Applying to medical school is EXPENSIVE. I will be applying to MD/PhD programs starting next summer, and will be taking the MCAT at the end of April. Let me break down my expenses for you:
MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)-$240
AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service)-$160 for 1 school + $33 for each school after
If I apply to eight schools (which is the average number for MD/PhDs), I will be spending approximately $630
This does not include the cost of study materials, transcripts, secondary application fees (which can range anywhere from $25-$100 a piece), or interview clothes. I'm hoping to start a couple fundraisers soon to help me with this cost where a percentage of profits I earn will go toward applying for MD/PhD, and the rest will go directly to the Alzheimer's Association. My goal of course is to make enough to donate at least as much to the Alzheimer's Association as I am putting toward my application fund. Obviously, this is a hefty goal but anything is possible through Christ, right? With that said, if anyone has any good fundraising ideas let me know!
Speaking of the Alzheimer's Association, I am officially a monthly donor. I will be donating $20 from my paychecks each month directly to the organization. Not much, but it is about 10% of what I am making, and I'm in college.
With all of this planning for the future, it is extremely hard to focus on school. I am so ready to move on to bigger and better things that it is getting hard for me to concentrate on my classwork. I can't help but try to learn everything I can about the programs I'm applying to, where I might be living, and how to prepare for applying. This is tough to overcome seeing as how there is only this week of class and final exams next week.
Many of you have been wondering about the summer program at WashU. My application is still missing one component, a recommendation. Being that it is the end of the semester, I am sure my professor is quite busy and hopefully will have more time to submit it once break begins. Unfortunately, they will not review my application until all components have been submitted. Therefore, all we can do is wait, and I promise that you will know as soon as I do.
"May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed"
Psalm 20:4
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Waiting and WUO
I just submitted my application to the Amgen Scholars Summer Research Program at Washington University in St. Louis. Although a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, it is still going to kill me to have to wait to find out if I receive acceptance into the program. I may not find out until March 1st, so until I get any word I will be praying about it and hope that you can help me in those efforts.
School has been going fine. I'm getting pretty excited about the end of the semester rapidly approaching. I have the rest of the semester planned out in most of my classes, so it is nice to actually be able to see the end. I'm looking forward to a mostly relaxing and fun-filled weekend before I go home for Thanksgiving break next Tuesday. I am definitely ecstatic about going home.
We are changing gears in dance from football season to basketball season. Our uniforms finally came in so we will be revealing those at the first game we dance. That day will be pretty busy as I have a track meet on the same day. Luckily I am not competing indoor this season so I will just go to support my teammates. Hopefully the meet will be over in time for them to support me as well! It should be a fun time. Unfortunately, the weather is getting really cold and I don't know if I will have another day to throw outside before the spring. It is a little depressing, but there isn't anything I can do about it but keep up with my workouts and practice footwork.
I guess I could tell a little bit about my world record breaking experience last night. The World United Organization (or WUO as we call it) was started by two young men at my university with the mission to "make the world aware of its fixable problems, inspire people to change those problems for the better, and to help those that are less fortunate than most." You can read all about their story and organization at www.worldunitedorg.org. They started selling "Wuo Wear" a while back, and I bought a tee shirt from them my freshman year. Little did I know how big of a deal this organization would become. They started by donating the profits they got from their Wuo Wear, but are now on to bigger and better things. They are planning a trip to Africa to hand out rice to villagers, build a school, and implant a water purification system for an entire village. In order to raise money and awareness for their organization, they held an event on campus called "High Five World Hunger in the Face." The event started by a presentation of their mission statement and explanation of why they do what they do. It then led to a bunch of supporters (including me) lining up to break the world record for most consecutive high fives. Once the record was broken, everyone was able to buy tee shirts and wristbands, eat food, make holiday cards for children in Africa, sign a banner, and make donations. It was an exciting and inspiring experience and all I can say is what a great organization!
Well, that's all the time I have. I have to get into the lab. As always, thanks for reading and don't be afraid to leave comments!
"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"
-Matthew 6:34
School has been going fine. I'm getting pretty excited about the end of the semester rapidly approaching. I have the rest of the semester planned out in most of my classes, so it is nice to actually be able to see the end. I'm looking forward to a mostly relaxing and fun-filled weekend before I go home for Thanksgiving break next Tuesday. I am definitely ecstatic about going home.
We are changing gears in dance from football season to basketball season. Our uniforms finally came in so we will be revealing those at the first game we dance. That day will be pretty busy as I have a track meet on the same day. Luckily I am not competing indoor this season so I will just go to support my teammates. Hopefully the meet will be over in time for them to support me as well! It should be a fun time. Unfortunately, the weather is getting really cold and I don't know if I will have another day to throw outside before the spring. It is a little depressing, but there isn't anything I can do about it but keep up with my workouts and practice footwork.
I guess I could tell a little bit about my world record breaking experience last night. The World United Organization (or WUO as we call it) was started by two young men at my university with the mission to "make the world aware of its fixable problems, inspire people to change those problems for the better, and to help those that are less fortunate than most." You can read all about their story and organization at www.worldunitedorg.org. They started selling "Wuo Wear" a while back, and I bought a tee shirt from them my freshman year. Little did I know how big of a deal this organization would become. They started by donating the profits they got from their Wuo Wear, but are now on to bigger and better things. They are planning a trip to Africa to hand out rice to villagers, build a school, and implant a water purification system for an entire village. In order to raise money and awareness for their organization, they held an event on campus called "High Five World Hunger in the Face." The event started by a presentation of their mission statement and explanation of why they do what they do. It then led to a bunch of supporters (including me) lining up to break the world record for most consecutive high fives. Once the record was broken, everyone was able to buy tee shirts and wristbands, eat food, make holiday cards for children in Africa, sign a banner, and make donations. It was an exciting and inspiring experience and all I can say is what a great organization!
Well, that's all the time I have. I have to get into the lab. As always, thanks for reading and don't be afraid to leave comments!
"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"
-Matthew 6:34
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Maybe One Day I'll Make Up My Mind
I did it again. I changed my mind. I'm back on the path to becoming an MD/PhD. Why? Because I talked to an adviser, and she thinks it would be in my best interests to go for the combined degree. After an hour long discussion, the conclusion we came to was that at the age of thirty, having both degrees would be a great advantage. I do love school, so I don't think the length of time would be a problem. Also, it is hard to say whether I would get enough patient interaction by just doing a PhD program. I really love working with people, especially at older ages, and I think working with Alzheimer's patients would be really rewarding. By getting both degrees, I wouldn't necessarily need to use both. I could use one or the other, but would have the correct training to utilize both if I needed to. I still think working with patients would be excellent motivation to apply to my research.
