Finding Balance as Pre-Med

By: Charlize Trostinsky

The pre-medical path is undoubtedly one of the most rigorous and academically demanding paths for an undergraduate. Cornell students often fall victim to the “all or nothing” mentality of putting their full attention on their academics and allowing their mental health to diminish in favor of a high GPA. Here are some tips and the inside scoop on how to manage this tumultuous time.

 

Google Calendar is a Pre-Med’s Best Friend

Staying organized is crucial for pre-medical students juggling heavy class load, study groups, clubs, research labs, interviews, deadlines and meetings. It can become extremely difficult to keep track of responsibilities, adding unnecessary stress to an already demanding workload. A convenient way of tracking commitments is an organized Google Calendar or physical planner, rather than writing reminders on random pieces of paper that end up crumbled up at the bottom of your schoolbag.

 

Building a Strong Support Network

The road to and through medical school is long and often isolating. Students are often forced to miss important family events, holidays, and time with friends to prepare for exams. It is vital for pre-meds to have people outside of their peers and colleagues as it can create a competitive environment of constant comparison. There are plenty of mental health resources at Cornell, specifically highlighted in the CEC blog called “Mental Health: Resources and Reflection from a Senior.”

 

Rethinking the Importance of GPA

Cornell University as a whole and particularly the Career Exploration Center at the College of Human Ecology is well known for its multitude of opportunities beyond a mere focus on grades. Whether engaging in research, doing clinical work, volunteering at a hospital, or even exploring another interest that has nothing to do with the medical field, applicants can distinguish themselves through their multifaceted experiences. There are countless components to a medical school application and exploring multiple areas of focus gives an applicant dimension. While every pre-med is required to take organic chemistry, a lasting positive impact on the community through volunteer work and philanthropy allows them to distinguish themselves from thousands of other applicants. I urge you to check out the CEC resources in the office and on our website for current opportunities in a multitude of fields. Some of my favorite CEC resources include the “Jobs and Internships” sheets for each major,  the “Walk in Interview for Health and Medicine,” and “Clinical Experience for Pre-Med Students.” These resources are available on the CEC website and in-print at the CEC.

 

Embracing Gap Years

The former stigma associated with taking a “gap year” (also called a bridge year) or more is slowly but surely fading. Many Cornell students across all graduate paths, including medical, dental, and PA school, are opting for gap/bridge time. Most Cornell undergraduates take 1-2 years before going to graduate school to travel, gain clinical experience, work, conduct research, or to simply decompress after a rigorous undergraduate experience. The statistics regarding gap/bridge years are often an eye-opening surprise for many Cornell students who are debating whether they should pursue gap/bridge time. In fact, according to the Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC), 90% of Cornellians who matriculated into U.S. MD programs in 2023 took at least 1 gap/bridge year. Deciding when you are ready to apply is a very personalized and nuanced decision, so students are encouraged to connect with the pre-health advisors in HPAC to discuss this.

Written in collaboration with Rachael at the Health Professions Advising Center

 

Prioritizing Wellness

Many pre-medical students often sacrifice their physical health which leads to a multitude of complications. Exercise and a proper diet are vital to a working brain, a component essential to academic success. Down time is vital to maximizing the benefits of a study session. A technique that many students recommend is the Pomodoro method in which one will work for 25 minutes and take a 5 minute break. After 4 consecutive work intervals, the student will take a 15-30 minute break. This technique is meant to re-train the brain to focus without distractions. These small breaks are more beneficial than one would think, and a consistent timer will ensure that students stay on task and don’t get distracted for longer periods of time. In addition to the Pomodoro technique, there are plenty of other effective study methods including retrieval practice, the Feynman technique, mind-mapping and more. A link is provided below to explore these methods further.

 

Don’t Be Afraid to Fail, Wait, or Switch

The path to fulfilling dreams and aspirations is seldom straightforward, and pre-med is not an exception. There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits all.”  Some people are able to go straight into med school while others pursue a masters degree and research and begin medical school in their 30s. Some spend their 20s traveling or starting families. Everyone’s path to medicine is different and no two paths are the same. Some people spend their entire undergraduate careers preparing for medical school and decide last minute that they are going down a different career path. Some even deviate from the pre-medical track entirely, choosing alternate career paths in health care management, dentistry, research, consulting or more community based service jobs. Ultimately, the common thing uniting past, present, and future doctors shared desire to care for others which transcends any specific career path.

