What Every Pre-Med Student Should Know About Getting Into Medical School

 By A. Kenitra Henderson, 4^th Year Medical Student, University of Cincinnati (USA)

     It goes without saying that you enjoy helping others and that is the reason you have chosen to pursue a career in medicine. Medicine is a very demanding field, yet it is also very rewarding; and as health disparities increase within minority populations, more and more minority physicians will be needed to address this problem.

     The process of getting into medical school can be broken down into three (3) parts: academic, research and professional exposure, and community involvement. The first step is to find an undergraduate college that is right for you. Attend an institution that will be supportive both academically and emotionally because the road to medical school can be a hard one. Please keep in mind that historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are continuing to produce successful medical school graduates, as I am one of them.

     There are a few required core classes needed to gain entrance into medical school; they include general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and calculus. Other undergraduate classes that may be helpful once in medical school include biochemistry, physiology, embryology, histology, microbiology, and any foreign language. You should strive for an overall GPA of 3.5 or better. The entrance exam into medical school is called the MCAT (medical college admissions test) and scores of at least 27-30 out of a total 45 points makes you very competitive. Both Kaplan and Princeton Review provide review courses to aid in studying for the MCAT. Key point: You can never do too many practice questions.

     Exposure to research is very important. Research is what creates the therapies with which you will treat your patients. Whether you chose to participate in the on-going research of one your college professors or attend a summer research program (which are usually associated with stipends), be an active participant. Research opportunities, specifically targeting minority pre-med high school and college students, are available every summer at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

     Shadowing a physician or volunteering at a hospital or nursing home provides an inside look into the profession and may help you chose a specialty. Who knows, depending on the experience you choose to have, you might be able to learn such skills as blood pressure measurement, suture (stitches) placement or removal, and/or patient history taking skills, just to name a few.

     Participation in community service is expected. There are several organizations including battered women’s shelters, homeless shelters, free clinics, walks or marathons for various health-related causes, and mentoring or tutoring programs in local public schools, that need plenty of volunteers. Be creative with efforts to raise money for such organizations. An affiliation with service oriented fraternities and sororities may help you accomplish this goal.

     Lastly, stay focused on your goal. Stay away from drugs and excessive drinking. Don’t start smoking. Avoid single parenthood. Stay healthy – eat right and exercise. I know you can be successful if you only try.

A. Kenitra Henderson is currently a fourth year medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She graduated from Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. She will be pursuing a career in Internal Medicine in her home state of Michigan. She can be reached at kenitrahenderson@hotmail.com with any questions or comment.  Since the publication of this article, Kenitra has obtained her M.D. (click HERE to read more about that)

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