should I be applying to? The diversity of answers I get is actually quite amazing.
I've gotten: "as many as you can afford"
"five or six"
"at least ten"
"be selective because it looks desperate if you apply to too many"
Um......what?
Since I wasn't getting any good answers, I decided to ask physicians how many they had applied to themselves. You know, since they actually GOT IN.
Here's the interesting thing. I've talked to physicians that only applied to two, and got into both, and I've spoken with some that applied to 30 and got into only one school. Based on the responses I got, I've come up with my own inferences on the proper amount of medical schools that we, the underdogs should be applying to. There's a few rules though.
Rule #1: Apply to your best fit!
As I mentioned in the previous post, you shouldn't be wasting your time applying to school based on metrics alone. Look at what they're all about! Their application process is centered around the type of students they want anyway. Once you find a school that fits your personality and values, add it to your list. Don't bother applying to schools you know you won't fit into anyway. Think about it like this: even if you did get in, would you actually want to go there? Would you enjoy the environment you're in? Would you appreciate the training they put you through?
Rule #2: Think about your resources.
Applying to medical school is expensive. REALLY expensive. Expect to shovel over about $150 a pop during this process. Can you afford to apply to the schools you've got on your list? If not, reevaluate each school's importance to you. If you can't eliminate any from your list, consider looking to that school to waive any fees they can. I'll be doing more research on this particular part to see if I can provide any more info for you guys.
Besides just the applications, look at the price of the school itself. However, don't look at it in terms of "can I afford that?", but think "is that price worth that particular education?". In the end, you could be going to the most expensive medical school that puts you under mountains of debt, but if the experience and education is worth it to you, go ahead!
Personal story regarding money: Back in high school, when I was deciding on what university I wanted to go to, I had a few priorities in mind. Did this school have the degree I was looking for? Is the environment conducive to learning? ***Is the cost of this school worth the education that I'm getting?*** I had it narrowed down to two schools: University of Arizona, and Boston University. Both schools had my degree, fantastic dance programs, good locations, and both had medical schools. Boston would have cost me 60k a year to attend, Arizona costed 10k. Same exact degree, $50,000 difference in cost. The decision wasn't that hard to make.
Same logic applies to medical schools, believe it or not.
Rule #3: Look at the stats related to the school's acceptance rate.
This part sucks, because as the underdogs, stats aren't our best attributes. We have "meh" grades, but great personalities and passions to show! However, when it comes to medical schools, this is something we can't help but focus on, since YES, THERE IS A CUT OFF for scores. That's what the primary applications are about: meeting the cutoff for that medical school.
Apparently, there's a pretty good rule called the Rule of Fours that helps determine whether you should be applying to that school or not. If your GPA is at least within .4 of the average accepted GPA, and your MCAT(although this doesn't apply to the new one) scores are within 4 points of the average accepted, you're golden. Apply. Otherwise, you probably shouldn't waste your time, efforts, and money applying, when you could have better chances elsewhere.
Considering those rules, it's pretty evident that there is no number, or even range of the number of medical schools you should apply to. It all depends on what you find, what your circumstances are, and where your stats are at. Using these rules, you very well could find 30 schools that you want to apply to! Or you might end up narrowing it down to three or four.
Most importantly, remember this: if you visit a medical school, and you literally fall in love with this school, and you KNOW you're meant to be there and that this is where you want to be studying harder than you ever have before for the next four years, screw the three rules! Apply to it! You'll regret it if you don't, just because statistics and money might scare you. Doctors don't become doctors by getting scared. They get stuff done.
Well, now ya'll will get some! (yes, I was raised in Texas. Gig 'em Aggies!)
For years, I've been asking anyone from medical school admissions board people, to physicians, to teachers: how many schools should I be applying to? The diversity of answers I get is actually quite amazing.
I've gotten: "as many as you can afford"
"five or six"
"at least ten"
"be selective because it looks desperate if you apply to too many"
Um......what?
Since I wasn't getting any good answers, I decided to ask physicians how many they had applied to themselves. You know, since they actually GOT IN.
Here's the interesting thing. I've talked to physicians that only applied to two, and got into both, and I've spoken with some that applied to 30 and got into only one school. Based on the responses I got, I've come up with my own inferences on the proper amount of medical schools that we, the underdogs should be applying to. There's a few rules though.
Rule #1: Apply to your best fit!
As I mentioned in the previous post, you shouldn't be wasting your time applying to school based on metrics alone. Look at what they're all about! Their application process is centered around the type of students they want anyway. Once you find a school that fits your personality and values, add it to your list. Don't bother applying to schools you know you won't fit into anyway. Think about it like this: even if you did get in, would you actually want to go there? Would you enjoy the environment you're in? Would you appreciate the training they put you through?