With that said, the professor I talked to has confidence in me about getting accepted into such a prestigious program, which is quite encouraging. She has been to medical school and has her MD, so she knows what it is like and what it takes to get there, and she believes I am on the right track. While I am at school, I will be focusing on my coursework, grades, research, and extracurricular activities, and on my breaks I will be focusing on volunteering and preparing for the MCAT. I actually can't wait to get back to the senior village to volunteer again over Thanksgiving break.
I am, of course, still a little nervous about getting accepted into a program. Everyone keeps telling me that I won't have a problem, but it is extremely competitive. However, if I do not get accepted, I can still apply to PhD programs or take a year off to do research. I would rather not take a year off, but there is no way to tell what is going to happen.
This summer is going to have to be very productive if I want to get into a program. The application for the research program in St. Louis I really want to attend comes out this week! I am really hoping I get accepted into the program. It would be such an awesome experience. I have a backup plan with a neuroscience summer research program in Maryland, and beyond that I am going to have to make some phone calls. If anyone has any connections in the field of neuroscience, I would love to spend some time with them.
On a more personal note, classes are going okay. It has been a rough semester just out of business, but I'm hanging in there. Track has officially started and it should be a really good season. I am still having tons of fun dancing. Our last football game is next Saturday and then we switch gears to basketball season. Halloween weekend was pretty disappointing this year, but I got some relaxing in so I can't really complain.
Well I am off to organize my life and get some homework done. Thanks for reading.
With that said, the professor I talked to has confidence in me about getting accepted into such a prestigious program, which is quite encouraging. She has been to medical school and has her MD, so she knows what it is like and what it takes to get there, and she believes I am on the right track. While I am at school, I will be focusing on my coursework, grades, research, and extracurricular activities, and on my breaks I will be focusing on volunteering and preparing for the MCAT. I actually can't wait to get back to the senior village to volunteer again over Thanksgiving break.
I am, of course, still a little nervous about getting accepted into a program. Everyone keeps telling me that I won't have a problem, but it is extremely competitive. However, if I do not get accepted, I can still apply to PhD programs or take a year off to do research. I would rather not take a year off, but there is no way to tell what is going to happen.
This summer is going to have to be very productive if I want to get into a program. The application for the research program in St. Louis I really want to attend comes out this week! I am really hoping I get accepted into the program. It would be such an awesome experience. I have a backup plan with a neuroscience summer research program in Maryland, and beyond that I am going to have to make some phone calls. If anyone has any connections in the field of neuroscience, I would love to spend some time with them.
On a more personal note, classes are going okay. It has been a rough semester just out of business, but I'm hanging in there. Track has officially started and it should be a really good season. I am still having tons of fun dancing. Our last football game is next Saturday and then we switch gears to basketball season. Halloween weekend was pretty disappointing this year, but I got some relaxing in so I can't really complain.
Well I am off to organize my life and get some homework done. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
How Can I Say This?
New Orleans is a crazy, crazy city. That's pretty much the only way I can describe it. It is definitely a place that you just have to visit to know what it is like. I can do all the explaining in the world, but you will never get it unless you experience it yourself.
I traveled to New Orleans this past weekend to watch my beautiful older sister get married. It was a gorgeous day, lovely wedding, and awesome reception. Held at the House of Blues, we had a private room to eat and celebrate in. We all definitely had a great time.
The weekend trip was without question an adventure. Getting up at 3AM to catch a flight, watching the sun rise at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport during a two and a half hour layover, seeing things I've never seen before, experiencing a new city and culture, spending time with family, taking my first taxi and trolley rides, walking endless amounts, trying new foods, going to three states I'd never been to before (even if it was just to hang out at the airport), and much, much more, I'd say it was well worth my extended break from school.
Unfortunately, I now have to come back to real life for a while. I have a ton of homework that I should be doing instead of typing all this, but I feel that if I don't keep up with updates I won't ever come back. That would totally defeat the purpose of starting a blog.
Some of you are probably wondering (if any of you noticed anyway) that I have changed the title to my blog. The answer is simple. After doing some more research, I have learned that getting my PhD will give me everything I want out of an education. I will still be able to do my research and eventually teach if I still choose to. I will still be a doctor. I will still be helping people (even if it isn't always directly). By not choosing to enter into an MD/PhD program, I will save myself three or four years of going to school, plus I do not have to worry about taking the MCAT. Instead, I will be taking the GRE, which tests more on critical thinking and analytical skills. Another benefit of opting for a PhD only is that it increases the number of schools I will be applying to. Although I am generally looking at the same schools, I am pretty excited about my decision, and I can't wait to look into more programs.
Since I am pretty sure I won't be updating before this weekend, I'll let you know that I am planning on traveling with my boyfriend to visit his family. It should be a somewhat relaxing weekend. I am trying to get all my homework that is due at least at the beginning of next week finished before the weekend so I won't have to worry about it then. With that said, I better get going.
As always, thanks for reading! Feel free to leave any comments or questions. Until next time.
“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”
I traveled to New Orleans this past weekend to watch my beautiful older sister get married. It was a gorgeous day, lovely wedding, and awesome reception. Held at the House of Blues, we had a private room to eat and celebrate in. We all definitely had a great time.
The weekend trip was without question an adventure. Getting up at 3AM to catch a flight, watching the sun rise at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport during a two and a half hour layover, seeing things I've never seen before, experiencing a new city and culture, spending time with family, taking my first taxi and trolley rides, walking endless amounts, trying new foods, going to three states I'd never been to before (even if it was just to hang out at the airport), and much, much more, I'd say it was well worth my extended break from school.
Unfortunately, I now have to come back to real life for a while. I have a ton of homework that I should be doing instead of typing all this, but I feel that if I don't keep up with updates I won't ever come back. That would totally defeat the purpose of starting a blog.
Some of you are probably wondering (if any of you noticed anyway) that I have changed the title to my blog. The answer is simple. After doing some more research, I have learned that getting my PhD will give me everything I want out of an education. I will still be able to do my research and eventually teach if I still choose to. I will still be a doctor. I will still be helping people (even if it isn't always directly). By not choosing to enter into an MD/PhD program, I will save myself three or four years of going to school, plus I do not have to worry about taking the MCAT. Instead, I will be taking the GRE, which tests more on critical thinking and analytical skills. Another benefit of opting for a PhD only is that it increases the number of schools I will be applying to. Although I am generally looking at the same schools, I am pretty excited about my decision, and I can't wait to look into more programs.
