Sometimes I like to take snapshots of myself and my environment before life changing events take place. One of those still shots came when I received my acceptance to medical school in 2004 (wow, that was a long time ago!). Those around me wondered why I was not frantically jumping up and down screaming like a mad person. Don’t get me wrong, I was ecstatic but at the same time understood the new battles I would face. Not necessarily the sleepless nights and tests but also the battle of being true to myself and truly being happy in life. These are the 5 areas I have focused on:

1. Be Humble:
Like many highly esteemed careers, medicine can really get to our heads. I remember so many premed students gaining acceptance to medical school and just being grateful that someone found them worthy enough. Or many students anxiously walking into their first med school class. Years into training some of these very same students have already lost that humility. Medicine, if you think about it is much like a cast system. The more prestigious the school or specialty the easier it is to succumb to this superiority complex. It is also amazing how much power a white coat or two letters behind your name have. People (family, friends, and patients) just as easily can inflate our heads. For many, acceptance into medical school equates to becoming a trophy for others. We have worked extremely hard to get to this position, but never let it make you look down on others. We must always look back and remember how grateful we were just to serve in this profession. Stay humble.

2. Don’t Let Others Change Your Goals:
A huge problem people face during medical training is not knowing how to manage outside influence. There are great mentors one can benefit from but then there are others who attempt to sway you towards a life you are not meant to live. I have witnessed so many friends being encouraged to pursue a different field than what they are drawn to simply because it makes more money, is more prestigious, or will benefit that particular person (may be expecting free healthcare from you). I’ve even seen people discourage people from medicine altogether. I’ve seen some forced to live a certain lifestyle above their means (built on loans) and some forced to marry a particular type of person. People assume many things about your life when you are in medicine and some will begin to live your life for you if you let them. It is important to discern advice from others because in the end you will have to live with those decisions.

3. Don’t Forget Where You Come From:
Medicine can be very time consuming but never forget your family and friends. Most of us can find refuge here. Its great when they offer that support you need from them but remember you too should support them (attend weddings, baby showers, birthdays, etc). Unfortunately, some close contacts don’t understand the demands of medicine and as you lose some others come in. Give back to your community as well by mentoring or volunteering. It’s amazing how many premeds spend hours upon hours volunteering in the community but when they finally get into medical school or residency they drop it like a bad habit. Sadly, sometimes we have selfish motives behind our good works.

4. Live Your Life:
Many people delay so much during medical school. Some are for good reasons yet all will affect you in the long run. “I’ll wait to get married… to have children… to take that arts and crafts class… etc.” The truth is this God given life is so precious and it will go on with or without you. You don’t want to regret anything at the end of your training. It’s all about balancing things because there will never be a “perfect time, place, or person” for any of your plans. The type A, perfectionist, calculative personality traits many doctors have can really hurt us in the long run. It would be great to live long enough to see your great grandchildren. You also don’t want to be that woman in her mid-30s who waited all this time to have children and find yourself rushing against your fertility clock. I have spent some time training in an infertility clinic and the attending shakes his head every time he sees a women in their late 30s wanting fertility assistance (very $$$). The sad part is many of them are in high demanding careers such as medicine. Time always beats out brains.

5. Keep Your Faith:
Again, time restraints and numerous distractions can pull us from this. Personally, I’m Christian and feel this should come first above all in life but many times I did fall short on holding to this during my training primarily due to poor time management. I was encouraged by watching a friend in ENT who would be worshiping in the pews every Sundays, half-asleep, fresh out the OR wearing his scrubs. I’ve seen a lot of people lose sight of real life priorities during their medical training. Many people put career above their faith. I personally would prefer to be identified as a Christian before being identified as a doctor.

At the end of it all the key is to be happy. At least I believe that is most people’s long term goal. Many feel medicine is a means to this happiness. I’ve seen many doctors enjoying life and I’ve seen some very very miserable doctors. Chasing money, power, prestige, or respect will not bring this. I’ve found that sometimes, thinking back to that excited, ambitious, meek, premedical student with that acceptance letter in hand really allows me to better appreciate this journey.

Written By Dr. Daniel

Image Credit: Pixabay

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You’ve decided you want to become a doctor, and you’ve completed the first step of gaining admission into or starting your first year of college. Congrats!!!! Now the biggest thing to decide is which major to choose.

