A Welcome Message for First-year Students

Welcome, and congratulations on your acceptance into college! You’re taking an important step in your life and we’re excited to join you so early in the process.

By coming here, you’ve shown you have an interest in becoming a doctor and that you’re committed to finding resources to help you along the way. We hope that AspiringDocs.org will be a thorough, engaging, and effective resource for you as you move along your pathway into medicine.

We all know, however, that becoming a doctor takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and planning. It also takes identifying and reaching out to different resources and individuals who can help you along the way. Whether it’s figuring out which classes to take and when, getting a jump start on your classes by identifying tutoring and enrichment programs, or learning good study and time management skills, there are people on your campus who can answer your questions and give you information.

We’ve compiled a short list of FAQs to help you get started. But we want to stress the importance of working with a faculty member, pre-health advisor, or other mentor. AspiringDocs.org and other resources can be good sources of information, but they’re not intended to take the place of the discussions and work you do throughout your undergraduate years with your advisors.

First-year Students

Do I have to major in biology if I want to go to medical school?

No, you don’t have to major in biology (or any science) if you want to attend medical school. The most important thing is to major in something you enjoy and that will capture your interest and keep you motivated. However, there are several pre-requisite courses required by most medical schools that you will need to complete before you can enroll. To learn more about what these required courses are, talk to your pre-health advisor, biology professor, mentor, or contacts at medical schools. You can also learn about pre-reqs on AspiringDocs.org or by reading Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR).

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As a student entering college who’s interested in medicine, should I take General Biology, General Chemistry, and Calculus all in this first year?

No, it’s definitely not recommended that you take all of these classes in your first year. You have four or five years to complete your premed coursework and it’s important not to overwhelm yourself early on in the process.

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What classes should I take in my first year that will prepare me for the pre-med track?

If you’re strong at college-level math, it is recommended that you take General Chemistry. This is a math-based science course and you must be prepared to handle the course load!

If you’re strong at college-level English, it is recommended that you take General Biology. This is a course in which there is an enormous amount of reading and comprehension involved. It includes all topics from plant biology to the human organ systems.

Taking either General Chemistry or General Biology (instead of both at the same time) will give you time to develop and improve the skill sets you’ll need to succeed in your other pre-med classes. If you’re nervous about your math skills, take a more introductory math course and consider going in for tutoring to strengthen your skills. If you’re unsure about your reading and writing skills, take advantage of your freshman composition course to further develop your skills in these areas. In addition, a lot of campuses have a learning or academic resource center that can also be a source of support and extra instruction for you.

Identifying where your strengths and weaknesses are and figuring out what you can do to improve are essential components to academic success and, ultimately, to becoming a good physician.

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What should I do if I start to slip in my classes?

It’s also important to go for help when you first think you’re in trouble. Don’t wait until you’re in over your head or it’s too late to salvage the course for that semester. If you’re nervous about a class from the beginning, seek out classmates and form a study group. Start going to the instructor’s office hours regularly at the beginning of the semester so they know you’re working hard and committed to doing well. And you can always get a head start by going to tutoring as soon as your class starts. All of these things will help reinforce what you’re learning in class and also give you several opportunities to ask questions, delve more deeply, and get clarification on different points.

One of the biggest challenges for college students is balancing extracurricular activities, a job, and free time with study time. Make a daily checklist and schedule for yourself so that you can accomplish daily academic goals. You can always work with your pre-health or academic advisor to help figure out a system that works best for you and your learning style. You might also want to see if your college offers study skills and time management classes. A lot of times, these classes are offered for free and can help you figure out different strategies and ideas for structuring your time and figuring out how to get the most out of your study time. The time management and learning strategies you develop as an undergrad will also be a great help to you when you’re in medical school and also a practicing doctor.

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I’m interested in medicine, but I haven’t been exposed to the medical field. Is there something I can do to get more exposure?

Getting exposure to the medical field is essential to the premed process. There are lots of different opportunities out there for you to explore. Check out a nearby hospital or community clinic for volunteer services or physician shadowing. Get involved with pre-med student organizations that provide its members special volunteer opportunities and information on medical school and becoming a doctor.

If you’re interested in research, seek out research labs around your college. Use your college’s Web site to identify faculty members and scientists who are doing research in areas you find interesting and contact them. A lot of labs are happy to bring in undergraduate students.

There are many summer programs around the country where you can gain clinical or research experience. Check out the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at http://www.smdep.org/, or search the AAMC’s summer program database at http://services.aamc.org/summerprograms/.

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