Since I am pretty sure I won't be updating before this weekend, I'll let you know that I am planning on traveling with my boyfriend to visit his family. It should be a somewhat relaxing weekend. I am trying to get all my homework that is due at least at the beginning of next week finished before the weekend so I won't have to worry about it then. With that said, I better get going.
As always, thanks for reading! Feel free to leave any comments or questions. Until next time.
“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”
-Kenneth Blanchard
Friday, September 30, 2011
So Much Going On!
As usual, I have been crazy busy, but that's expected by now I think. With classes, work, dance, and track, I barely have time to breathe. I believe it's all worth it though. Classes are going okay. I am buried in homework all the time but I'm starting to feel almost all the way caught up. It's a great feeling.
My workouts for track are on the upswing. I was extremely sick last week (sinus infection?) so I didn't get as much done as I wanted to. It was extremely hard to breathe and/or move for almost five days straight. However, I am almost fully recovered now. Still a little difficult to breathe, and my nose doesn't like to stop running (wish I could say the same for my legs) but other than that I'm feeling pretty healthy. I've been able to increase the weight that I have been lifting as well as the intensity of my conditioning workouts. It is going to be great to be ready to go once the season starts. I won't have to worry about getting back in shape because I'll already be there! I'm also proud of my teammates because for the most part it seems that they are keeping up with their workouts as well. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish this season!
As for dance, I am having so much fun. We are all freaking out a little because we debut TOMORROW! We will be performing for the first time ever as our school's first ever dance team at halftime of the Homecoming football game tomorrow afternoon. We have a pretty busy schedule until then. Practice is in a few hours, and then we will have team dinner and video. Tomorrow morning we have rehearsal at 9am and are busy from then until the end of the game approximately seven hours later. We are so excited. There are a lot of different opinions about us out there, and we want to give a great first impression.
The other exciting part of this weekend is my family coming to see me! My mom, dad, and sister will be arriving tomorrow morning(ish) to watch me perform at the game, and then we get to hang out all night and the next morning. It is going to be awesome.
Well I better get some homework done before practice. Thanks for reading!
"Be a winner: plan to win, prepare to win, expect to win."
-Anon
My workouts for track are on the upswing. I was extremely sick last week (sinus infection?) so I didn't get as much done as I wanted to. It was extremely hard to breathe and/or move for almost five days straight. However, I am almost fully recovered now. Still a little difficult to breathe, and my nose doesn't like to stop running (wish I could say the same for my legs) but other than that I'm feeling pretty healthy. I've been able to increase the weight that I have been lifting as well as the intensity of my conditioning workouts. It is going to be great to be ready to go once the season starts. I won't have to worry about getting back in shape because I'll already be there! I'm also proud of my teammates because for the most part it seems that they are keeping up with their workouts as well. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish this season!
As for dance, I am having so much fun. We are all freaking out a little because we debut TOMORROW! We will be performing for the first time ever as our school's first ever dance team at halftime of the Homecoming football game tomorrow afternoon. We have a pretty busy schedule until then. Practice is in a few hours, and then we will have team dinner and video. Tomorrow morning we have rehearsal at 9am and are busy from then until the end of the game approximately seven hours later. We are so excited. There are a lot of different opinions about us out there, and we want to give a great first impression.
The other exciting part of this weekend is my family coming to see me! My mom, dad, and sister will be arriving tomorrow morning(ish) to watch me perform at the game, and then we get to hang out all night and the next morning. It is going to be awesome.
Well I better get some homework done before practice. Thanks for reading!
"Be a winner: plan to win, prepare to win, expect to win."
-Anon
Friday, September 9, 2011
What Am I Doing With My Life?
I have been asking myself this very question a lot lately, mostly just because I am so busy that I am getting extremely overwhelmed and stressed. Therefore, I am pretty sure the answer to my question is, "too much." However, this is really the only life I know. I'm not really sure why I still get so stressed out when I should be used to non-stop craziness by now. A lot of it is probably good stress, but sometimes I just get exhausted and have to step back, take a deep breath, relax a little while, and then get back to work. As long as I can get in a short break here and there I will be just fine.
Classes are still pretty crazy. I am kind of amazed they are taking so much of my time because I am only taking four. I am so glad I decided not to take more. I knew these classes would be tough and would take a lot of my time, and I am positive I made the correct decision. I think part of it is also that I am so used to staying ahead in homework that it is just freaking me out that I am actually on time. Plus I still have to schedule in work, dance practices, track workouts, making meals, sleep, and other random things that come up along the way.
Work has slowed down as I suspected, and we are using most of our time to work on projects and organizing our office. We are getting too big for our office, however. We have too many students enrolled! High enrollment is definitely not a bad thing for the university but we have surpassed our maximum capacity for student files. I am pretty sure we are ordering another filing cabinet that we aren't exactly sure is going to fit. I guess that's not my problem though...yet.
Dance has been going really well. I am getting so close to doing the splits. We have started doing skills practices taught by a few of the girls that have a lot of dance experience outside of our twice weekly team practices. Today was the first one I was able to attend and I had a great time. It ended up being a one-on-one session so I got a lot of attention and learned a lot about technique, form, dance terms, and posture. I can already see a huge improvement in my turns and kicks. Our Homecoming debut is getting closer and closer and I am getting so pumped!
I guess I should put a little note on how this is the first year I have a full kitchen at school and therefore the first time I am in charge of all of my meals. It is very difficult for a college student to be responsible for their own food and still make sure they are eating healthy, especially on such a tight budget. I have been taking some risks with my cooking, though, and am learning a lot about what works, what tastes good, and how I can use the little amount of things that I have to make a fulfilling meal.
I started to get back into lifting finally this week. It felt great to get back in the weight room, but it is so hard to try to find time to get it taken care of because besides being busy all the time, when I have free time I am completely exhausted, which is not the best condition to lift in. I have just been taking everything one step at a time to try and keep up with all of my responsibilities as a student-athlete. My first priority has to be school though, which is why they put the word "student" before the word "athlete." Besides, if it weren't for school I wouldn't be participating in athletics. I came here to get a degree. Being an athlete is just a huge perk.
I know what you're thinking. If I am so busy how do I have the time to write all this? I don't. I just know it has been a while since I updated everyone and I wanted you all to know I am surviving. It is extremely late (midnight-I know I am pretty lame for thinking that is way late) and I am so excited to go to bed. Plus my laundry is drying. I still have to fold it. I think I am probably just rambling now because I am way too tired to be awake right now, so I'll go ahead and close.
