If you’re an undergraduate student who’s interested in becoming a pre-med, but doesn’t know where to where to start, here’s a guide to get you on the right track.
Familiarize Yourself With the Pre-Med or Pre-Health Advising Website
Most colleges have some type of pre-med/pre-health advising department, so familiarize yourself with their online offerings. This website usually provides information on which courses to take, which extracurriculars are important to participate in, and how to obtain letters of recommendation.
Meet With a Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advisor
Given that the pre-med process is a multi-year process, you want to start cultivating a relationship with your advisor. This will enable your advisor to provide more personalized and strategic guidance to you. Schedule an initial meeting to introduce yourself, ask questions, and listen to any advice your advisor offers.
Join Pre-Med/Pre-Health Student Organizations
These clubs provide resources that help you find relevant extracurriculars, such as shadowing, clinical work, research, or community service. Additionally, they provide guidance on the application process, how to connect with relevant faculty and staff, and provide opportunities to learn from expert guest speakers. These organizations can be a local chapter of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) or a medical fraternity like Phi Delta Epsilon. But sometimes it’s a standalone club, like Stanford Pre-Medical Association. Here are some MedSchoolCoach students groups that we partner with that you may be interested in.
Take Advantage of Free Pre-Med Resources
These websites provide information on everything you need to know about being pre-med, including the application process:
- AAMC – The Association of American Medical Colleges is the official website for all things related to allopathic medical (MD) schools. This is the organization through which you’ll apply to MD schools later on. Furthermore, the AAMC has great information about the pre-med process on their Premed Navigator.
- AACOM – The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine is the official website for all things related to osteopathic medical (DO) schools. This is the organization through which you’ll apply to DO schools later on. Given that many pre-meds are not familiar with osteopathic medicine, you should learn what osteopathic medicine is early on.
- AMSA – The American Medical Student Association is the largest and oldest association in the United States for aspiring doctors. It is run by students and includes doctors, residents, interns, medical students, and pre-med students.
- ProspectiveDoctor – Don’t forget about us. Our entire website is geared toward pre-meds like you – with articles, videos, podcasts, databases, assessment tools, and more on how to tackle and optimize every facet of the pre-med journey.
Need more help navigating your pre-med journey? MedSchoolCoach has a team of physician advisors who help students get situated as pre-meds. Schedule a free consultation with a MedSchoolCoach enrollment advisor and they’ll help you get on your way toward becoming a physician.
