The first in a series of first hand journey to medicine experience interviews, we have a a first year medical student from the Cumming School of Medicine here at the University of Calgary. See what she has to share about her medical school experience so far!
1. What was your undergrad degree, and why did you choose it?
I honestly did not know what I wanted to do in the 12th grade when the application for the university process came around. I knew I wanted to help people to some capacity and after exploring the options given through the Nursing program at Mount Royal University, I decided to pursue it. In my first year, I felt like I was on the wrong path and couldn’t seem to connect my goals with what I was doing. I am so glad I stuck through and continued on, because I was able to pursue a preceptorship within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which introduced to a more in depth look within the multifaceted medical field.
2. Did you always want to pursue medicine? When did you decide?
I always had the freedom to choose whatever I wished to pursue. I know many individuals go through cultural and societal pressures to pursue certain paths, and I have been fortunate enough to not be surrounded by that pressure so this has been my own choice from the beginning.
Being in my first year of medical school, I’m surrounded by all these individuals who knew from a young age that this was their path, and I just don’t empathize with this. In the past I could only plan my life in monthly increments, and that was the mentality that carried me through life. It wasn’t until I started working in hospital settings that I began to explore my options more. I knew I wanted to eventually further my education and become a Nurse Practitioner, but being a Doctor never seemed like a feasible option at the time because I could only imagine the work ethic that went into that process, and I just did not think I possessed that quality to build a successful foundation for medical school.
The moment that I really knew I wanted to pursue a medical career as a Doctor was when I lost a patient in the Labour and Delivery unit. It was my first loss as a nursing student, and it reminded me of the purpose behind all the actions I have taken so far. Being reminded of the fragility of life made me want to change the circumstances that patients undergo, within both their internal and external environments. I felt an overwhelming urge to address disparities within the health care system, and to do so I wanted to take my reach beyond and become a Doctor so I could enact this change on a larger scale. The more I explored racial and gender inequalities within health care, I began to further solidify my decision to pursue this path.
3. Engagement with extracurricular activities during undergrad, such as joining clubs, sports, volunteering, research, etc.
In high school, I was heavily involved within the Dramatic Arts. I did a little bit of everything. In the 9th grade I started off as a technician who worked behind the scenes. Getting in the 10th grade, I had the opportunity to act, and from there I became a Stage Manager and Director for plays in my last two years of high school. I was fortunate enough to win several provincial awards within my last year for the play that I directed. I also became a Drama Teacher Assistant in order to help those younger than I achieve their goals. Although this was not related to the field I ended up in, it introduced me to different skills that I did not know I excelled at.
After my first year, I became an ambassador for ATCO Energy in order to educate Albertans about oil, gas, and energy, as well as providing free cooking classes to communities through the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen. We travelled throughout Alberta and attended many events while also connecting with many Indigenous populations. I had the chance to teach a cooking class to Indigenous elementary school children as well as attend ceremonies where I had the opportunity to witness traditional dances and rituals.
I was also involved within the Nursing and Improv clubs within Mount Royal for one year. I realized I wasn’t passionate about what was being addressed within these clubs and decided to continue pursuing external opportunities.
I got more heavily involved in volunteer opportunities during my undergrad. I started off at the Children’s Hospital working at the gift shop, and then moved on as a patient and family consultant. I now volunteer within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Services.
I also volunteered at the Calgary Public Library as a children’s book reader every week, and the children I chose to read to were those we had mental or physical disabilities.
I managed to get close to some of my professors through out my initial undergrad years, and one extended the opportunity to work in her lab to study Endometriosis cells. I am now pursuing my own research in order to address health disparities that affect diasporic identities.
A Doctor from The Children’s Hospital knew of my interest to apply to medical school, and I was able to shadow him for a year in order to further expose myself to a different environment that I was not familiar with as a Nurse. I witnessed not only how a Doctor worked within a hospital environment, but also gained insight to ramifications that take a toll on one’s personal life while in this field.
I also volunteer at the Kerby Centre, which aims to assist the senior community within Calgary through food delivery.