Rule #2: Think about your resources.
Applying to medical school is expensive. REALLY expensive. Expect to shovel over about $150 a pop during this process. Can you afford to apply to the schools you've got on your list? If not, reevaluate each school's importance to you. If you can't eliminate any from your list, consider looking to that school to waive any fees they can. I'll be doing more research on this particular part to see if I can provide any more info for you guys.
Besides just the applications, look at the price of the school itself. However, don't look at it in terms of "can I afford that?", but think "is that price worth that particular education?". In the end, you could be going to the most expensive medical school that puts you under mountains of debt, but if the experience and education is worth it to you, go ahead!
Personal story regarding money: Back in high school, when I was deciding on what university I wanted to go to, I had a few priorities in mind. Did this school have the degree I was looking for? Is the environment conducive to learning? ***Is the cost of this school worth the education that I'm getting?*** I had it narrowed down to two schools: University of Arizona, and Boston University. Both schools had my degree, fantastic dance programs, good locations, and both had medical schools. Boston would have cost me 60k a year to attend, Arizona costed 10k. Same exact degree, $50,000 difference in cost. The decision wasn't that hard to make.
Same logic applies to medical schools, believe it or not.
Rule #3: Look at the stats related to the school's acceptance rate.
This part sucks, because as the underdogs, stats aren't our best attributes. We have "meh" grades, but great personalities and passions to show! However, when it comes to medical schools, this is something we can't help but focus on, since YES, THERE IS A CUT OFF for scores. That's what the primary applications are about: meeting the cutoff for that medical school.
Apparently, there's a pretty good rule called the Rule of Fours that helps determine whether you should be applying to that school or not. If your GPA is at least within .4 of the average accepted GPA, and your MCAT(although this doesn't apply to the new one) scores are within 4 points of the average accepted, you're golden. Apply. Otherwise, you probably shouldn't waste your time, efforts, and money applying, when you could have better chances elsewhere.
Considering those rules, it's pretty evident that there is no number, or even range of the number of medical schools you should apply to. It all depends on what you find, what your circumstances are, and where your stats are at. Using these rules, you very well could find 30 schools that you want to apply to! Or you might end up narrowing it down to three or four.
Most importantly, remember this: if you visit a medical school, and you literally fall in love with this school, and you KNOW you're meant to be there and that this is where you want to be studying harder than you ever have before for the next four years, screw the three rules! Apply to it! You'll regret it if you don't, just because statistics and money might scare you. Doctors don't become doctors by getting scared. They get stuff done.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Medical School Radar: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
As you guys take your study breaks, it's important to spend some time researching medical schools that interest you. "Brand name" schools (i.e. Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Columbia) are certainly not your only choices. Getting into medical school is tough on its own, so being accepted ANYWHERE is quite the accomplishment itself! Knowing this, look for the medical schools that fit the values that you'd have as a doctor. Are you really into research? Or are you mostly concerned with patient care? Each medical school is very specialized in how it trains its future doctors, so the application process will be geared towards the type of doctor it's working to raise, essentially. Apply to the school you'd fit in the most, and your chances are that much higher.
Now, I hope to do this particular type of post daily, considering I myself am in the middle of that research process. I will being finding for you guys medical schools that may have been swept under the rug, or have some unique attribute that could be attractive for some of you. I'll post the information here, including their website and general statistics regarding acceptance, as well as what they emphasize in their education. International medical schools WILL be included!
With that, I'd like to begin this segment with one of the most unique medical schools I have ever heard of thus far: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).
That's right folks, it's a military medical school!
Upon acceptance, you choose what branch of the military that you'll be enlisting in, and then bam! You're in officer in the United States military, attending medical school at the same time with other officers.
Basically, this school is for those who would be interested in a career in the military. When you graduate with this school, you have an M.D. and a 7 year commitment to the military as one of their best doctors. The likelihood of being deployed is high, but the compensation is pretty high too.
While you're attending this school, you get paid an officer's salary. How much is that, you ask? Well, that would be about 60k a year, plus a $2,000 monthly stipend to help pay living expenses. Oh, and tuition is free of cost.
Seriously. They literally PAY you a full time salary to get your M.D.
So let's talk about how this school trains its future doctors.
Because USUHS is a certified, verified M.D. granting school, you take the same classes, and go through the same clinical rotations that you would take at any other medical school. The unique thing about this school though, is it specializes in training doctors for war zones. Just like any other military academy (Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, West point, etc), you go through PT, structured meal times, weapons training, and more. You also take other classes such as military history and international relations. The motto that this school has, is "caring for others in harm's way".
