<p>So I'm actually a junior in HS right now, and yes Med school is a light year away but I like to think ahead. I plan on busting my butt in college, and yes I know it's sort of impossible to attain a 3.8+ while having a social life, but if I have to give up everything for it, I'm prepared. So I'm thinking of 4 schools right now, but I don't know which one's the best for me. I plan on doing Internal Medicine and then a fellowship in Cardiology but I don't which specific school would give me the boost to get the best Internal Medicine residency and furthermore the best cardiology fellowship. These are the schools I'm thinking of:</p>
<ul>
<li>Mount Sinai School of Medicine (It's always intriguied me, I know absolutely nothing about it but somehow it seems amazing to me)</li>
<li>Harvard Medical School</li>
<li>Duke Medical School</li>
<li>UVA Medical School (This one would probably the most accessible to me, as I live in VA)</li>
<li>John's Hopkins Medical School (I mean, come on, what asprising physician DOESN'T want to attend this medical school? I've been many times, and it's just awe-inspiring!)</li>
</ul>
<p>So which ones should I gear towards?</p>
<ul>
<li>I did double post this in two different forums because this forum doesn't seem to get that much activity, forgive me!</li>
</ul>
<p>Hmmm, it’s really not as easy as just picking 4 schools and hoping for the best. An excellent resource for those interested in med school is [Student</a> Doctor Network|An educational community for students and doctors spanning all the health professions.](<a href=“http://www.studentdoctor.net%5DStudent”>http://www.studentdoctor.net). If you haven’t checked it out yet make sure you do. I believe they have a forum on the site for high schoolers who believe they might be interested in medicine. My D is finishing up her 1st year in med school. The application process is one of the most stressful things I have ever seen in my life. The basic rule of thumb for applying to med school, as I see it, is: “get in where you fit in”. By this I mean that you should apply to as many med schools as you can possibly afford – and the entire process is VERY expensive. This early in the game (you said you’re a junior in H.S.), I would concentrate on getting into a decent college and earning the best possible grades you can. You cannot afford to slack and not take your grades seriously, as the med school application process is highly competitive. Again, do check out studentdoctor.net. You’ve got plenty of time to prepare, but that time is going to fly by! Research now!</p>
<p>You can go into IM and cardiology from any medical school. I won’t say forget about this for a couple years because I, like you, enjoy thinking ahead. So I will just say that when the time comes to apply to medical school you should try, as gymeni said, to get in where you fit in. The most successful applicants are those that identify with the mission and values of the medical school, not merely the ones with the best GPA/MCAT. Med schools don’t just want smart, capable people; they want applicants who embody the qualities and goals their institution values most.</p>