"Those who work the hardest are the last to surrender." -Rick Pitino
Thanks for reading! God bless =)
Classes are still pretty crazy. I am kind of amazed they are taking so much of my time because I am only taking four. I am so glad I decided not to take more. I knew these classes would be tough and would take a lot of my time, and I am positive I made the correct decision. I think part of it is also that I am so used to staying ahead in homework that it is just freaking me out that I am actually on time. Plus I still have to schedule in work, dance practices, track workouts, making meals, sleep, and other random things that come up along the way.
Work has slowed down as I suspected, and we are using most of our time to work on projects and organizing our office. We are getting too big for our office, however. We have too many students enrolled! High enrollment is definitely not a bad thing for the university but we have surpassed our maximum capacity for student files. I am pretty sure we are ordering another filing cabinet that we aren't exactly sure is going to fit. I guess that's not my problem though...yet.
Dance has been going really well. I am getting so close to doing the splits. We have started doing skills practices taught by a few of the girls that have a lot of dance experience outside of our twice weekly team practices. Today was the first one I was able to attend and I had a great time. It ended up being a one-on-one session so I got a lot of attention and learned a lot about technique, form, dance terms, and posture. I can already see a huge improvement in my turns and kicks. Our Homecoming debut is getting closer and closer and I am getting so pumped!
I guess I should put a little note on how this is the first year I have a full kitchen at school and therefore the first time I am in charge of all of my meals. It is very difficult for a college student to be responsible for their own food and still make sure they are eating healthy, especially on such a tight budget. I have been taking some risks with my cooking, though, and am learning a lot about what works, what tastes good, and how I can use the little amount of things that I have to make a fulfilling meal.
I started to get back into lifting finally this week. It felt great to get back in the weight room, but it is so hard to try to find time to get it taken care of because besides being busy all the time, when I have free time I am completely exhausted, which is not the best condition to lift in. I have just been taking everything one step at a time to try and keep up with all of my responsibilities as a student-athlete. My first priority has to be school though, which is why they put the word "student" before the word "athlete." Besides, if it weren't for school I wouldn't be participating in athletics. I came here to get a degree. Being an athlete is just a huge perk.
I know what you're thinking. If I am so busy how do I have the time to write all this? I don't. I just know it has been a while since I updated everyone and I wanted you all to know I am surviving. It is extremely late (midnight-I know I am pretty lame for thinking that is way late) and I am so excited to go to bed. Plus my laundry is drying. I still have to fold it. I think I am probably just rambling now because I am way too tired to be awake right now, so I'll go ahead and close.
"Those who work the hardest are the last to surrender." -Rick Pitino
Thanks for reading! God bless =)
Sunday, August 28, 2011
First Week: Complete
The first week of class was crazy to say the least. I was already assigned a ton of homework and even had a quiz the first day! Luckily the quiz ended up being extra credit toward our first test. It looks like I will have a pretty busy semester, but it should go well, and I am looking forward to learning a lot of new things. With that said, I have been working my butt off already and have completed all the homework I have due by Wednesday! I also talked to a professor about a possible research project and I will basically be performing a lab to see if he can use it in future classes. Depending on my results, students in the future may be performing the lab I investigated!
I went into work at the financial aid office a few times last week and plan on working some more hours this week. It was pretty busy with everyone being back to campus and having questions and everything, but it will probably slow down a little some time within the next few weeks.
Dance has been going really well. We have started working on skills a little bit so we can improve our dancing and clean up our routines. We had call outs yesterday that went really well, and I am excited for the future of our team. We will be debuting at Homecoming, and it should be a great performance.
That pretty much sums up my first week of class. I have pretty much just been trying to keep up with the homework assigned and keeping my stress levels down. 1 week down. 16 to go. Let's do this.
I went into work at the financial aid office a few times last week and plan on working some more hours this week. It was pretty busy with everyone being back to campus and having questions and everything, but it will probably slow down a little some time within the next few weeks.
Dance has been going really well. We have started working on skills a little bit so we can improve our dancing and clean up our routines. We had call outs yesterday that went really well, and I am excited for the future of our team. We will be debuting at Homecoming, and it should be a great performance.
That pretty much sums up my first week of class. I have pretty much just been trying to keep up with the homework assigned and keeping my stress levels down. 1 week down. 16 to go. Let's do this.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Back to School
Well I am back. I have been here for a few days now but was pretty busy during the week and didn't have internet in my room until now. During the week, I was all about dance and getting everything unpacked and organized in my room. For those of you who didn't know, I joined the dance team at school. We had conditioning in the morning, and then two hours later we had practice every day. We then had a few hours until team dinner. By 9pm I was completely exhausted.
My time at home during my last week or so of summer was spent packing and hanging out with my family. I had a lot of time to think this past summer, so I have some pretty nice goals for this school year. I also started a new hobby digital scrapbooking. I am just messing around with what I can do right now but I am hoping to eventually build a portfolio and turn it into a mini business. We college kids are always thinking of ways to make some extra cash, right? I really enjoy it so far and am looking forward to what I can do with it.
Like I said, I have many goals for this school year. One of them is to pursue research. I would really like to work on my own research project this year, so I am hoping to work it out with a professor. It would be really nice if I could get some class credit for it as well. The more I think about what I want to research, the more I think I am leaning toward Alzheimer's disease. I haven't been close to anyone with the disease, but just talking to people about their family members who have/had it really pulls on my heart. To me, the relationships you have with people is one of the most important aspects of life. When someone has Alzheimer's, they lose the ability to have those special relationships, and it hurts everyone that cares for them. It also really ties in to wanting to be a physician-scientists because I will be able to work with patients in the pursuit of a cure. It will keep me even more motivated in my research.
Class starts in two days. I am looking forward to learning new things, although I am not that excited to jump back into the stress that comes with it. I hope that I will be able to stay ahead and really get the most out of my classes this semester. Thanks for reading! I'll post again soon once class starts!
My time at home during my last week or so of summer was spent packing and hanging out with my family. I had a lot of time to think this past summer, so I have some pretty nice goals for this school year. I also started a new hobby digital scrapbooking. I am just messing around with what I can do right now but I am hoping to eventually build a portfolio and turn it into a mini business. We college kids are always thinking of ways to make some extra cash, right? I really enjoy it so far and am looking forward to what I can do with it.