Yeah, it's intense.
Logistics of this school:
*Average GPA: 3.6
*Average MCAT score: 31.3
*Acceptance: 306 out of 2,778 applicants, on average
*35% of the accepted applicants were female, 65% male
Want to know more about these guys?
Here's the official website: http://www.usuhs.mil
There's also a REALLY thorough rundown of anything you might wanna know about this school here
On a side note, I did a little digging, and it turns out that post-military, the graduates from this school are extremely successful. So getting a job as a civilian doctor once you're done with the military is a sure thing.
Now, I hope to do this particular type of post daily, considering I myself am in the middle of that research process. I will being finding for you guys medical schools that may have been swept under the rug, or have some unique attribute that could be attractive for some of you. I'll post the information here, including their website and general statistics regarding acceptance, as well as what they emphasize in their education. International medical schools WILL be included!
With that, I'd like to begin this segment with one of the most unique medical schools I have ever heard of thus far: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).
That's right folks, it's a military medical school!
Upon acceptance, you choose what branch of the military that you'll be enlisting in, and then bam! You're in officer in the United States military, attending medical school at the same time with other officers.
Basically, this school is for those who would be interested in a career in the military. When you graduate with this school, you have an M.D. and a 7 year commitment to the military as one of their best doctors. The likelihood of being deployed is high, but the compensation is pretty high too.
While you're attending this school, you get paid an officer's salary. How much is that, you ask? Well, that would be about 60k a year, plus a $2,000 monthly stipend to help pay living expenses. Oh, and tuition is free of cost.
Seriously. They literally PAY you a full time salary to get your M.D.
So let's talk about how this school trains its future doctors.
Because USUHS is a certified, verified M.D. granting school, you take the same classes, and go through the same clinical rotations that you would take at any other medical school. The unique thing about this school though, is it specializes in training doctors for war zones. Just like any other military academy (Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, West point, etc), you go through PT, structured meal times, weapons training, and more. You also take other classes such as military history and international relations. The motto that this school has, is "caring for others in harm's way".
Yeah, it's intense.
Logistics of this school:
*Average GPA: 3.6
*Average MCAT score: 31.3
*Acceptance: 306 out of 2,778 applicants, on average
*35% of the accepted applicants were female, 65% male
Want to know more about these guys?
Here's the official website: http://www.usuhs.mil
There's also a REALLY thorough rundown of anything you might wanna know about this school here
On a side note, I did a little digging, and it turns out that post-military, the graduates from this school are extremely successful. So getting a job as a civilian doctor once you're done with the military is a sure thing.
First Post!
I don't have a catchy phrase to start off with because I'm too much of a dork to pull one off, but I can promise you genuine material! I feel like the 500 character limit on the description of this blog is not enough to fully explain its purpose, so I've decided to spend the first official post of this page elaborating on just what my mission is for whoever out there happened on this.
Let's begin with me. I know, a bit narcissistic, but let's roll with the punches here.
I am currently an undergrad, pre-medical student with aspirations to become a pediatric emergency doctor or pediatric neurosurgeon. My major is in neuroscience and cognitive science. I'm a Catholic, and my patron saint is Saint Raphael the Archangel. Raphael happens to be the official patron of healing. So far, the pre-medical culture has completely caught me off guard, and I've started to realize that if I want to achieve my dreams, some serious changes have to be made. There's been a few ups so far, but A LOT of downs that I've had to trudge through. Yet, even though the odds say I shouldn't be a doctor, I still feel this undeniable calling towards healing others, and I intend to follow that calling with all of my worth until it either gets me there or takes me another direction.
Over the most recent winter break, I watched all three Hobbit movies, and the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy, in order. I've watched them all before, but not quite like that, and it was quite the experience. If you're a big fan, you'll realize there's a ton of symbolism and metaphorical messages throughout the entire series, especially with the concept of hobbits. They're small, ignorant, docile, and harmless. They're the least likely of any race on Middle Earth to undertake a battle or journey; they'd rather stay home. However, as fate would have it, one (Bilbo) or two (Frodo) underdogs from the Shire always tend to be the hero in these epic stories. What I always found the most amazing about these stories though, is just how much the hobbits have to go through. It's not just a fun little journey where they basically accidentally save the day. No, they seriously have to go through some hard and traumatizing times; times that seem never ending, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Yet at the end of the day, they prevailed, because there were small parts of their personality that contained the courage and tenacity required to mentally pull themselves through dark times.
So why did I bring up Tolkien?
