Session 154

Today’s guest is an MSHQ Academy member, Saidat, who has just started medical school. She talks about her experience going through premed and medical school while she walks you through her thought and decision process during the medical school application.

Saidat is a first year medical student at Marshall University in West Virginia where she currently describes her medical school life as “surviving” – find out why she thinks this way.

Among the things she loved back in her preschool years were hotdogs, the color green, and wanting to become a doctor. Now… she hates hotdogs. She hates the color green. But she definitely still wants to be a doctor. 🙂

In this episode, she shares some pains and triumphs along the way such as taking the MCAT twice but eventually getting acceptance into more than one school.

Here are the highlights of the conversation:

Why she is surviving:

Going through the hardest block of med school

When she knew she wanted to become a doctor:

Early exposure to medicine with her dad being a nurse and her mom, a pharmacist

What obstacles she faced along the way:

• Fighting through the negative comments from other people
• Organic Chemistry (Isn’t this true for almost everybody?)
• MCAT and her MCAT score (She had to take it the second time)
• Not discovering the health advisory programs until later on

Facing the obstacles:

A good support system from family and friends

Describing her transition from high school to college:

• A sense of independence
• Moving from Maryland to West Virginia
• Dealing with “culture shock”
• Deciding not to take a gap year

What she did preparing for starting medical school:

Having fun and enjoying her last summer

Discover her thought process behind applying to both MD and DO

• A week to decide which school to go to
• Keeping a pros and cons list for each school
• Considering the school that’s best for her learning ability

Her best resources to help her on this journey:

• The MSHQ Academy
• People who have gone through medical school

Some pieces of advice for premed students:

• Do not take your MCAT until you’re ready.
• Don’t stop. If you want to do this, you can do this.
• Take a time off if you need to.
• If you believe you can do it, yes you can!
• If this is what your really want then go for it!

Links and Other Resources

• Free MCAT Gift: Free 30+ page guide with tips to help you maximize your MCAT score and which includes discount codes for MCAT prep as well.
• Listen to our podcast for free at iTunes: medicalschoolhq.net/itunes and leave us a review there!
• Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step Test Prep): Get one-on-one tutoring for the MCAT and maximize your score. Get $50 off their tutoring program when you mention that you heard about this on the podcast or through the MSHQ website.
• Check out our partner magazine, www.premedlife.com to learn more about awesome premed information.
• Get us free on your device. Subscribe and listen to new episodes each week. Visit www.medicalschoolhq.net/listen
• Hang out with us over at medicalschoolhq.net/group. Click join and we’ll add you up to our private Facebook group. Share your successes and miseries with the rest of us.
• Email me at ryan@medicalschoolhq.net or connect with me on Twitter @medicalschoolhq