How To Start Your Pre-Med Journey in High School
An aspiring high school student looking to get into a top-tier college or program to begin their journey as a doctor will probably be taking extreme amounts of AP/IB classes, joining many clubs and extracurricular activities, and tutoring in their spare time/giving back to the community. Now, all of this is great, but how do you separate yourself from others who are taking the same number of strenuous classes, activities, and hours of tutoring? It’s not how many of each that matters as much anymore, but the type of AP classes, activities, and volunteer hours that are done.
Most students aim to take around 11 - 14 AP/IB classes, however, which science classes look the best on your transcript if you are applying as a pre-med undergraduate or to an MD-guaranteed program? Regarding AP classes, the best classes to take are AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1, Physics 2, and Calculus BC. The best IB classes to take include IB Chemistry, Biology, and Physics (all of which are better taken as an HL course). An advantage that IB provides over AP is also the opportunity to get the IB diploma, which is great to have regardless of what major you are applying to. If you are also wondering what electives look best, health science electives such as medical terminology and human growth/development are better than taking other “blow-off” courses.
Regarding extracurricular activities and clubs to join, most high school students join one club, get whatever leadership roles they can, and move on to the next club. Instead of taking this approach, prestigious programs and pre-med universities look for resumes oriented to a specific interest. For example, if you are applying to a pre-med major, your application should show an interest in medicine and healthcare, which would consist of science/healthcare-based clubs (with leadership positions preferably), such as HOSA and Science Olympiad, a number of rigorous science AP/IB classes, and sufficient clinical/research experience or relevant summer programs. Aligning your application to show demonstrated interest in one specific field, as well as prioritizing quality over quantity, explains how passionate you are about a specific topic to colleges.
Lastly, what type of volunteering opportunities are best to transition into being pre-med during college? Dora Seigel from PrepScholar writes that volunteering in hospitals through working at concierge/greeting desks and as a clerical assistant “shows colleges that you're serious about pursuing a career in [healthcare] since you've already dedicated time to working in a hospital.” It’s also a great way to cement your love for the field and learn from other professionals working with you. Tutoring other kids in science topics and subjects is also an effective way to show your interest in teaching about the topic and helping others who may struggle where you strive. Lastly, volunteering at colleges by doing entry-level research with professors on anatomy/physiology topics is a fantastic way to explain to colleges your willingness to learn more and explore past what you are given in high school.
Overall, many high school students fail to understand the importance of choosing which classes, extracurriculars, and volunteering opportunities to prioritize. Instead of joining everything at your disposal and taking whatever classes you can fit into your schedule, look at all your decisions to check if they will fit the frame of your application. At the end of the day, colleges don’t want to see a well-rounded applicant, but a well-rounded class composed of passionate, nuanced students.
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Balan, Robert S. “What Are the Entry Requirements for Medical Schools in Europe and the U.S.? - MastersPortal.com.” Mastersportal.com, 19 Jan. 2022, www.mastersportal.com/articles/1801/what-are-the-entry-requirements-for-medical-schools-in-europe-and-the-us.html#:~:text=Voluntary%20or%20work%20experience%20related,three%20subjects%20at%20Standard%20Level.. Accessed 14 Aug. 2022.
Seigel, Dora. “Hospital Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students: A Guide.” Prepscholar.com, 2020, blog.prepscholar.com/hospital-volunteer-opportunities-for-high-school-students#:~:text=Here%20are%20the%20main%20types,%2C%20typing%2C%20and%20answering%20phones.. Accessed 31 Aug. 2022.