Last semester, my grades were so abysmal that I had a day where I literally could not hold back tears for hours. I had no idea how I was going to bounce back from this. Grades are EVERYTHING for medical school, right? At least, that's what I thought. My other peers were pulling out As and Bs and here I was retaking a chemistry course because the previous grade would not have been considered by medical schools. What was tearing me apart was the fact that I still had that calling to be a doctor. This was my path, and I was going to stick to it for better, or for worse. So some time over winter break, I realized that I might as well be Frodo Baggins on the side of Mount Doom, passed out with no energy left in the game, even though the ring HAD to be thrown in the fire. This journey wasn't over yet. Not even close.
So I had this thought that maybe there's other pre-meds like me, who have this calling, and this love for healing other people, but are in a place where they feel like the odds are totally against them. Maybe they need a mental push to get into that Organic chemistry test with a little more confidence or a shove to remind them that studying medicine in our free time is totally better than Netflix! Because we love it just that much.
Thus, this blog is dedicated to mentally stimulating your love for medicine, and helping me boost mine. It will feature motivational posts about why we love what we do as pre-meds, as well as research articles to help you see if you like any particular field in medicine. I will also be posting information about stuff like the MCAT, medical schools you might want to have on your radar, residency programs that may help you pay off your medical school debt, volunteer stuff, etc. Basically constant reminders of why you're here, today, working your hardest at what you do. You may not enjoy molecular and cellular biology, but the end result is what you're looking for, and what your drive should be.
With that, let's get this journey started!
Let's begin with me. I know, a bit narcissistic, but let's roll with the punches here.
I am currently an undergrad, pre-medical student with aspirations to become a pediatric emergency doctor or pediatric neurosurgeon. My major is in neuroscience and cognitive science. I'm a Catholic, and my patron saint is Saint Raphael the Archangel. Raphael happens to be the official patron of healing. So far, the pre-medical culture has completely caught me off guard, and I've started to realize that if I want to achieve my dreams, some serious changes have to be made. There's been a few ups so far, but A LOT of downs that I've had to trudge through. Yet, even though the odds say I shouldn't be a doctor, I still feel this undeniable calling towards healing others, and I intend to follow that calling with all of my worth until it either gets me there or takes me another direction.
Over the most recent winter break, I watched all three Hobbit movies, and the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy, in order. I've watched them all before, but not quite like that, and it was quite the experience. If you're a big fan, you'll realize there's a ton of symbolism and metaphorical messages throughout the entire series, especially with the concept of hobbits. They're small, ignorant, docile, and harmless. They're the least likely of any race on Middle Earth to undertake a battle or journey; they'd rather stay home. However, as fate would have it, one (Bilbo) or two (Frodo) underdogs from the Shire always tend to be the hero in these epic stories. What I always found the most amazing about these stories though, is just how much the hobbits have to go through. It's not just a fun little journey where they basically accidentally save the day. No, they seriously have to go through some hard and traumatizing times; times that seem never ending, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Yet at the end of the day, they prevailed, because there were small parts of their personality that contained the courage and tenacity required to mentally pull themselves through dark times.
So why did I bring up Tolkien?
Last semester, my grades were so abysmal that I had a day where I literally could not hold back tears for hours. I had no idea how I was going to bounce back from this. Grades are EVERYTHING for medical school, right? At least, that's what I thought. My other peers were pulling out As and Bs and here I was retaking a chemistry course because the previous grade would not have been considered by medical schools. What was tearing me apart was the fact that I still had that calling to be a doctor. This was my path, and I was going to stick to it for better, or for worse. So some time over winter break, I realized that I might as well be Frodo Baggins on the side of Mount Doom, passed out with no energy left in the game, even though the ring HAD to be thrown in the fire. This journey wasn't over yet. Not even close.
So I had this thought that maybe there's other pre-meds like me, who have this calling, and this love for healing other people, but are in a place where they feel like the odds are totally against them. Maybe they need a mental push to get into that Organic chemistry test with a little more confidence or a shove to remind them that studying medicine in our free time is totally better than Netflix! Because we love it just that much.
Thus, this blog is dedicated to mentally stimulating your love for medicine, and helping me boost mine. It will feature motivational posts about why we love what we do as pre-meds, as well as research articles to help you see if you like any particular field in medicine. I will also be posting information about stuff like the MCAT, medical schools you might want to have on your radar, residency programs that may help you pay off your medical school debt, volunteer stuff, etc. Basically constant reminders of why you're here, today, working your hardest at what you do. You may not enjoy molecular and cellular biology, but the end result is what you're looking for, and what your drive should be.
With that, let's get this journey started!
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