A bit lost right now as to how I should be navigating undergrad. I’ve just finished my Freshman year at UCSD, and this is what I’ve managed so far:
3.95 GPA right now (I'm aware classes get much harder down the line)
Volunteer at a Hospital
Work at a research lab (moving to a new one this upcoming year, was not a fan of my previous one)
Participate in a few clubs (Bio related, etc. Stopped attending spring quarter to focus on my classes but plan on rejoining this upcoming quarter)
Aside from this, I’ve just been doing my studies. I’m not sure whether I’m doing things right as an undergraduate pre-med. Is there anything else I should be doing to help me down the line when I apply to medical school?
Also on a side note when does one usually start studying for the MCAT?
get involved w/community service with the less fortunate (adcomms rank this as more important than research)
look for leadership opportunities–and not just w/ on-campus clubs.(also ranked by adcomms as more important than research)
start looking opportunities to shadow physicians in a variety of specialties, especially in primary care fields (once again ranked as more important than research by adcomms)
Start studying for the MCAT only after you’ve completed all your pre-reqs. Otherwise you’re just wasting your time.
You don’t need tons of shadowing. Enough that you have a good understanding what the day-to-day life of a physician is like and are able to articulate that clearly.
A day or three or four with each different specialty you shadow should be sufficient. YMMV. There is no “expected” number of hours but getting hundreds of hours is major overkill.
How do find someone to shadow? Start by contacting any physicians you know, your PCP, any family friends or acquaintances, any doctors you get to know through your clinical volunteer site and asking. If they say no, ask if they can suggest someone who might. Network. Network. Network.
Check with your pre-health advising office on campus to see if they have a list of physicians who welcome students.
You can also cold contact physicians by emailing their offices (HINT: include your CV and list some character references with their contact information). Or if there is large group practice nearby, contact the office manager or HR dept to ask the the group allows students to shadows.
You will get a lot no answers. Be persistent.
Leadership doesn’t need be done at campus clubs. Opportunities to demonstrate your leadership can come through your faith community, at a community service organization, at your place of employment.