Whatever year you are in school—high school freshman, college senior, or anything in between—it’s never too early to start planning your path to medical school. Medical school takes a lot of hard work and dedication, so getting experience in the field now will only better prepare you for the challenges of your higher education. If you're inspired to help others through your professions, follow these five tips to help keep your journey on track!
1. Meet with your advisor
Whether you’re unsure about what classes to take, what major is most beneficial, or how to get volunteer hours in a hospital—your academic advisor normally holds all the answers. They also have incredible connections with opportunities to expand your network and get involved early (more on that later). Thanks to advice from my academic advisor, I met with the career center to learn more about the Pre-med services they provide. Unbeknownst to me, my college’s career center is capable of connecting me with a mentor physician in a local hospital to shadow. Meeting with your advisor may be extremely beneficial in finding new opportunities.
Related: How to Make the Most of Your Academic Advisor
2. Get involved
Most schools offer a list of every club they offer on their website. This will prove beneficial as you might discover an activity you never knew existed that could boost your skills for medical school. However, though a strong résumé is built on a foundation of extracurriculars, don’t spread yourself too thin. Get involved with activities that interest you to help with stress relief and create a solid work-life balance. If your school offers medicine-related clubs, consider joining one but being involved in general is beneficial. For my freshman year of college, I was excited by the assortment of activities my campus had. Based on my schedule and credit hours, I decided three clubs would be a great way to get involved on campus and still maintain my grades. Only you know your limits!
3. Find summer work
Planning academic activities for the summer is another way to prepare for your path to medical school. This may include medicine-related jobs, volunteering, research, or job shadowing or even taking classes to get ahead for the fall semester. For most Pre-med students, there’s no allotted time during the school year to study abroad due to the heavy course load. Therefore, you could also use the summer to study abroad if that’s something you’re interested in. Summer is also a great time for internships. Your academic advisor may be able to help you find a great opportunity with enough notice.
Related: The Best Summertime Opportunities: Jobs, Internships, and Volunteering
4. Start networking
Networking with other medical students can help you on your journey to medical school. Besides giving you personal insight into the application process, what to expect on the MCAT, and what an average day of medical school looks like, they may also be able to give you old textbooks. When I was unsure about what activities to get involved in on campus, I asked a couple of medical students what they did. Even just having someone to bounce questions off of can be extremely helpful.
5. Attend conferences
It’s never too early to start attending medicine-related seminars and conferences if you’re able to. Not only are these great educational experiences, they’re also a means of networking and building connections for the future. They offer in-depth looks at specific hot topics in health care that you might not be so familiar with. As a result, this could spark an interest in a particular field you might want to go into.
Related: The Best College Extracurriculars to Stand Out to Future Employers
Regardless of where you are in your educational journey, it's crucial to start planning your path to medical school early. By meeting with your advisor, getting involved in campus activities, utilizing summer opportunities, networking with other students, and attending conferences, you can build a strong foundation now for your future medical career. Each step helps you gain valuable experience, connections, and insights that will keep you on track and enhance your readiness for medical school and the challenges ahead.
Looking for more advice to excel in health care education and your future profession? Check out all the blogs and articles in our Health and Medicine section!
