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© Alex Shteynshlyuger 1999-2000
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Subj: Questions and thanks for your web site
Date: 9/17/99
To: bestpremed@aol.com
Alex this site was full of information that was quite useful as an aspiring Pre-Med student.
I am a non-traditional student 33 years old, a wife and mother of two children. My GPA as of this semester (I am a sophomore) is 4.0, but I have not yet taken all my pre-med requirements. The pre-med advisor says to take all the pre-meds before my junior year. I do not think I should do this for it could compromise my GPA. I am taking one pre-med course along with three or four of my course requirements for my major (Health and Human Performance with an emphasis on Wellness Promotion).
The question I have is about the extra-curricular activities. I am an International Presenter that travels all over the world and here in the United States offering lectures and workshops in fitness related issues, senior fitness and leaderships skills for managers. I also volunteer at the local Senior Centers and personal train special populations (recovering alcohol/drug addicts, paraplegic client, women going through depression).
Is there anything else that I should volunteer at, that would enhance my change of getting into medical school? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Reply
I think you have lead a pretty interesting life. The story with extracurricular activities applies more to so-called "traditional" students who go to medical school right after college or who take a few years off. I guess the reason medical schools want extracurriculars is to ensure that the students they get are at least somewhat exposed to the society and the life of the "average" person whom they will be treating. With "non-traditional" students like yourself who have had a different and interesting career and have seen plenty in this world, having extracurriculars is also important but it's not as much of a priority as it is for straight-from-college undergrads.
I would recommend though that you get some "clinical experience"--by this I mean some direct exposure to what doctors do, by volunteering to work at a hospital for example (of course I do NOT mean as a clerical support person). I also know there are "shadow" programs at some universities that allow you to basically observe a physician--how he or she works, interacts with patients, etc. This is valuable because it gives you first-hand, even if superficial, understanding of what being a doctor is all about. I think medical schools like to know that the people they are getting know what they are getting themselves into by choosing a medical career.
By the way, you seem to be determined to keep a 4.0 GPA. Getting all A's is a good thing--and shows that you're a determined and systematic worker. As you know I'm sure, hard work pays off. Yet, you should not set yourself up to go into a major depression if you get A-.
Best of luck to you,
Alex
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