Best Of

Entering college is exciting! For many of us, it is the first time we are relatively independent, and we can pursue our interests. Some of us already plan to pursue medicine, others are undecided. It can be overwhelming for many, so where do we begin? 

First and foremost, get acclimated to college! Give yourself a solid foundation for the rest of undergrad. Oftentimes, we are eager to get right into everything, but we don’t want to stretch ourselves too thin, especially from the start. Priority number 1, is ourself, followed by classes and pre-med activities.

First semester

First semester, find what you enjoy! Make friends, take fun classes to balance your pre-med classes, and join some clubs (I recommend around 2 to start and then add more later). Many colleges do not offer pre-med as a major but a track, so you’ll still need to pick a major. Oftentimes, students start undeclared or change majors, so explore what interests you. General chemistry and general biology are the standard pre-med classes during the first year, which leaves lots of scheduled space to explore other courses. Who knows, maybe you’ll be a humanities major. There is no right or wrong major, nor do you have to know what that major is from the moment you step onto campus. Let your passions lead your decision, this will yield dividends in the long run. Same with clubs. Find a balance of pre-med activities and non-pre-med activities. Maybe you enjoy sports or cooking, follow that. Be yourself! Believe it or not, this can help you stand out on applications, and the balance will help reduce burnout (which will help your GPA).

Second semester

Second semester is when you can start exploring more pre-med experiences. Continue your pre-med prerequisites courses, but start exploring research, volunteer, and clinical opportunities. There are many resources available to help! Many schools have departments to help find these opportunities, and upperclassmen are great connections. Again, find what interests you, don’t just check off boxes. Your passion needs to show in the applications later. This will help you stand out. This is also the time to start making summer plans. Whether you are at home or school for the summer, this is a great time to enhance your resume through research, internships, clinical exposures, etc. Just remember to take some time for yourself!

Concluding remarks

1. Ease yourself into college - give yourself a strong foundation to help yourself thrive later.
2. Find your passions - don’t make decisions based on what you think you’re “supposed to be doing” but what you want to be doing.
3. Add activities as you go - once you have your foundation, start adding more pre-med activities.
4. Balance is key - stay true to yourself and avoid burnout.
5. There is not one way to be premed - everyone’s journey is unique.