I HATE the Box!  I absolutely HATE it!

You know…the Box! That thing everyone tries to put you inside. You can’t do this, you can’t do that. You’re a pre-medical student, you’re supposed to study, become a doctor, and do nothing else. Yep, that’s the entire extent of your life, premed to medical student, medical student to doctor, then you’re done! That makes me sick!

Two years ago, I was invited to present at a national conference and was excited because I’d meet some leaders who were doing things that interested me. Towards the end of the conference, I sat down with a few relatively prestigious doctors and took the opportunity to pick their brains. After all, they had been doing this a lot longer than I had so I was sure they’d provide great insight on my endeavors. After explaining to them how I wanted to give everything I had to help develop premedical students and provide resources for them to matriculate into medical school via platforms such as PreMed StAR, I was laughed at. “Dale,” I was told, “You’re a doctor! That’s your brand, we’re not business people. Master your craft in medicine and stick to it.” Do you think I took that advice? No!

Sometime after that, I was walking the hospital hallways with a senior physician. It had been a long day and I told him I still had a long night ahead because we had some company tasks to finish. “You have a business,” he said sarcastically. “Yes I do,” I didn’t think too much of it. “For me, it’s always been more about giving everything I can to develop premeds than a business. It’s my calling and the right thing to do.” He looked at me, then walked away laughing.

I’ve been told no, laughed at, and ignored too many times to remember. But the whole way through, I’ve followed my calling faithfully. Why take the torture? First and foremost, because others benefit from the work, and that’s more than worth the beatdown. Second, because I hate the ‘Box’ and nobody’s going to put me in it. When people tell you that you can’t do something, always remember that means they can’t do it. One of my favorite quotes is, “The man who says it cannot be done should not stand in the way of the man who is doing it.” Another of my favorites is, “My mother said to me, if you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.” Just be you! Nobody else; just you!

As a premedical student, you are MORE than a premed. You don’t have to sit in that dreadful box. Your God given gifts are to be used for the betterment of society, not to be hoarded for waste. I want you to forget what everybody else has said you can’t do, and instead remember that I am telling you YES, you can do it! Why not? If you don’t, someone else will.

So don’t think outside of the box. Get outside of the box! If I can do it, so can you!

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