 

Sources

https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique#

https://www.usa.edu/blog/study-techniques/

https://hecec.human.cornell.edu/2023/05/03/mental-health-reflection-and-resources/

https://prehealthadvising.cornell.edu/



Why You Should Consider A Career An As AT

 

Love the healthcare industry but unsure of your place in it?  Consider becoming an athletic trainer. Here are just a few of the reasons to think about this rewarding career:

  1. Helping others: Athletic trainers help with a variety of things such as prevention and recovering from injury. They play a special role in helping athletes get better and succeed. 
  2. Building relationships: In this role, one works closely with athletes and athletic staff which allows for more and better relationships to be formed. 
  3. Flexibility in location: Athletic trainers can work in a variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and private outpatient practices.
  4. Staying involved with sports: In this field, you get to work with athletes of all ages and backgrounds.
  5. Change: No one day is the same and no one patient is the same so there will be a variety of day-to-day experiences and tasks. 
  6. Learning opportunities: There are always changes in the medical world that athletic trainers have to learn about. This keeps them on their feet and encourages them to learn more.

 

Athletic Training | NATA.

Athletic Trainers : Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Top 8 Reasons to Pursue an Athletic Training Career | Cedarville University

 

Why You Should Consider A Career As A PT?

Love the healthcare industry but unsure of your place in it?  Consider becoming a physical therapist, one of the fastest growing careers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Here are just a few of the reasons to think about this rewarding career:

  1. Physical therapists have the ability to make a significant impact on people’s lives in both a personal and physical way. A crucial part of being a physical therapist is to foster a kind, welcoming, and safe environment so that patients can have better recovery. 
  2. Physical therapists are very active, spending a lot of time moving with their patients and doing other physical activities.
  3. This profession is one of the fastest growing careers, providing significant job security.
  4. According to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, in 2021, the median annual salary for PTs in the United States was $95,620.
  5. There are a range of spaces in which PTs can work including, but not limited to, hospitals and outpatient facilities. 
  6. There are many opportunities to travel in the profession.
  7. Because this profession usually works in the normal business hours, it allows for more exploration of other aspirations and interests as well as personal activities like spending time with loved ones

 

For more information about PT and why you should consider being one, see the links below:

Is Physical Therapy a Good Career? | University of St. Augustine

11 Reasons to Become a Physical Therapist | Indeed.com

Admissions Process for Doctor of Physical Therapy Education Programs | APTA

Physical & Occupational Volunteer Opportunities

 

Is an MD or DO Right for Me?

Illustration of a doctor

You know you want to be a doctor. But which medical degree is right for you? Should you be a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)? Let’s take a look at some of the similarities and differences between being an MD or a DO.

What are MDs and DOs?

First, it is important to recognize that both MDs and DOs are fully licensed medical professionals. Doctors holding both degrees work alongside each other in a variety of patient settings, including hospitals, clinics, and private practice. After obtaining an MD or DO degree, you can go on to practice in any area of medicine, including specialty fields or even surgery.

However, there are some important differences in the approaches to medicine the two degrees take. MDs have an allopathic approach to medicine, meaning they focus on diagnosing and treating existing medical conditions. On the other hand, DOs have an osteopathic approach, meaning they emphasize preventative, holistic approaches to maintaining overall wellbeing.

An MD’s treatment-centered philosophy often aligns with specialist or surgical roles, while a DO’s preventative approach tends to align well with primary care. Therefore, you may be more likely to see a DO as a family doctor and an MD as a specialist. This doesn’t mean there aren’t DOs as specialists or MDs as primary care doctors, though! What is more important to think about when considering your future medical degree is not just the specialty you are interested in, but also how your values align with the different philosophies of medicine.

Something unique about the DO degree is its focus on osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM)–also known as osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT)–a hands-on technique involving movement of muscles and joints in order to diagnose, treat, and prevent injury or illness. DO medical students spend about 200 hours learning OMM, a topic that is not covered in MD programs.

How do I get my degree?

