My Pre-Med Journey: Deciding on a Career in Medicine
- Aubrey Jackson
- Jun 7, 2023
- 4 min read
When attending high school and college, keep an open mind. These are years of your life when your identity and interests change significantly. Your childhood dream was limited to the small amount of information and experience you had as a child. For example, you would likely know about doctors, dentists, nurses, and school counselors but less about careers like physician assistants, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and surgical technologists.
I was not one of those people who wanted to be a doctor before they could remember. I wanted to be a veterinarian. I shadowed one in high school, and my instinct on day 1 was that it was not for me at all, despite my lifelong love of animals. I still knew I loved science and desired a career in a service profession, so I still considered myself pre-health.
I was fortunate to join a pre-health club at my college that exposed students to a different health profession each week. If something like that is not available at your college, it may be worth attending meetings of clubs that target specific careers (without necessarily becoming a member). If you decide on a healthcare career, I also recommend taking at least a few courses in a subject unrelated to science that interests you. This decision will force you to think of other possibilities before you commit. As a Christian, it was crucial to pray with every step, asking God to open my mind to all my choices and guide me to the career meant for me. I ultimately chose a combined biology and political science major and pursued a pre-med track.
Once you discover your passions, you may not want to have a plan B. This idea is a controversial statement to make, but I stand by it. Putting in the work of exploring different career choices to make a definitive, educated choice will save you time and energy in the long run. This decision is especially applicable to medicine and healthcare. Many of my peers hoping to become doctors with a backup ended up pursuing their backup. When you do not fully commit to something, you allow yourself to be okay with several outcomes instead of doing what it takes to dedicate yourself to your goals.
There is nothing wrong with the careers frequently chosen as back-ups to medicine (physician assistant school, nursing school, etc.), but only pursue these careers because it is what you want to do in life, not because you do not believe in yourself enough to get into medical school. I have met many fantastic healthcare professionals who truly love their profession. I also have met individuals in these careers who "settled" because they wanted to go to medical school but decided not to because of the length of training or because they did not think medical schools would accept them. There are numerous individuals, many of whom I have attended medical school with, who pursued a healthcare profession and ultimately discovered that their desired role in healthcare was as a physician, so they decided to return to school. I believe their experience in another healthcare role will make them better physicians; however, they could have saved a significant amount of time, energy, and money if they had explored their options more in-depth and committed to their first-choice career.
When you decide to become a doctor, be confident in that choice. The only backup you should have if every school you apply to rejects you is to reflect on your application, gain additional experiences to improve your candidacy, retake the MCAT if needed, and reapply the following year with professional help.
Whatever career you decide on (especially medicine), you may have people in your life who discourage you. They may tell you that you are not smart enough for it, that you do not have the personality for it, that you do not have the grades for it, or that you do not have enough experience. There will be people who discourage you and attempt to sway you into doing something else. There is no good way to respond to discouragement besides proving them wrong. You know yourself and what you are capable of. Surround yourself with encouragers instead, and keep heading toward your goal.
In the related episode of First Line, I shared more about my story. Many of my listeners have found my story relatable and motivating, especially for listeners currently navigating career choices (at any age).
Check out my other episodes specific to the pre-med experience: