The Pre-Med Diary

 Just a broke Canadian undergraduate student offering advice and support to fellow pre-meds who are determined to stay sane throughout this journey!

[thepremeddiary-blog]

Deciding Where to Apply and What to Apply For

Regardless of where you live, you need to choose a university and a program. This is a crucial step in your journey to attending med school! Since I’m Canadian and I don’t know much (I know nothing) about the American or UK processes, I’m only going to write about what I know in order to avoid misinformation! :)

The most important thing to do is RESEARCH your university choices and program options. I know, its annoying. You’re midway through first semester, drowing in tests and assignments. The last thing you want to do is EXTRA research but it will save you so much time and reduce stress in the long run!

Choose a program that you are interested in! Don’t apply for a program because you think it will impress med school admissions officers in the future. Keep in mind that medical schools in Canada do NOT care about your major. As long as you obtain a degree from an accredited institute of education you can apply for an MD degree! I have spoken to numerous medical students who have bachelor’s degrees in music, visual arts, geography, etc. If that is where your passions lie, go for it! Just make sure that you take the correct med school pre-requisite courses once you are in university (since they won’t be built into your program structure) and be able to explain why you didn’t choose a science based major (when you are invited to an interview)! One last thing to remember is that medical schools in Canada (especially Ontario) don’t necessarily care where you obtained your Bachelor’s degree. Most medical schools place an emphasis on your marks,, extracurriculars and MCAT scores so don’t let the prestige of a school affect your final decision. A 3.3 obtained at McGill won’t exactly be more favourable compared to a 3.95 from Guelph, although they may take into consideration that McGill is a tougher school in a general sense. 

Don’t be afraid to contact the university. If you have questions make a phone call (Stressful, I know) or send out an email! Most universities reply within a few days and they are more than happy to provide information!

Once you’ve decided where to apply and what program to apply for, make sure that you have taken or are taking all the pre-requisite courses for that program! Check online or contact them through email to find out what the necessary courses are and what the cutoff averages are!

Lastly, have a backup option! If all else fails you don’t want to be returning for another year when you could be getting your life started. Choose a backup school and program that you KNOW you’ll get into!

Best of luck! XOXO

-Anon

[soloelprincipio]

[thepremeddiary-blog]

Five Study Tips For High School and Beyond

1. Decide What Works For You: Every student is different and as a result all individuals learn and retain information in different ways and in different settings! Find out which study setting makes you the most productive and efficient learner. Studying alone can help you focus on the task alone without any added distractions. Studying with a group of students who are serious about learning the material allows you to ask questions when you are doubtful and aids in learning to think in ways that may be different from what you’re accustomed to. 

2. Avoid Distractions: Technology; we love it and we can’t get enough of it! Unfortunately, technology is the main form of distraction amongst students in North America. When studying, turn off all electronic devices that aren’t necessary for you to  complete your task. If you really can’t control yourself, try putting all your devices away until you are 100% finished with schoolwork for the day. If you ABSOLUTELY can't control yourself, there are apps available for  smartphones, laptops etc that block specific websites (of your choosing) for a particular amount of time  (also of your choosing). I know it is very tempting to reward yourself with a “quick glance” at your phone after a few minutes of review but it is much more rewarding to stalk your ex’s Instagram after you’ve completed all your studying for the day!

3. Narrow It Down: When you first sit down to begin the studying process you may have about 50 or so pages of notes from classes. There is no point in studying, word for word, all 50 pages. You'll end up feeling exhausted, frustrated and unmotivated to continue before you reach the midpoint! Instead, take out a fresh notebook and re-write your notes. Pull out the information that: has been emphasized in class, you do not already know, you may easily forget, key terms, dates etc. Rewriting will aid in the memorization process while also allowing you to figure out what areas need to be focused on the most. 

4. Study Methods: Each course requires a different type of study method. If you are reviewing for something that requires memorization, such as anatomy or psychology, don't just cram information into your head! Make an active effort to absorb the information and UNDERSTAND the content. In order to do this, try to make connections as you study. Link the new info with the old. ask questions such as: What does this mean? Why is this important? What impact does this have? What is being proven? What do I already know about this subtopic? When studying for mathematics keep in mind that practice makes perfect! most math problems are based on pattern recognition. Through repetition you can easily identify the various types of math problems and once you are able to do this, you simply have to manipulate the variables to solve. Lastly, for classes such as chemistry and physics keep in mind that these problems are based on applying math to real-world situations. Although practice is the most important step to take when studying for the subjects, you should focus on pulling out information from the question. Ask yourself: What is relevant? What steps should I take to solve this? What information is missing? Think outside the box and consider all possibilities (including tricks)!

5. Test Yourself: Now that you’ve finished studying you can pack up and leave right? Wrong! Test yourself! Put sticky notes over the labels in that anatomy textbook and recite, use flash cards, try that practice test without using the answer key (Yeah, I see you), ask your parents or friends to quiz you, explain the material to a classmate/ a sibling/ a pet, don't stop until you’ve gone through all your newly learned information without making a mistake!

Best of luck! XOXO

-Anon