10. ABOUT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
“What you do outside of school is just as important as what you do at school. A few meaningful activities & leadership positions say more about you than surface involvement in a dozen clubs that you don't care about. Extracurriculars are also a great way to maintain interests in a variety of things while pursuing a more specific education!”

9. ABOUT STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
“Showing yourself to be a leader will score much more points than spreading yourself too thin in a bunch of groups. I was involved in very few organizations that allowed me to learn a lot about working with people toward common goals & taking responsibility.”

8. ABOUT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Make sure you get to know professors well before you ask them for letters of recommendation... “use the phrase "strong letter," & if he/she cannot guarantee that, DO NOT accept the letter because it will only serve to hurt you.”

7. ABOUT THE PREMED CURRICULUM
“Study well for classes & TA if you can. The best way to study for the MCAT is while you are taking classes or teaching them. It is surprising how much of this stuff shows up in your med school classes for the next 4 years. Learn it well now so you don't have to relearn what you should already know.”

6. ABOUT THE MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TEST
“If you put in the time like a solid college-level course, you should do fine. I felt like I needed structure to make me study & not procrastinate until right before the test so I took a prep course. It is important to review all of this material & to practice answering questions & taking tests on your own.”

5.  ABOUT MAJOR SELECTION
“Do what interests you the most. I did Biology & Art History. Of note: I was asked more about my Art History courses than my bio courses in my interviews.”

4.  ABOUT PREMED ADVISING
“My advisor told me to read two medical books (The Lost Art of Healing, Bernard Lown & Gifted Hands, Ben Carson) which were topics of conversation in my interviews & gave me a better idea of medicine.”

3. ABOUT PLANNING
“Plan ahead & have alternate plans. I know friends who were distressed when everything did not go their way.” “Learn how to learn & to integrate large amounts of material into your long term memory. Learning by association is the best way, combine new things to those things you already know - plan to do that now & med school will be a breeze.” “Have a savings account.”

2. ABOUT MOTIVATION
“Make sure it is what you want more than anything else in the world. Your perspective on medicine & patient care changes dramatically once you actually have to care for one in the middle of the night, when you're sleep deprived & grumpy - & the patient is not the least bit appreciative.”

1. ABOUT EVERYTHING
“Find out what you like & what you're good at & capitalize on those strengths. Show the world that you are a genuinely nice person, and that you are willing to work hard, help people out, & do your best! Lastly, have fun! It's not going to get any easier so if you're not enjoying life now you're not going to miraculously start enjoying it in med school!”