Like I said, I have many goals for this school year. One of them is to pursue research. I would really like to work on my own research project this year, so I am hoping to work it out with a professor. It would be really nice if I could get some class credit for it as well. The more I think about what I want to research, the more I think I am leaning toward Alzheimer's disease. I haven't been close to anyone with the disease, but just talking to people about their family members who have/had it really pulls on my heart. To me, the relationships you have with people is one of the most important aspects of life. When someone has Alzheimer's, they lose the ability to have those special relationships, and it hurts everyone that cares for them. It also really ties in to wanting to be a physician-scientists because I will be able to work with patients in the pursuit of a cure. It will keep me even more motivated in my research.
Class starts in two days. I am looking forward to learning new things, although I am not that excited to jump back into the stress that comes with it. I hope that I will be able to stay ahead and really get the most out of my classes this semester. Thanks for reading! I'll post again soon once class starts!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Best. Weekend. Ever.
I figured I should share a little bit about my weekend since it was so great. Yes, I know it is Tuesday but I have been a little busy (as usual). This past weekend was definitely the best I've had this summer. Pretty depressed it is already over, but it happens to the best of us.
My boyfriend, Chris, drove about six hours to visit me, and we had an extremely fun time. He got here Thursday afternoon/evening and we rented The Lincoln Lawyer from Redbox. It was a pretty awesome movie and I definitely recommend it. The next day, we went to Zoombezi Bay Water Park and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It was a blast. We got there shortly after it opened so we didn't have to wait very long to ride the water slides. Once more people started to arrive, we spent some time in the wave pool, then the rest of our time was spent relaxing and chatting in the lazy river. We went to the zoo for lunch and to observe all of the animals. We returned to the water park to spend more time in the lazy river until we decided we wanted to ride more slides. However, as soon as we got to the end of the line after climbing the entire set of stairs, the park closed all of their attractions due to a huge thunderstorm we saw rolling in. While most of the people left the park and went home, some of us stayed, and while the rest of the people who stayed were taking cover everywhere they could, Chris and I sat on a bench. We were already in our bathing suits at a water park, so what was the point in trying to stay dry? After we learned that they would not open the slides again until a half hour after the last sight of lightning, we decided to go back to the zoo. We went to see the polar bears, but they weren't out so we sat on a bench and talked some more. That night, my mom ordered pizza and Chris and I baked a cake for fun. We were so tired by the end of the day and slept really well that night.
Saturday, we drove to a mall about fifteen minutes away and shopped for a few hours. We weren't really impressed with the mall though, and ended up shopping at the mall right by my house. I got a ton of new clothes and a new pair of shoes thanks to Chris! I could have shopped longer than we did, but we had to hurry home so my sister could get ready for a concert we were taking her to. After we dropped her off, we went to the musical Chicago. It was a great show and we were both impressed by the talent. We had to fight traffic to get out of the city, and then a huge thunderstorm hit just as we got close to my house. I had to run inside in the pouring rain in my new dress! It was pretty late when we got back so we just cooked a frozen pizza and watched TV until we were ready to go to sleep, which didn't take long at all.
Sunday we went to church and I saw one of my high school teachers. It was nice to see her after two years. After church, Chris tuned up my mom's bike and I made grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. The rest of the day was spent watching movies until dinner. After dinner, Chris had to make the drive back home. It was really a spectacular weekend and I couldn't have asked for anything better. (Except maybe less storms.)
Yesterday, I volunteered at the hospital again. It was a little more exciting than usual, mostly because there were more surgeries going on so the lobby wasn't empty. I also had a number of questions I had never dealt with before, but I am getting a lot more comfortable with the whole thing. Unfortunately, I had to give information on a patient that had passed away for the first time. It was over the phone, so it wasn't too bad. It made me sad, but that's the job. I have a lot of time to read and do puzzles and other things during my shift, and I read some pretty interesting things about the digestive system. The book I am reading is called Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is at all curious about how the human body works. It gives a lot of interesting information on how your body functions during different times a day.
I am looking forward to volunteering at the assisted living facility tomorrow evening. It will be a nice change of atmosphere from the hospital. My sister and I get to hand out ice cream and drinks for a concert there, so it should be fun. I also have to clean the house and work out tomorrow. Thursday I am planning on going with my best friend to her grandfather's house, and Friday hopefully I'll make it to the beach! I am pretty glad for the busy week since this summer didn't really turn out the way I had hoped. Only three weeks until I move back to school though!
In case you're wondering how studying for the MCAT is going, I am finally into some of the chemistry portion of the class on WikiPremed, and my stack of flashcards is about two inches thick so far.
As always, thanks for reading and God bless!
My boyfriend, Chris, drove about six hours to visit me, and we had an extremely fun time. He got here Thursday afternoon/evening and we rented The Lincoln Lawyer from Redbox. It was a pretty awesome movie and I definitely recommend it. The next day, we went to Zoombezi Bay Water Park and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It was a blast. We got there shortly after it opened so we didn't have to wait very long to ride the water slides. Once more people started to arrive, we spent some time in the wave pool, then the rest of our time was spent relaxing and chatting in the lazy river. We went to the zoo for lunch and to observe all of the animals. We returned to the water park to spend more time in the lazy river until we decided we wanted to ride more slides. However, as soon as we got to the end of the line after climbing the entire set of stairs, the park closed all of their attractions due to a huge thunderstorm we saw rolling in. While most of the people left the park and went home, some of us stayed, and while the rest of the people who stayed were taking cover everywhere they could, Chris and I sat on a bench. We were already in our bathing suits at a water park, so what was the point in trying to stay dry? After we learned that they would not open the slides again until a half hour after the last sight of lightning, we decided to go back to the zoo. We went to see the polar bears, but they weren't out so we sat on a bench and talked some more. That night, my mom ordered pizza and Chris and I baked a cake for fun. We were so tired by the end of the day and slept really well that night.
Saturday, we drove to a mall about fifteen minutes away and shopped for a few hours. We weren't really impressed with the mall though, and ended up shopping at the mall right by my house. I got a ton of new clothes and a new pair of shoes thanks to Chris! I could have shopped longer than we did, but we had to hurry home so my sister could get ready for a concert we were taking her to. After we dropped her off, we went to the musical Chicago. It was a great show and we were both impressed by the talent. We had to fight traffic to get out of the city, and then a huge thunderstorm hit just as we got close to my house. I had to run inside in the pouring rain in my new dress! It was pretty late when we got back so we just cooked a frozen pizza and watched TV until we were ready to go to sleep, which didn't take long at all.
