Chase DiMarco talks to Dr. Ben White, a Neuroradiologist with three books and a long-running website (BenWhite.com.) Dr. White shares practical advice for med students gathered from spending over a decade in the MedEd space.
- [00:45] Getting to Know Dr. Ben White
- [05:50] Comparing Medical Books of Today and From 10 Years Ago
- [09:10] Online Resources for Medical Students
- [12:00] Curriculum Replacement Platforms
- [14:40] The Future of Med School is Online
- [18:30] Why Soft Skills are Essential in Med School
- [21:50] Extracurricular Activities and Med School Admissions
- [26:16] Mental Health and Attitudes in Medicine
- [28:40] Parting Thoughts
Online Resources for Medical Students
If you’re like most medical students, you probably joined medical school with zero knowledge on the type of resources you should have in your arsenal. In fact, most students admit that the more pronounced issue during the first few days of medical school isn’t necessarily a lack of effort, rather not knowing how to study for medical school. Of course, school-based tutorials and lectures provide an excellent learning foundation, but they still lack the useful tools that help you consolidate knowledge or study at your own pace.
If you’re facing such a dilemma, what can you do? Do you buy and read the latest textbooks? Attend all lectures and write notes? Or do you subscribe to high-end online products or services and hope for the best? For the most part, getting help from online resources is recommended. However, always ensure the service is the right fit. They don’t come cheap, and the least you can do is ensure you’re getting value for money. And if you have access to free high-quality resources, then well and good. If not, try out services with free trials and test them before committing to anything.
Curriculum Replacement Platforms
The past couple of years has witnessed an increase in the number of online resources available to medical students. When combined with the traditional learning resources such as textbooks, and lectures, most experts agree that students nowadays should enjoy far better outcomes than before. But are curriculum replacement platforms really worth the effort? First, student preference for online learning resources mostly boils down to terrible physical lectures. Some lectures can only be defined as mediocre, while others do nothing to improve student outcomes. What these online platforms do is they get the best material, upload them to their platforms and charge students for it. This makes it easier for students to access high-quality material from Ivy League lecturers instead of the mediocre material in some of their med school classes.
Extracurricular Activities and Med School Admissions
It’s no secret; Almost every student who applies to medical school will have exceptional grades and MCAT scores. And thanks to the fiercely competitive nature of med school applications, you need something extra, other than good grades, to get into med school. So, what can you do to stand out and secure a place in your dream school? Well, first of all, you need a set of impressive extracurricular activities to demonstrate your commitment to lifelong learning. Plus, admissions officers are always looking for students who prove themselves in and out of medicine. And in the current pandemic world that we live in, that might involve a solid online presence. For example, hosting a podcast, having an active YouTube channel, or a strong social media presence. However, care should be taken when adding your online resume to your med school application. Remember, the internet never forgets. And one small mistake can be detrimental to your application.
Resources:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benwhitemd
Twitter: benwhitemd
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-white-md/
For more study tips, grab a copy of Read This Before Medical School. Don’t forget to leave a rating! Share your experiences, tips, and suggestions to [email protected]. Or you can directly reach out to Chase on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram. Join the Medical Mnemonist Master Mind Facebook group and find our Blog posts, Podcasts, and other Resources at FreeMedEd.org!
