After working hard for four years, and earning your bachelor’s degree, the next step is to move on to medical school. Many of the healthcare positions require you to attend medical school for a specific amount of years. It is a learning experience that gets you fully ready for what challenges and obstacles your future career may present to you. Although medical school is a requirement, some establishments with good programs are hard to get into. And even during the program itself, there are a lot of difficulties to overcome. There’s a lot of competition within the healthcare industry itself, and to make advancements you have to prove your capabilities. In this blog, I will outline some helpful tips for medical school.
Before applying to graduate school, you need to have some sort of medical experience. It is not expected for you to have a real job or anything of the sort, but job shadowing would look good on your resume. While pursuing your bachelor’s degree, there are a lot of shadowing programs you can apply to that will help you get an idea of what it’s like being in a medical workplace. The admissions committee just wants to see that you do know what you’re signing up for and that you are capable of carrying out your desired career. Volunteering at facilities will also help you gain experience and show that you truly do have a passion for giving back to the community.
Along with displaying your hands-on experience, demonstrating your knowledge is as important. Conducting a research project during your four-year program will further your knowledge and deepen your understanding of medicine. Doing research will essentially prove that you are proficient in the language of medicine. The process and results of a project can be helpful for your career in the future. Medical school applications should include any relevant educational or clinical experience.
In addition, although grades don’t define you, they are important if you want to get into a good program. Medical school has different GPA requirements for different titles. For medical doctors, the recommended GPA requirement is 3.7, whereas it is 3.5 for doctors of osteopathy. Choose your undergraduate major carefully so that you can maintain your GPA and overall performance. Most students major in Biology to prepare for medical school. In addition to grades, the medical school admissions test score you receive is also a big determinant of whether or not you get accepted. The scores range from 472-528, but the recommended average score is 508. You need to put in a lot of work studying for the MCAT because it is quite difficult and time-consuming.
Before sending in your application, make sure your passion and determination are accurately demonstrated. Be sure that you are pursuing something you really want to spend years doing. Also, be sure to apply to different schools and don’t be discouraged if you don’t get into your dream medical school. There are plenty of useful tips for medical school.
In this outline of tips for medical school, I also want to mention some tips that can help you during your journey.
It is so important to go in with an open mind and be willing to explore more than one specialty. Many healthcare professionals have gone into medical school thinking they would follow one specific path, to end up finding a passion for another. Find out which specialty connects with you the most, and the one you’d genuinely enjoy following for a good amount of years after graduating. Although things may get stressful, it’s vital to take mental breaks and participate in extra-curricular activities to get your mind off of things. The medical field can become quite competitive, and so it’s better to consider your peers as your colleagues. Don’t treat them as your competitors. It’s helpful to form quality relationships that may last you a lifetime.
Lastly, learn about the study techniques that work for you the best. Everyone has a different process of understanding concepts, facts, and theories. You can be a visual person while the person next to you could learn best by writing. Do not compare yourself to others. Find your place and figure out the way you can get the most out of your educational career. The material you learn in medical school will need to be applied in real life, so make sure you fully understand the importance of what is being taught.
Now that I’ve discussed some of the tips for medical school, it is time for you to either apply it for yourself or lookout for someone else who needs the extra help. After medical school, the next step would be to find the right job in the right place. Let Horizon Healthcare Staffing help you connect with your ideal workplace!