Trust Your Gut: Is Pre-Health Right for Me?

As a 4th year pre-medical student, I know first-hand just how badly imposter syndrome is. You are entering a field of study that involves students from a variety of different backgrounds. The person in your chemistry class could be from a top, private school in the local area. Your lab partner may have a mother and father who are both physicians. You could even meet someone younger than you who is already starting upper-level biology courses. This is all okay! I faced these circumstances during my undergraduate journey, and I always found myself comparing my own path to theirs. I soon realized that taking my time is perfectly fine and that I still have time to decide if I really want to pursue the pre-medical path. Here are a few tips and resources that helped me during my last 4 years:

1 – Viewing my classmates as partners, not competition.
-    When you walk into your CEM 141 lecture, you realize that there are over 200 students who are most likely applying to similar medical schools as you are. You also realize that they could make a better grade than you on the next exam which could decrease your chances of getting into medical school (it does not). I will be the first to admit that I had these thoughts racing in my mind during my first two years. Why? Because I was in classrooms with more than 100 pre-health students, with at least 80% of those students applying to medical schools. I can recount a time when I took my BS 161 exam and I felt so discouraged after receiving my score. I walked into the classroom and overheard another student saying that he made a 95% and that the exam was “super easy.” This is going to happen to you many times…but, do not let this discourage you! Instead of viewing your classmates as competition, view them as partners who could be assisting you in the hospital. Whether it be on a surgical team, ER team, or even just a simple patient consult call. Think positive thoughts and focus on your grades and progress, not someone else’s.

2 – Volunteering
-    I first began to volunteer at Sparrow Hospital during my sophomore year of college. I was super happy to start but, of course, I felt like I was behind in my pre-health journey since some students I knew had already begun to volunteer during their freshman year. Remember, focus on yourself! I was very lucky to volunteer through my MSU organization, StudentsCare, where it places students in the Pediatrics unit at Sparrow. I was able to visit young patients ranging from the age of 0 to 18 years old, further aiding in my decision of whether I would want to pursue pediatrics or not in the future. I would witness doctors and nurses performing rounds on the patient rooms and would sometimes even comfort a crying patient if they were afraid of needles or “the scary people in lab coats.” And so, though clinical volunteering, you can experience what the hospital environment is like and determine whether this is what you want to work in for the rest of your life. 

3 – Working 
-    I began to work as a medical scribe in an emergency department during my junior year. I gained over 1,000 hours of clinical experience as my job involved following physicians into examination rooms and documenting patient information into the computer system. I would also be invited to watch certain procedures (if we were not busy) such as an Incision and Drainage or a laceration repair. This type of clinical job would give you an up-close and personal view of blood, wounds, and traumatic injuries. Much of which you would witness or perform during a rotation in your medical school journey and residency program. I am glad to say that blood does not scare me and that I would still like to pursue medicine. But the sight of blood might make a few pre-health students feel nauseous and even a little nervous which is why I suggest that you try to obtain this type of experience before applying to medical school. Whether it be as a scribe, EMT, CNA, etc. 

4 – Gap Years
-    Professional school is expensive, even when just doing the application process. It was not until my junior year (the year where most pre-medical students take the MCAT and apply to medical school) that I decided that I wanted to take one gap year. I then started my senior year of college, with numerous activities and employment positions, and realized that I needed to take two years. I reflected on my freshman year and remembered telling myself that I would be going straight into medical school after graduating from MSU. Is this obtainable? Of course! Is this obtainable for ALL students? No. As being a first-generation college student, and the first to apply to medical school in my family, I realized that the traditional path to medical school was not ideal for me. I valued the importance of my mental health as well as my financial capabilities prior to applying to medical school and starting the journey unprepared. My family understood my decision, but they also admitted to me that they felt like I could have applied earlier regardless. Your family may say the same thing and could even disagree with your decisions to take a couple gap years. But, overall, it is YOUR decision to make as you are the student. Taking a couple gap years will also allow you much-needed time to decide if you want to pursue professional school and, if not, what other options there are for you. 

Again, always trust your gut and consider whether the pre-health track is right for you. You may feel behind at times, but I can assure you that taking your time to process and think about your future career is perfectly fine! I wish you the best of luck in your pre-health journey and remember to speak with a pre-health advisor if you would like to discuss your path.

 

Written by,
Kaylee