Obtaining a DO versus an MD degree is a very similar process. For both, you must have obtained your Bachelor’s Degree, completed all general pre-medical course requirements, and taken the MCAT. MD applications are managed through AMCAS, while DO applications are through AAOMAS, but despite slightly different word count limits, the two applications are about the same. Medical school lasts 4 years for both MDs and DOs, and residency can vary around 2-7 years for either depending on the specialty. Starting in 2020, both degrees will even go through the same National Residency Match Program to be placed into graduate medical education.

Whether you choose to apply to both MD and DO programs, just MD, or just DO, choose what is right for you! Make your decision based on your philosophy of medicine, not just the two letters after your name. At the end of the long process, no matter which degree path you take, you will still be a doctor able to treat patients in a variety of settings.

Clinical Psychology Degrees

Illustration of a side profile and brain

Are you interested in clinical psychology? Here are some degrees that you can pursue:

Master’s Degree in Social Work (M.S.W)

  • Description: Provides training to be a practitioner working in a mental health clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, human service agencies, or private practices.
  • Tuition: Programs are funded through loans and no tuition waivers offered. No teaching or research assistantships offered.
  • Admission: Less competitive han Ph.D programs
  • Time Frame: 2 years of coursework, including 450 hours of field placement and licensure.

Ph.D in Clinical Psychology

  • Description: A research-based degree providing training to be scientists, scholars, and practitioners. Outcomes are versatile, from working in health care or private practice settings, to teaching in universities to continue research.
  • Tuition: Fully funded. You are granted a stipend alongside teaching and/or research assistantship
  • Application process: Apply to work with a certain mentor, which will facilitate your dissertation. Do extensive research on what field/professors you are interested in, and ensure that the professor you choose will be accepting applicants for that year. Otherwise, if that mentor is not accepting applications, then the applicant will not be accepted into the program
  • Admission: Very competitive
  • Time frame: 4 to 5 years of graduate school, 1 year APA-approved clinical internship is mandatory for degree completion, and possibly a postdoctoral position

Psy.D in Clinical Psychology

  • Description: Contrast from a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, a Psy.D in Clinical Psychology is heavily based on coursework and clinical experiential training, rather than research. A Psy.D provides training to be a practitioner in private practice or community mental health centers.
  • Tuition: Programs are funded through loans and no tuition waivers offered. No teaching or research assistantships offered.
  • Admission: Typically less competitive than clinical psychology Ph.D programs. Some programs prefer applicants with more work and life experience
  • Time frame: 4 years of graduate school (sometimes 3 years), 1 year APA-approved clinical internship is mandatory for degree completion

M.D. and Residency in Psychiatry

  • Description: After completing a medical degree, candidate can choose to do their residency in psychiatry. Psychiatrists can work in health care of private practice settings. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication, but typically do not perform psychotherapy (compared to Ph.Ds in clinical psychology who typically do psychotherapy, but cannot prescribe medication)
  • Tuition: Medical school will be funded through loans and no tuition waivers are offered. Will start earning a salary during residency.
  • Admission: Very competitive
  • Time Frame: 4 years of medical school, 4 years of residency, 2 years of fellowship (optional)

M.D./Ph.D in Psychological/Brain Sciences

  • Description: This degree combines a medical degree alongside a Ph.D in the sciences. Those who pursue MD/Ph.D programs move between the clinical and research realms of their field. For example, career possibilities could include teaching in a university setting while performing research and seeing patients.
  • Tuition: Fully funded
  • Admission: Very Competitive
  • Time Frame: 4 years of medical school, 4-6 years to complete Ph.D degree, additional years for residency if desired

Looking for resources to prepare for your career in psychology? Visit Resources for Careers in Psychology

Want a professor’s insight and advice on what classes to take, activities to pursue, and gap year activities in pursuing a clinical psychology degree? See Dr. Jane Mendle’s interview here.

Resources for Careers in Psychology

typewriter with paper reading "psychology"
Photo Credits to Markus Winkler

Are you interested in getting more involved in the field psychology, but don’t know where to start? The versatile field of psychology can lead to many paths: advocacy, business, mental health professions (clinical psychology, social work, therapy), education, law, medicine & health, and more!