Sunday we went to church and I saw one of my high school teachers. It was nice to see her after two years. After church, Chris tuned up my mom's bike and I made grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. The rest of the day was spent watching movies until dinner. After dinner, Chris had to make the drive back home. It was really a spectacular weekend and I couldn't have asked for anything better. (Except maybe less storms.)
Yesterday, I volunteered at the hospital again. It was a little more exciting than usual, mostly because there were more surgeries going on so the lobby wasn't empty. I also had a number of questions I had never dealt with before, but I am getting a lot more comfortable with the whole thing. Unfortunately, I had to give information on a patient that had passed away for the first time. It was over the phone, so it wasn't too bad. It made me sad, but that's the job. I have a lot of time to read and do puzzles and other things during my shift, and I read some pretty interesting things about the digestive system. The book I am reading is called Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is at all curious about how the human body works. It gives a lot of interesting information on how your body functions during different times a day.
I am looking forward to volunteering at the assisted living facility tomorrow evening. It will be a nice change of atmosphere from the hospital. My sister and I get to hand out ice cream and drinks for a concert there, so it should be fun. I also have to clean the house and work out tomorrow. Thursday I am planning on going with my best friend to her grandfather's house, and Friday hopefully I'll make it to the beach! I am pretty glad for the busy week since this summer didn't really turn out the way I had hoped. Only three weeks until I move back to school though!
In case you're wondering how studying for the MCAT is going, I am finally into some of the chemistry portion of the class on WikiPremed, and my stack of flashcards is about two inches thick so far.
As always, thanks for reading and God bless!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Another Day of Volunteering at the Hospital
I am a little disappointed in my volunteer experience at the hospital. My reason for volunteering was to have patient interaction and I have been getting about zero. I take care of the patient information desk by myself so all I am allowed to do is answer phones and direct people where to go. I still enjoy being helpful, but it just isn't fulfilling my desires as much as I had hoped.
However, my sister and I toured a senior residential community/assisted living/nursing facility and are pretty excited to start volunteering there within the next week or so. There I know we will get one-on-one interaction with the residents.
One detail I have to share about my experience at the hospital today was something that happened shortly after my shift started. Somehow, a little boy got his shirt stuck in the entry doors and couldn't move. It was so funny and his dad had to walk across the lobby to set off the sensors to open the doors so he could break free. It pretty much made my day.
The MCAT class I am taking online is pretty boring, but it has a lot of useful information and I'm sure making myself sit through the videos will eventually pay off.
I suppose that is all that has really been happening lately. It has been crazy hot outside, which makes it hard to be motivated to complete my workouts, but I just have to push through it if I want to throw in California next year. Maybe next time I'll write a little bit on the books I have been reading.
Thanks for reading! God bless.
However, my sister and I toured a senior residential community/assisted living/nursing facility and are pretty excited to start volunteering there within the next week or so. There I know we will get one-on-one interaction with the residents.
One detail I have to share about my experience at the hospital today was something that happened shortly after my shift started. Somehow, a little boy got his shirt stuck in the entry doors and couldn't move. It was so funny and his dad had to walk across the lobby to set off the sensors to open the doors so he could break free. It pretty much made my day.
The MCAT class I am taking online is pretty boring, but it has a lot of useful information and I'm sure making myself sit through the videos will eventually pay off.
I suppose that is all that has really been happening lately. It has been crazy hot outside, which makes it hard to be motivated to complete my workouts, but I just have to push through it if I want to throw in California next year. Maybe next time I'll write a little bit on the books I have been reading.
Thanks for reading! God bless.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
What. A. Week.
I'm sorry for those of you that have been repeatedly checking back to see if I have posted something new in the past two weeks (MOM). I have done pretty much zero studying, and haven't really been home. Last Friday, I went to Indiana to visit family, go to a wedding, and traditionally celebrate the 4th of July.
When I got home on Wednesday, I unpacked to repack for Cincinnati on Thursday. I accompanied my mother to the North American Christian Convention, "Unleashed". What an experience it was. We only went for the one day even though it lasted all week, but it was our first time attending such an event. Honestly, it was completely exhausting physically. We woke up at 6am, drove two hours to Cincinnati, listened to a number of wonderful speakers, sang praise songs, attended workshops, zig-zagged our way through a huge room of exhibits, and spoke with many people about all sorts of things.
We bought some things from the Rapha House, supporting the rescue and support of girls exposed to slavery and sexual exploitation. You can visit their website at http://www.raphahouse.org/ if you are interested in learning more or would like to help support the cause. We also spoke with many different organizations about mission opportunities since I am interested in traveling to Europe for a cause. I probably won't have time to travel next summer, but a trip after graduation is being kept in the back of my mind.
The speakers we listened to at the convention were uplifting. They had some great ideas and wisdom to share. One of them was also a comedian, and connects to her audience through laughter. We arrived to our hotel around 10pm and didn't want to do anything but sleep. Although physically exhausting, it was definitely spiritually refreshing. I am seriously considering attending next year's convention in Orlando.
Yesterday, I volunteered at the hospital for the second time. Once again, I couldn't help but smile as I was assisting with all sorts of people and tasks. I met some other great volunteers and we enjoyed each others company when work was slow. I even found out one of them attends the same church I do. I discharged a few patients by myself and ran specimens to the lab. I answered many phone calls and directed many people to where they needed to go. I became much more familiar with the hospital and believe I am ready to take on the job next week by myself.
Because I only volunteer at the hospital once a week, I have been looking into other volunteer opportunities since getting a job didn't really work out. At the convention, I spoke with a man involved with one of the assisted living communities and asked if they had a need for short-term volunteers. He told me they absolutely had a need, so I plan on calling the facility early next week to see what I can do for them.
Not much is happening around here otherwise. My best friend just returned from a study/internship abroad experience in New Zealand, so I am definitely looking forward to hearing all about her trip and having someone to hang out with for the rest of summer. I need to get back to lifting weights and working out next week and step up studying after my "vacation". I am definitely looking forward to getting back to real life when I return to school in August.
Sorry this post wasn't more exciting, but thanks for reading!
When I got home on Wednesday, I unpacked to repack for Cincinnati on Thursday. I accompanied my mother to the North American Christian Convention, "Unleashed". What an experience it was. We only went for the one day even though it lasted all week, but it was our first time attending such an event. Honestly, it was completely exhausting physically. We woke up at 6am, drove two hours to Cincinnati, listened to a number of wonderful speakers, sang praise songs, attended workshops, zig-zagged our way through a huge room of exhibits, and spoke with many people about all sorts of things.