Most colleges and universities do not have a specific “pre-medicine” major, and this can come as a shock to some students who are then faced with the decision of having to choose among a variety of many different majors. Most students feel that a science background will be best suited for entrance into medical school, and according to AAMC¹data, the majority of students applying to medical school pursue a biological sciences major. This does not mean that you should pursue this degree, but choosing this as your major will generally help you take all the coursework required to gain admission into medical school.

Medical schools have set pre-requisite requirements that generally include a set amount of hours of biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, humanities, and other courses intended to make students well-rounded and better prepared for the medical school setting. It really does not matter what you major in as long as you complete the specific prerequisite requirements for the schools that you are interested, and lists of individual medical school requirements can be found in the AAMC Medical School admissions Requirements² guide and AACOM’s Osteopathic Medical College Information Book³. Also, most students entering into college will have to take general coursework such as English, humanities, math, etc., so the best thing to do is to choose a major that best suits you.

The following are three questions to ask yourself before choosing a major that will hopefully help make the decision a bit easier:

1. What am I passionate about (ie, what do I like to do)?

College is the time to explore your passions and find out who you really are as an individual. Whether you enjoy constructing things, writing, drawing, or doing chemical equations, there’s pretty much a degree for anything you can think of. The key is to make sure you complete the prerequisite requirements for medical school. This means if you choose English as a major, you’re going to have to add in science coursework to your degree program, and since you won’t be taking a lot of science coursework, you will have to do really well in these courses to make sure your science GPA stays high. A lot of pre-medical students start college thinking that medicine is for them then decide down the road that they are miserable with the coursework, which leads to changed majors and money lost. If you choose a major that suits your interests, then it can help maintain the stamina and enthusiasm needed to make it through college.

2. Will this make me money if I don’t get accepted into medical school?

Let’s face it, not everyone gets accepted into medical school on the first try and your degree can determine the job opportunities you are offered fresh out of college. No one wants to work hard to obtain a college degree and then be stuck working a minimal wage job that really didn’t even require a degree to begin with. Most premedical students obtain a degree in biological sciences only to find out after graduation that there aren’t many job opportunities available for the degree. The same can be said for individuals majoring in degrees like theatre, pottery, music, etc. It is important to look to the future when you choose your degree and see what opportunities will be available to you if your medical school dreams take a little longer than expected.

3. Will this challenge me and help me grow as an individual?

Don’t choose an easy college major thinking that receiving a super high GPA will help you in the medical school admissions process. Medical school committees will review every class on your transcript and they generally know which classes were BS classes and which were challenging. Also, make sure that whatever you choose will give you a fairly heavy course load. Medical school semesters can equal the equivalent of 27 or more credit hours, and if you only took a few credit hours at a time as an undergraduate, then it will be a very rude awakening. Try to always maintain a full-time student status with difficult coursework. Not only will it be a good challenge, but it will help you grow and see how much you are truly capable of accomplishing.

The sky is the limit when choosing a major as a pre-medical student, so don’t let anyone tell you what degree you should earn. As long as you make sure that whatever you choose makes you happy and covers all the basics for entrance into medical school, then you will be good to go!

Written By Danielle Ward

Read More of Danielle’s blogs at: www.aspiringminoritydoctor.com

Image Credit: Pixabay

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Becoming a medical doctor is challenging BUT possible.  There are plenty of road blocks along the way which are strategically placed in attempt to weed you out.  Some of us successfully navigate the tortuous road and become doctors.  Some of us do not.  If you are among the group that does not…here are my thoughts as to why you will never become a medical doctor.

Lack of Passion! This is by far most important.  Many of you will not become medical doctors simply because you do not want to be medical doctors.  I have been mentoring premedical students long enough to know that some students really want this whereas others are caught up in the hype.  The 18 year old college freshman has to have a major.  Premed sounds good doesn’t it?  Rolls right off the tongue.  But with time, it becomes evident that many who self-designate this route do not have the passion for it.  The evidence lies in the effort they put forth.  Passion gives birth to hard work.  Those who do not work hard to become medical doctors don’t have the passion for it.  I do not want to be misunderstood and have readers conclude that lack of passion for medicine is a bad thing.  On the contrary it is a great thing.  If you do not want to be a medical doctor, then you should not chase this career path.  The time and effort necessary to reach that goal is not worth it unless the passion is there.