Here are some resources to check out if you are looking to explore more of psychology on and off campus:

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Dear Aunt Martha: Mastering the MMI

Figures in an interview

Dear Aunt Martha,

I just got an interview at one of my top choice medical schools. I am more scared than excited for this interview because the school does multiple-mini interviews. I’m not familiar with this type of interviewing format, so I’m scared I’m going to mess up my chances of getting in.

Sincerely,

Anxious Applicant


Dear Anxious Applicant,

Congratulations on being one step closer to becoming a doctor! Though it is an exciting time, it is definitely understandable that you are nervous for the interview. Below I have broken down tips and tricks to mastering the different portions of the MMI.

Situational

During this station, you will be presented with a situation and you will be asked to discuss the implications of the issue. Often the type of questions that are given during this station are ethical questions, which require you to demonstrate your problem solving skills. A tip for mastering this station is to talk about both sides of the situation and give a list of pros and cons regarding possible action courses.

Behavioral   

This station is the traditional type of interview question where interviewers will ask you questions like “tell me about yourself.” A tip for mastering this station is to have people that know you well ask you questions regarding who you are. These people will be able to let you know if your answers are an accurate portrayal of yourself and if there are any details that are missing in your answers.

Acting

This portion of the interview requires you to role play and show interviewers a glimpse into what you will be like as a doctor. Often, you will be asked to deliver sad news to a patient, confront a patient about a problem, or gather information. An important tip for mastering this station is to showcase your ability to empathize with others, but at the same time to be able to be logical and rational.

Collaborative

At this station, you will be asked to complete a task or activity with someone else in the room while the interviewer watches you. As the title of this station suggests, it is important to showcase your communication skills by making sure your directions are as clear and precise as possible.

Written

During this station, you will write a response to a prompt. It is important that your content in the letter is clear and spelling and error free. Make sure to give yourself some time to proofread what you have written!

In general, the MMI tests your ability to communicate through different scenarios. In order to get better at any interview, practice is needed. Stop by the CEC between 10-4 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday from 10-2 pm on Friday to schedule a mock interview personalized to you!

Warmest wishes,

Aunt Martha

Is a Post-Baccalaureate Program Right for Me?

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5 Tips and Tricks on Preparing for Your HCEC Interview

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Dear Aunt Martha: Medical School Waitlist!

Survey, Icon, Survey Icon, Questionnaire, Poll, Opinion

Dear Aunt Martha,

My senior year has been less than ideal. I thought that by this time I would already have a clear idea of which medical school I would be attending, but all of the schools that I applied to either rejected or waitlisted me. I feel like I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs– Is there anything that I can do to increase my chances of getting off the waitlist?

Best,

Anxious Applicant

Dear Anxious Applicant,

Applying to medical school is definitely a long and arduous journey. Often, people think that the process is similar to college applications, but as I’m sure you know, this is definitely not the case.

That being said, just as applying to medical schools is different from applying to colleges, medical school waitlists are also very different from college waitlists. For one, many students actually come off the waitlist, so don’t give up hope just yet! Here are a few things you can do as you wait for their final decision:

Send update letters: Update letters are a great way to elaborate on any new achievements that you may have accomplished since sending in your application. Examples include activities and achievements such as finishing a senior thesis, getting a promotion, or graduating with honors. Remember, however, to only send update letters for noteworthy accomplishments that you believe will strengthen your application. Sending an update letter because you feel anxious about not hearing back from a medical school is NOT a sufficient reason to send one.

Send Letters of intent: A letter of intent is a little bit different from an update letter. When you send a letter of intent to a medical school, it means that if they accept you, you PROMISE to attend their school. Therefore, you should send your letter of intent to only ONE medical school. Sending letters of intent to multiple medical schools will hurt your chances of acceptance if a school finds out that it was not the only recipient (Beware! Admission counselors from medical schools do know and talk to each other!). In your letter, it is important to write about why this particular medical school is the best fit for you and how you hope to contribute to the student body. It is not enough to make general statements such as “This school is ranked highly among medical schools.” Instead, focus on specific components of the school such as a prestigious research curriculum or a strong commitment to community service.

Composing these letters can be challenging, but remember that the staff at the CEC are always happy to help with writing and proofreading letters! Drop by MVR 162 today and have one of the Career Assistants brainstorm or proofread a draft! Good luck!

Warmest Wishes,

Aunt Martha