So You Got into Medical School… Now What?


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Session 149

So You Got into Medical School... Now What?

In this episode, I talk with an orthopedic surgery resident, Dr. Daniel Paull. He is the author of So You Got into Medical School… Now What? A Guide to Preparing for the Next Four Years.  

I brought him on the show to talk about his book and how it might help you as a premed and eventually as a medical student. Daniel talks about the challenges he met while applying for medical school, as well as the joys of really pursuing his passion.

Listen to this podcast episode with the player above, or keep reading for the highlights and takeaway points.

The aha! moment when Daniel realized his calling to become a doctor

  • Coming from a family of engineers
  • Being injured and getting exposed to orthopedics
Daniel realized his calling to become a doctor when he got injured and was exposed to the field of orthopedics.Click To Tweet

On writing your personal statement

Steps he took to prepare for medical school:

  • Focusing on getting good grades
  • Doing premed at NYU
  • Getting a major in physics just because he really liked it
  • Applied twice to get into medical school
Not all successful doctors get into medical school on their first try! Daniel didn't, and now he's an ortho resident.Click To Tweet

What steps did he take to finally get into medical school?

  • He tweaked his personal statement
  • Did more extracurricular activities
  • Finally got into medical school at the University of Miami

Course correction strategies he took to get better grades:

  • Paying attention to details more
  • Preparing more in advance for things
  • Going to lecture, taking notes, and reviewing them

What kept him motivated:

  • Not worrying too much
  • The need to learn and study for Step 1

What was Daniel’s experience of Step 1?

Applying to medical school vs. applying to orthopedic surgery residencies

  • Why Daniel found it easier to apply to residency than medical school.

[Related episode: Orthopedic Surgery Match Data Deep Dive.]

On his book, So You Got into Medical School… Now What?

  • This book is for those who want to make the transition to medical school easier.
  • For premeds, this book will give them a better idea of what medical school is really like.
Daniel's book exists to make the transition to medical school easier.Click To Tweet

Some pieces of advice for premed students:

  • People will help you get through medical school.
  • It does get better as time goes on.
Don't be discouraged if the transition to medical school is difficult. It gets better as time goes on.Click To Tweet

Links and Other Resources

Listen to Other Episodes

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