I recently joined the South Asian Youth Mental Health team in order to address stigma behind mental health conversations, as well as make resources more accessible for members of the South Asian population. From there I have had the opportunity to create an outreach program which aims to rewrite the colonial narrative of under-represented populations through educating volunteers on lesser known mental health topics, while also implementing this education within the community.
4. Preparing and studying for the MCAT. Ex. Did anything surprise you, how many times did you take the MCAT, how long did you study, etc.
I don’t think anything could have mentally prepared me for this test. There was always test anxiety that I went through while studying, which I attempted to alleviate through journaling and exercising. I studied for the MCAT over the span of 12 months. The first ten months involved extensive studying, while the last two months were focused on applying my knowledge as well as writing different practice exams. I took the MCAT twice. Although my outcome was fine the first time, I knew I could approve my mark by further applying my knowledge. I had more experience the second time I wrote the MCAT, which alleviated my stress while writing.
The resources I used during this time were:
Exam Cracker
Kaplan Study Guides
Blueprint Prep Free MCAT Exams
Peer studying: Teaching someone what you have learned was the best way for me to retain information and understand where my knowledge was lacking.
Anatomy and Physiology colouring books: Not only did this relieve my stress, but I also had a pleasing visual to look back on if I got lost.
The study material is very dense, and I found that writing notes was not enough for me. I also watched videos in order to receive different explanations to topics. I honestly skipped some questions on my exam because I wanted to put effort into getting guaranteed full marks on questions that I knew I would be able to answer. Although you need a minimum score on your MCAT, this is not the most important part of your application. Everyone has great marks going into the medical school application and having a high MCAT score is not necessary.
5. Application process/what made your application stand out. What was the application process like?
The entire process, from applying to getting accepted is very draining but extremely worth it. I truly believe that my Top Ten made my application stand out from the beginning. This is your opportunity to write about what differentiates you from other applicants, while also relating your experiences back to your medical goals. Although it’s important to relate your experience to medical competencies, not all your topics should be based on this. I had seven topics about various experiences that showcased my medical maturity, while three topics expanded more on my personal endeavours and barriers that have shaped me. This differentiation is what I believe allowed me to be successful during the initial application process. I urge applicant to have several individuals look over your Top Ten in order to receive various perspectives and feedback. I also consulted a Doctor I was close with in order to set myself up for success. This is not necessary, but take any opportunity you have so you can receive criticism from individuals coming from diverse disciplines.
6. Any other general study tips/academic success tips.
The idea of medical school seems daunting to a lot of students, but dividing up all my work really helped me stick to a schedule. I organized my days by designating certain hours where I am most productive, towards studying. I found that investing in a tablet for note taking increased my productivity, as I wanted to study more while easily organizing my notes.
I keep three different emails so that I am able to organize my various aspects of my life better. It helps me separate important application and volunteer information from my everyday work so that nothing can get lost.
Although it is amazing to gain experience and volunteer for many organizations, I would recommend choosing a select few that you’re incredibly passionate about, and become an active leader on that committee. It is better to be a leader for a few organizations, rather than being a general member for a lot. It can be helpful for you to be a general member to gain knowledge, however I feel that showcasing your leadership role can take you towards more success.
Always ask questions during interviews, even if you have none. Try to think of things you can generally question surrounding the opportunity at hand, or about the atmosphere that only someone internally could answer to. Asking questions shows you have a general interest, and wish to pursue this opportunity seriously.
Read as much as you can, whether it’s novels or news articles. Reading helps you develop crucial vocabulary as well as improves the way you write.
Shadowing a medical professional or a Doctor is very important. I don’t feel it’s necessary, but it can really help you gain a better understanding about the inside workings of the profession you wish to go into.
Always make time for yourself, regardless of how busy your schedule may be. Suffering from education burnout is common, but it can be avoided by taking care of your internal and external surroundings. I always leave my Sundays open to relax or work on a limited number of items off my to do list. Staying proactive and finding balance amongst all your commitments will make this much easier to achieve.
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