We bought some things from the Rapha House, supporting the rescue and support of girls exposed to slavery and sexual exploitation. You can visit their website at http://www.raphahouse.org/ if you are interested in learning more or would like to help support the cause. We also spoke with many different organizations about mission opportunities since I am interested in traveling to Europe for a cause. I probably won't have time to travel next summer, but a trip after graduation is being kept in the back of my mind.
The speakers we listened to at the convention were uplifting. They had some great ideas and wisdom to share. One of them was also a comedian, and connects to her audience through laughter. We arrived to our hotel around 10pm and didn't want to do anything but sleep. Although physically exhausting, it was definitely spiritually refreshing. I am seriously considering attending next year's convention in Orlando.
Yesterday, I volunteered at the hospital for the second time. Once again, I couldn't help but smile as I was assisting with all sorts of people and tasks. I met some other great volunteers and we enjoyed each others company when work was slow. I even found out one of them attends the same church I do. I discharged a few patients by myself and ran specimens to the lab. I answered many phone calls and directed many people to where they needed to go. I became much more familiar with the hospital and believe I am ready to take on the job next week by myself.
Because I only volunteer at the hospital once a week, I have been looking into other volunteer opportunities since getting a job didn't really work out. At the convention, I spoke with a man involved with one of the assisted living communities and asked if they had a need for short-term volunteers. He told me they absolutely had a need, so I plan on calling the facility early next week to see what I can do for them.
Not much is happening around here otherwise. My best friend just returned from a study/internship abroad experience in New Zealand, so I am definitely looking forward to hearing all about her trip and having someone to hang out with for the rest of summer. I need to get back to lifting weights and working out next week and step up studying after my "vacation". I am definitely looking forward to getting back to real life when I return to school in August.
Sorry this post wasn't more exciting, but thanks for reading!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Hospital Volunteer: Day 1
Today was my first day volunteering at the hospital! It was a training day, so I had a wonderful group of ladies to show me the ropes. I work at the patient information desk so basically I do everything. I can give visitors room numbers, answer questions, direct people, take food or flowers to rooms, and discharge patients.
The minute I got to the desk today, a very old lady was having trouble with her computer. She could not connect to the wi-fi in the hospital. The other ladies at the patient information desk were also older, so they didn't know how to help her. Luckily, I knew just how to get her connected. The issue didn't end there, however. She didn't know how to send an email. Since that kind of thing is so easy for the younger crowd (like me), I taught her how to send a message to her daughter. She was having trouble reading the screen and typing on her new keyboard, so I offered to type the message for her. After I sent the message, we sat and talked for probably a good five to ten minutes. It felt great to help someone out, and she was so thankful. It was a really good start to the day.
After that, the ladies at the desk ran through the basics with me. I then toured the maternity pavilion and ICU units. I also went on any type of run we got a call for, which included taking food from nutrition services to the chest pain unit, taking paperwork to a nurse's station, and discharging a patient. I also got a grand tour of the radiology, cardiology, emergency, surgery, and chest pain departments.
Toward the end of my time volunteering, I was answering phones and directing visitors on my own. I also got to discharge my own patient! I couldn't stop smiling the entire time I was there. I suppose that's a pretty good sign. My cheeks hurt a little, though. Unfortunately, it wasn't as busy today as it usually is, so it wasn't as exciting as it could have been. I will be training again next week and the following week I'll be on my own! I'm pretty excited for it and am really glad I chose to spend some of my time volunteering this summer. I might have to pick up some more hours!
The minute I got to the desk today, a very old lady was having trouble with her computer. She could not connect to the wi-fi in the hospital. The other ladies at the patient information desk were also older, so they didn't know how to help her. Luckily, I knew just how to get her connected. The issue didn't end there, however. She didn't know how to send an email. Since that kind of thing is so easy for the younger crowd (like me), I taught her how to send a message to her daughter. She was having trouble reading the screen and typing on her new keyboard, so I offered to type the message for her. After I sent the message, we sat and talked for probably a good five to ten minutes. It felt great to help someone out, and she was so thankful. It was a really good start to the day.
After that, the ladies at the desk ran through the basics with me. I then toured the maternity pavilion and ICU units. I also went on any type of run we got a call for, which included taking food from nutrition services to the chest pain unit, taking paperwork to a nurse's station, and discharging a patient. I also got a grand tour of the radiology, cardiology, emergency, surgery, and chest pain departments.
Toward the end of my time volunteering, I was answering phones and directing visitors on my own. I also got to discharge my own patient! I couldn't stop smiling the entire time I was there. I suppose that's a pretty good sign. My cheeks hurt a little, though. Unfortunately, it wasn't as busy today as it usually is, so it wasn't as exciting as it could have been. I will be training again next week and the following week I'll be on my own! I'm pretty excited for it and am really glad I chose to spend some of my time volunteering this summer. I might have to pick up some more hours!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
What I'm Doing Now to Prepare
I studied A LOT today. I'm trying to get a lot of studying for the MCAT out of the way over my summer break because I know time will be limited once school starts in two months. I am doing a few things either every day or at least regularly to prepare myself for the admissions process:
- I have been "attending" class at http://www.wikipremed.com/. This site has a completely free MCAT course to take online. It features online videos in a spiraling curriculum to cover topics in physical and biological sciences. A spiraling curriculum means that you don't just cover one science group at a time, but rather look at each topic in the entire context of the sciences. That way, you can more easily see how everything in your science courses tie in with each other. The site also has many more resources for premeds (such as review cards, crosswords, vocabulary, etc), and none of the site is restricted. Printed material is available to purchase if you learn better that way, or just want even more practice. I would highly recommend this site to anyone preparing for medical school. It would be a really helpful resource to everyone in the undergraduate sciences, but it definitely takes a lot of time as there are hours of video review. I have been taking notes on the videos and have put together a binder with the outline of the course so I can have all the notes in one place.
- I downloaded the "MCAT A Day" app on my IPod Touch. I have this huge dry erase board in my room and every morning when I wake up I write the MCAT question of the day from the app along with the date and a bible verse (usually from the app "365 Devotions"). This is great because I am in the habit of practicing at least one MCAT question every single day. It even gives you an explanation of the correct answers and why the other answers were wrong. Also a highly recommended resource for future medical students.
- I bought and read The Medical School Admissions Guide by Suzanne M. Miller, MD, and use it as a resource. It is a week-by-week guide to medical school admissions written by a Harvard graduate who has been through it all and is now helping other students pursue their physician dreams. In the book, Dr. Miller discusses everything from the money you will spend during the admissions process, to recommendations, MCAT preparation, applications, essays, interviews, and decisions. It is a fantastic resource on the entire process, although not specifically geared toward MD/PhDs.