Fear!  This is the second reason that some of you will never become medical doctors.  It is possible to have passion and still not succeed in the medical field.  Premeds are afraid to speak in class, afraid to sit in the front, afraid to go to office hours, afraid of the MCAT, afraid to apply to medical school, etc. etc. etc.  The list goes on and on.  Fear is crippling, and I have seen it in action.  One by one it knocks out our legitimate premedical candidates.  I don’t know how many students “failed” the MCAT before ever stepping into the exam room.  Fear did that to them! Why are we so afraid to fail?  With failure comes growth! If you tell me that you have never failed, I will tell you that you have failed to try challenging things in life.  It is okay to fail sometimes, BUT, do not let fear cripple you, or you will fail every time.

Lack of Mentorship!  This is perhaps the single most important modifiable reason.  How can you become a medical doctor if nobody shows you how to be one?  The heartache and time that is circumvented simply by someone more knowledgeable than you are serving as your informant is tremendous.  There was a time that lack of mentorship could be used an excuse, but that time has since passed.  Nowadays, technology can provide mentorship and information at the click of a button. If a student lacks guidance, it is his or her own doing.  You cannot expect people to volunteer their time and resources to your success.  But if you do ask for mentorship, it is likely that you will be given mentorship.  Remember the wise words, “you have not because you ask not.”

You will never become a Medical Doctor if these 3 things hold you back.  Lack of passion is actually a good thing because it will save you from years of what would seem to be torture if you do not love medicine.  Fear and Lack of Mentorship on the other hand can be modified. Don’t let them hold you back.  If you’ve read this far into this post, I have a gut feeling that you’ll be okay.  I believe in you and you can do it!  In retrospect, the title of this blog is flawed.  The words “would have” should replace the word “will”.  I can’t wait to see that white coat on you!!!

So, my question to you is this: what things get in the way and hold you back from giving it your all to become a doctor?  Post a comment and let me know.

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Shadowing a provider can be a very rewarding experience. Watching television shows and movies about healthcare workers is nice and all but this is far from getting the real experience of being a medical provider. Shadowing is the closest chance you will have. This is the perfect, one-on-one opportunity to get insight on what a health care provider actually does. The more you experience and interact with the medical community,
the more confident you will become that this is or is not what you want to do for a living.

1.  FIND A PROVIDER: You have to start somewhere and the sooner the better. You are never too young to begin shadowing. In fact, many children of physicians spend plenty of time observing their parent(s) in action. Don’t allow the search for a provider to become an intimidating task that you keep putting off. I get messages from premeds all the time asking how they can link up with a provider. Well, this may be easier than you think. You may consider asking your own primary care provider if he or she is willing to let you shadow or if they know someone in a particular field you are interested in. Many health care providers welcome shadowing students and like the opportunity to teach. You may also consider checking with your school’s premedical advisory body to see if they have a list of providers in the area. Maybe speak with the school nurse/physician or athletic trainer. Being that you are affiliated with the school the process may be easier. Just realize that there may be some red tape you may proactively need to address such as hospital/practice rules and access as well as HIPAA protocols.

2.  KNOW WHAT YOUR PROVIDER DOES: You want to avoid blindly walking into a clinic and calling an Ophthalmologist and Optometrist (or vice versa). Most providers will not expect you to know a lot about medicine but they probably would expect you to have a basic understanding of the type of patients they see and what they do.  Get an idea of what it is your provider does and the type of training it required.

3.  ASK BEFORE YOU GET THERE: Before the shadowing day, make sure you have asked key questions including: Where is the clinic or hospital located? What time and place can I meet you at? You may also want to ask about dress attire and medical equipment they suggest you bring. You do not want to assume things only to become a liability to the provider. Try to get there at least 15 minutes early. Doctors are notorious for getting places either early or late due to their erratic schedules.

4.  DRESS THE PART: It is probably best to simply ask what to wear ahead of time. If you are working with a clinician then you most likely will need to dress professionally. Do not show up in a t-shirt, jeans, short dress or shorts, tennis shoes or stilettos. You can imagine this would be very distracting and embarrassing for the provider as he or she wants to present a respectable appearing student to their patient. If you are going to watch a surgical procedure they may prefer you wear scrubs. You can easily purchase these at a medical supply store.

