Blog Post Focus: Using Advisors
In this blog post I will discuss the resource of an undergraduate institutions advisors for those interested in medical school. It is a resource available to you that can be particularly beneficial. It may not always be enjoyable or easy, but it is generally required.
Introduction – Importance of Pre-Medical Advisors
Utilizing your undergraduate institution’s pre-medical advisors is a must. They can be an invaluable asset to your journey in pursuing medicine and meeting with them may be a requirement of your institution in applying to medical school. Having the approval of your pre-medical office and advisors may be necessary in applying to medical school to have the backing of your institution.
Location
To utilize your undergraduate institution’s pre-medical office and advisors first requires that you locate them. To find a pre-medical advisor you can check your institution’s website. Your undergraduate institution is almost certain to have one. For example, see the following link to USC Dornsife’s page for pre-health students and advisors, https://dornsife.usc.edu/pre-health/.
If you are having trouble locating an advisor through your institution’s website, simply meet with the health sciences, biology, or chemistry department professors and ask them to point you in the right direction. These departments tend to be involved with the pre-medical office and advisors.
What do Advisors Do?
It is the job of the advisors in this office to help students discern their path and to guide them. They have helped several students before you and can provide you with valuable information regarding the process and your specific situation. They coordinate with the undergraduate institution so that they are aware of any institutional requirements that you may have as a student before applying to medical school.
Individuation
These advisors should take your specific situation into account. They can help you understand what is required by the institution to apply to medical school. They can help you determine what classes you need to meet those requirements and timelines. They can help you determine realistically how competitive you are as a medical school applicant and your chances of success. They can help you decide which medical schools you should or shouldn’t apply to.
Preparing to Meet with Advisors
Once you set up a meeting with the advisors, prepare for the meeting. Dress business casual or more professionally. Have a notepad and pen ready for taking notes. Have a copy of your classes. Be ready to discuss why you want to pursue medicine and anything related to medicine you may have already done, such as shadowing a physician, or working as a scribe, etc. Also, have a CV ready—a list of accomplishments you have up to this point in your life, volunteer experience, and work experience. These can all help the advisor understand you better and be better prepared to advise you.
When you meet with the advisor, understand that it is their job to advise you. You may or may not like what they have to say. They may think you are wonderfully prepared and have nothing more to tell you…highly unlikely. Even if you are well-prepare in their eyes, they will have good information on your competitiveness and chances of acceptance into medical school.
If they think you are not prepared they may recommend you take certain classes—even extra classes—or do additional volunteer work or certain activities to be a stronger candidate. It is possible they may tell you that they do not recommend you apply for medical school. They may even tell you that you come across as someone superficially applying to medical school.
All these possible outcomes with the advisor illustrate that they will tell you what they think. If they think you are ready for medical school—great, you have affirmation. If they think you could be a good candidate, but need additional classes or activities, then you have affirmation and fortunately found them at a good time to bolster your application.
If they think you are not a good candidate for medicine or should not apply it is not because they don’t like you. It is because they don’t want to waste your time and do not want you to waste your time. It may be painful, but pursuing something expensive and time-consuming if you do not realistically have a shot is a waste of time and money and an expenditure of emotional energy.
Conclusion
Regardless of the advisement you receive you should reflect on it and put it into action as able. If they recommend you do certain things, find out how to do them. If you don’t enact the advice then you wasted their advice. If they told you that you are not a good candidate for medicine see if you truly have a passion for medicine and a reason to overcome the odds, or if there is something better for you.
Good luck.