~Just A Dose Of Happiness~: Pre-Med Advice

When I began to pursue a career in Medicine I had no idea what was in store for me. I "Googled" how to become a dermatologist. I read an article which stated:

1. 4 years of undergrad
2. 4 years of medical school
3. Residency
4. Congrats you're a doctor!

At the time I thought....piece of cake! However, little did I know there was more to that. What it should have said was:

1. 4 years of undergrad, which includes: rigorous science classes (physics, chemistry, biology, and organic chemistry), shadowing various doctors, volunteering, research, extracurricular activities, and of course the MCAT

2. 4 years of medical school, which includes: 2 years of intense book work, 2 years in the hospital doing your clinical rotations (aka clerkships), passing of Step 1 Board exam which you take after your 2 years of book work (this score determines your competiveness for residency programs), Step 2 Board exam, and Step 3 Board exam. You must Match into a residency program your 4th year or else you have a MD degree which means nothing.

3. Residency; which includes: working 80+ hours/week shifts= no sleep. The good news is you begin receiving pay for your work. Residency training varies among different specialties. For example: Surgery residency can last up to 7 years, however OB/GYN training is generally 3 years; the pay grade also varies from specialty to specialty an locality.

4. Congrats you're a doctor!

**If you want to do a subspecialty you can do something called a "Fellowship" after residency, this is the highest you can go, its pretty stellar! You're looking at a total of roughly 11 years of school after high school. That doesn't include time taken off after undergrad or a post-bac program if you chose to go that route. The average age of entering medical school students 24-25.

**Be careful of the major you pick in undergrad. If I could do it all over again I would have majored in engineering. It would have secured me a good job after graduation just incase I had changed my mind. Biology and Chemistry majors are stuck with choosing between teaching or research (both which require a master and job experience to qualify).

**Many people give up once they take organic chemistry in undergrad. Some call it the weed-out course; designed to separate those who are serious about going the distance. Don't give up! It was actually one of my favorite courses. You just have to really sit down and focus. Repetition is key. Visit your professor if you feel yourself falling behind.

**On top of all this you have to take into consideration the financial aspect of it all. My parents always stressed the importance of doing well in high school. This is SOOOOoo true. It will determine your ability to secure scholarships during you undergrad studies; which will make you very happy in the long run. Medical school is pretty costly, you also have to take into consideration you living expenses since everyone knows: You Do Not Work during medical school.....ever!!!

I haven't began medical school yet and already I've had so many wonderful experiences, I'll save that for another blog entry. I am happy with the path I've taken, I don't mind about the time it will take. I'd rather sacrifice 11 years of school now than live the rest of my life wishing I had. I feel like I'm living my dream.