Top 3 Myths about applying to medical school

Yes, you have heard me say it. And I’ll repeat it. I’m not ashamed… we need more Black doctors. Black doctors only make up only 5% of the medical workforce though we comprise 13% of the population. Many students envision becoming a doctor as this dreamy, fulfilling, and perfect profession that will solve many of their personal and professional problems. In some ways, this is true, but there are some surprising discoveries that many students either are not privy to or neglect along the way. In actuality, some myths limit the progress of pre-med students and can cause them to give up on the journey or to medicine altogether. Let’s explore 3 major myths about applying to medical school below:

1. You need to major in either Biology or Chemistry to apply to medical school- Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be a Biology or Chemistry major to apply to medical school. Shocking right? Not everyone is great with learning higher-level organic chemistry bonds or the microscopic make-up of cellular structures, but they are exceptionally gifted with their hands (i.e a surgeon in the making). Indeed, there are scientific requirements to get into medical school, but majoring in Science courses is not mandatory. In fact, I have had classmates in medical school whose major was Psychology or sociology, but they took the necessary pre-requisite courses to get accepted into medical school while in college. Similarly, I would encourage students interested in medicine to look up the necessary science courses to gain entrance to medical school i.e ‘pre-requisite’ courses, and ensure they complete those specific courses before applying. Apart from this, let your major reflect what you are genuinely interested in and get your money’s worth. 

2. I need to be rich to apply to medical school- If you knew my story, you would know emphatically that this is untrue. Yes, for those who do not come from wealthy backgrounds, there will be $200-300k student loan debt that is taken out— this is the reality. In another blog post, we will discuss ways to minimize debt in medical school and the importance of money management even as a licensed medical doctor (i.e an ‘Attending’ to live a wealthy vs. simply a ‘rich’ life.

3. Talents or gifts are enough- No matter how talented you are at performing well in school, or how gifted you are with standardized testing, these skills may not be enough. Medical schools typically are looking for well-rounded students with people skills, community service, and smarts. The truth is applying to medical school requires the total package, not just being good at school or acing standardized tests. Believe me, this is coming from someone who was educationally the top student for most of her life and got unanimously rejected from 14 different medical schools the first time that I applied (this is a story for another day).

What do you think about these myths about applying to medical school? Have you experienced any surprises along the journey? Care to know how I navigated some of these surprises? Stay tuned and subscribe to this newsletter today!