- I keep a virtual journal called iDailyDiary. You can download it from http://download.cnet.com/iDailyDiary-Free/3000-2124_4-10211308.html?tag=mncol;1 and it is totally free. I use this to take note of any volunteer, work, academic, or volunteer experiences so I can discuss them in detail later if ever asked to write an essay on any of them or asked questions about them in an interview. I also want to have enough information to be able to fill out the activities section on the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) in great detail. Even more, I like to use the admissions book stated above (in #3) and other resources to get examples of questions asked on essays and in interviews to brainstorm in my journal possible answers. This way I won't be forcing my brain to think about a topic enough to write an entire essay when I have never thought about it before.
- I have started volunteering weekly at a local hospital. It is not a clinical position (volunteers are not allowed to touch patients) but I will be spending time in a clinical setting and will have many opportunities to interact with patients and medical professionals. This will also be an experience I can add to my activities section or be able to discuss in essays and interviews.
- I read PreMed Life magazine at http://www.premedlife.com/ (another free resource). It gives a lot of different information for premeds and comes out about once every other month. There are many different types of articles in each issue and every issue has a list of books to read, a list of gadgets to look into, and a specialty spotlight. It also features a list of summer premed programs across the nation (and a few in other countries).
- I have been reading medical-related books for pleasure. Some I get off the book list in PreMed Life magazine, and others I just find browsing the library bookshelves. Right now I am reading the book BioMedical Ethics, a book in the "Opposing Viewpoints" series from Greenhaven Press. This book looks at each side of many different ethical issues in medicine including stem cell research, organ transplantation, reproductive technology, and human genetic testing. I have not gotten very far yet, but may give a review later in the blog after I have finished. Recently I finished How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, MD. Although not exactly the most exciting read, it definitely got me thinking. It pointed out a lot of ways doctors are trained to think and how it can be good or bad in different situations, and also how you as a patient can ask questions and communicate with your doctor in order to find a correct diagnosis for any problem you may be having. It opened up my eyes to a lot of things that enhances my desire to be a communicator between physicians and scientists so we can improve the quality of medical care.
- I researched a lot of schools and have narrowed my list to 11 different schools. I have made a sheet for each school that includes information about the school itself, its MD/PhD program, and the location it is in. Information such as the curriculum, the graduate programs offered, and activities students participate in is included on the sheets among other things. These sheets have been placed into a binder and are ranked from my top choice on. The ranks are definitely not set in stone as I haven't even visited most of the schools yet. I plan to place all of my application and interview information and materials in the binder with its corresponding school.
- I have been working closely with my academic advisors to make sure I am taking all the recommended courses throughout my undergraduate career in order to make sure I am ready for the challenge of medical and graduate schools.
Well I think that's pretty much all I've been doing so far (not that it isn't enough). If I think of something else I will add it later. Now I will list just a few things I plan on doing in the near future to help me prepare:
- Make flashcards for the MCAT
- Review for the MCAT using my notes and a review book
- Take practice MCATs
- Start a research project
- Continue to do what I have already started
I think I have a pretty good list here. It may seem like a lot, and it is, but it doesn't seem so bad when you do a little at a time. It also helps that it is impossible to get a summer job around here. I'm doing odd jobs for a few bucks here and there, and may be increasing my volunteer work this summer. Totally unrelated to my preparation for an MD/PhD program is that I am training year-round as a hammer and discus thrower on my track and field team. I have potential to compete at the national competition, so I am working hard! I have found it very difficult to find motivation to work out a lot of days during the summer, but if I want to get to California to compete next season, I know I have to suck it up, step it up, and work as hard as I can for it. I think that's all for now. Thanks for reading!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
So What's a Combined MD/PhD Program Anyway?
As the title suggests, at the end of the program you will come out with two degrees: MD and PhD. The PhD is usually in one of the biomedical sciences, but doesn't always have to be. Such a program usually takes 7 or 8 years and is very challenging (which is probably why I am so attracted to it).
Who should consider an MD/PhD program?
Basically, a good candidate loves science, loves research even more, loves medicine, and loves caring for other people. Also, if you have any interest in teaching medicine, this program can definitely help get you there. You must also enjoy a challenge because a 7 or 8 year academic commitment is a big deal.
Why am I considering an MD/PhD program?
Who should consider an MD/PhD program?
Basically, a good candidate loves science, loves research even more, loves medicine, and loves caring for other people. Also, if you have any interest in teaching medicine, this program can definitely help get you there. You must also enjoy a challenge because a 7 or 8 year academic commitment is a big deal.
Why am I considering an MD/PhD program?
- I have a passion for helping others
- I love working in the lab
- I have a passion for learning new things
- I love puzzles and challenges
- I love teaching others what I know
- I am a great organizer and have great time management skills
- I am a great communicator and want to use this skill for bridging the gap between physicians and scientists
- When I found out about this program, I had an "AHA!" moment
What is the curriculum like?
Each individual school has their own curriculum, but most follow the same general path. Basically, you can plan to spend two years in medical school, then transition to graduate school to take graduate-level courses, do research, and work on your thesis, and return to medical school to finish your clinical training upon finishing your PhD work.
What does it take to be accepted?
These programs are very competitive and take a lot of hard work to be a part of. There is no direct path, as all kinds of different people make up the MD/PhD community. However, to better your chances, you should have a pretty high GPA, a great MCAT score, and be able to demonstrate how much you love research (by being able to discuss research experiences you have engaged in). You will need to meet the requirements for both medical and graduate school, so be sure to look individually at each program you are interested in.
An extra perk:
Although definitely not a reason to apply to MD/PhD programs, an added perk is that they usually will pay your tuition and fees and provide you with a stipend. Most also cover your insurance or at least subsidize it. Many schools get funding through the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and call their program MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program).
Introduction
Hello. My name is Jamie. I am a chemistry and premed student at Trine University. I have decided to start a blog about my journey in my goal of being accepted into a combined MD/PhD program. Mostly my reason behind this is that as I became interested in this type of program, I could not find very many resources out there for the admission process. There is a ton of information for getting into medical school, but limited information is available for future physician-scientists. I am hoping to blog about everything from my work and volunteer experiences, to research and classes, to preparing for the MCAT, to the application and interview process, and everything in between. Comments and questions are always welcome, and I hope my experiences can provide valuable information to anyone else interested in this combined degree program.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)