Once upon a time, I was an undergrad. Just kidding it wasn’t even that long ago, I graduated from college in Spring 2013. I never really liked the label “premed.” It always sounded so pretentious and automatically conjures a specific stereotype - you know the one. I started college knowing that I wanted to go to medical school, and I knew that undergrad would define the kind of applicant I would be. So, I did everything with the intention of using the opportunity to go to college to become the most well-rounded student I could be.

Being a first generation college student had its challenges but it was definitely a blessing as well. With no one to pave the way for me or tell me what I should and shouldn’t do, I was responsible for every aspect and outcome. That meant figuring a lot of things out for myself and that was okay - if anything I was even better at navigating the nuances of college because of it. Being in the Honors program also encouraged me to explore ALL of my interests in a meaningful way. You only go to college once (usually), so why not go all out?

Majors. I knew that going to college was an opportunity that many don’t have so I felt that I should get the most out of it. Knowing that I wanted to go to medical school, I signed up for my university’s BS in Physiology, which is a challenging program. I think a lot of people in that major only chose it because they, too, wanted to pursue medical school, dental school, or otherwise. And unfortunately, by the second semester of college many people had to drop it and switch career goals altogether. I chose Physiology because I knew I could perform well and I was confident in my ability to succeed.

I’ve always loved to read and enjoyed writing. Some of my favorite classes in undergrad were actually composition classes. So I decided to pick up another major that would allow me a more creative outlet and a “break” from all of the stress of my physiology major. I started my BA in Religious Studies my second semester of college. I absolutely loved that I could think in a concrete/analytical sense in one major, while exploring the abstract, intangible parts of existence in the other. Having these two very different majors allowed me to stay grounded and focused on the bigger things in life without getting bogged down by all of the neuroticism that often accompanies a premed track.

I was raised speaking Spanish and English so I’m a native speaker of both. I had always wanted to improve my literary and written Spanish. I saw no reason for that improvement not to take place in college so I picked up a BA in Spanish & Portuguese around the same time that I had picked up my religious studies major. And since I already spoke a few languages, I figured, “Why not learn another one?” So I added a minor in Arabic.

Juggling three majors, a minor and 19-25 credit semesters was by no means an easy task, but I’m certain that my ridiculous course load on top of volunteering, working, and leadership roles prepared me for medical school.

Extracurricular activities. By the time I started college I had already been volunteering in Peds/PICU at the university hospital for three years. I loved working with the children on those wards and continued to volunteer there until I started med school. By the end of my first year of college I got an email calling for applications for a Student Coordinator position with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. I applied and started my work with them that summer. I had heard somewhere that leadership roles were essential to a med school application, so I figured why not start my own club and be president of that? And that’s exactly what I did. I established the HSF Scholar Chapter of my university and got a few of my friends to serve on the executive board with me. I was never one to get involved in other “premed” organizations, and I saw starting my own club as something I could really grow and be proud of instead of latching onto something else. Through the Scholar Chapter we outreach events to underserved high schools & middle schools; talking to parents and students about college, and what financing a college education was all about. Encouraging students and families from lower-income districts to go to college was something I was really passionate about. I was part of other med-oriented interest groups and clubs, but the scholar chapter was my main focus.

Research. Finding and getting to actually participate in research as an undergrad was such a hassle. Many research faculty don’t take undergrads very seriously for the most part. Fortunately there was a program at my university that selected a few dozen students each year for paid research positions. I started working in a neonatal nutrition research lab right after my first year of college. I learned so much and developed a huge appreciation for the research process. Though I didn’t get published, it was definitely a great experience that I was able to talk about along the med school interview trail.

Money. I financed my entire college education with scholarships. That wasn’t easy, though. I applied to every scholarship I could find and got some really great faculty/staff to write me letters of recommendation. Applying to scholarships was basically a job, but it was worth it to not graduate with debt! The last two years of college I worked as a tutor, nanny and clinical assistant in a private practice.

Tips:

Don’t pick a major you hate just because you think you have to. If your goal is to go to med school but don’t think you can truly excel in a science major, that’s okay! Choose another major where you will do well, instead of struggling. The prereqs for med school will still be science, and since you won’t have an entire major that is super hard you’ll be able to focus on your prereqs a little more. Plus, many of my classmates come from a predominantly non-science background and they do very well.

When it comes to finding research experience as a premed you really have to show your prospective PI that you’re committed, interested and a hard worker. Research experience is vital when applying to some schools so it’s important to do your best. It’s also nice if you get a letter of recommendation out of it.

Be involved. It’s better to contribute significantly to one activity than to be involved superficially in many.

Apply broadly to scholarships. You never know what you might get!

I didn’t take any time off between undergrad and med school. After graduation, I relaxed, worked a bit, and traveled before starting med school that Fall. I know for a fact that what I did in undergrad had an impact on my med school performance. My physiology background helps with my medical knowledge curriculum and systems-based learning. My religious studies and language knowledge helps with clinical situations where communication and empathy are key. And the general craziness of my undergrad work load helps with balancing the stress of the demands of med school. Oddly enough, I actually have more free time during these first two years of med school than I ever did during college!

Undergrad is a time to explore all of your interests and become a better person. It’s a critical time from 18-22 where you really grow into yourself. You learn a lot about yourself, your goals, and what you really want out of life. The biggest piece of advice I have is to construct your own journey (both in school and life), because what works for someone may not work for you. Also, try to remember how privileged you are to be worrying about school, grades, and a future in general. Having the opportunity to attend college is a luxury, let alone med school. Whenever I feel stressed, I try to remember how fortunate I am to be where I am because education isn’t something afforded to everyone in this world. So use your education to make the world a better place, because in the end it won’t matter what your major was or if you got a B; what will matter is that you bettered the lives of your patients and their families.