5.  SHHHH… SHADOWING MEANS SHADOWING: By all means, please do not overstep boundaries. A shadow follows someone quietly. It is not a good idea to go see a patient without the provider asking you to do so. Do not leave for lunch or for the day without letting someone (hopefully the provider) know. As a shadow, follow your provider and try not to speak out of turn when they are seeing a patient. Unless your provider encourages you to do so, do not begin asking questions or bringing up a similar case you recently watched on Grey’s Anatomy or House. You may consider asking the provider burning questions once they ask if you have any questions or once you step outside of the room. Questions are welcomed by nearly all providers but try hard to respect your provider’s time. If they appear stressed while frantically typing a note that may not be the best time to speak. As the day goes you will both feel more comfortable with one another and there may be more time for conversations. You may want to bring a small notepad and write a few questions and thoughts as the day progresses. There will probably be some words you do not understand so jot them down for later.

6.  EAT BREAKFAST: More than likely you will have time to grab lunch but it is better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you are well rested and have eaten a good breakfast. Providers always have unpredictable schedules. You have to come in with the understanding that they may be called to the hospital for a consult, an add-on patient may extend their morning, or a procedure may take longer than anticipated. I recall an experience in the orthopedic operating room watching an infected prosthetic joint procedure extend out from 4 to 8 hours. Needless to say, I definitely was not as prepared as I should have been.

7.  DO NOT OPEN ANY PERSONAL RECORDS: I’ll get straight to the point. This is illegal and can get you into a lot of trouble! Do not even open your own, a family member’s or a close friend’s chart. This is medical ethics 101 and would be a breach in confidentiality.

8.  ADD THIS TO YOUR CV: As with every relevant extracurricular or volunteer activity, keep records of what you have done. Keep notes on the day(s), the provider and specialty, type of patients you encountered, and procedures you watched or performed. Do not document any patient personal information such as name or medical record number. The experience will definitely be memorable and brought up in the future. You want to have accurate information.

9.  DO IT AGAIN: Every shadowing experience is different. You may have an enjoyable or horrible experience but do not simply make a judgment based on one visit. This is the great thing about medicine; there are so many specialties and personalities out there. You will never get bored investigating the different opportunities. Even within a specialty there are sub-specialties catering to providers with certain niches. You may shadow a general OB/Gyn provider and find that you are drawn to a fertility and reproduction case. At the end of your day you may want to ask your physician if they know a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist who may be willing to let you shadow.

10.  KEEP IN TOUCH: Providers you have shadowed serve as great mentors. It is important to keep in touch. Most will invest in students who show passion for the field of medicine and those truly making strives to enter the field. The more you reach out the more a good mentor will support you. There is no better source for a letter of recommendation than someone you shadowed and kept in touch with.

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You wake up to find yourself in the surgical operating room.  The surgeon approaches you and catches you up to speed on how you got there.  Apparently, you were in a 3 motor vehicle collision, lost consciousness, and were then brought in to the nearest trauma center.  You are paralyzed from the waist down and need emergent spinal cord decompression or you’ll never walk again.  You look to the person in the white coat and ask, “Do you think you can fix me Doc?”  The surgeon replies, “Well, I’m not sure.  I’m not a very confident person, but I’ll give it a try.”  You reply “GET OUT OF HERE!!!”

Now change the scenario.  You are a premedical student taking various tests, preparing for the MCAT, and looking for leadership roles in various organizations.  Times get tough, but not as tough as an emergent spinal cord decompression.  You doubt yourself.  You question whether or not Medicine is for you.  Pause and take a moment to answer the question, “Can you do this doc?”

The nemesis to many premedical students is confidence.  Too often we fail to believe in ourselves and then become upset when others don’t believe in us either.  We walk into test rooms with our heads down and submit our Medical School applications as if we just bought a lottery ticket.  This issue is rampant in the premed community and before it can be rectified, it must be recognized.

Perhaps the most important concept in Medicine is to “Treat the underlying problem”.  There is little use in giving only Tylenol to a patient with fever and a horrible bacterial pneumonia.  The pneumonia is the true problem that needs to be addressed.  So what is the underlying problem in lack of confidence?  It is lack of preparation!  You can’t, or at least you shouldn’t  walk into a test without having studied and feeling confident.  That’s just silly.  Confidence is based in preparation!  The reason Michael Jordan could take the game winning shots is because he prepared himself via practice.  The reason Dr. Ben Carson is confident when he performs Brain surgery is because he has done thousands in preparation for the next one.

So, I urge premeds to think in a positive light and be confident!  In other words, I urge you to prepare for every task.  Confidence and Preparation; Go together like a horse and carriage (for all the 1990s and 2000s babies, that is a reference to the TV show Married With Children).  Preparation begets confidence!  It is the remedy for this rampant problem in our community.

Image Credit: Pixabay

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