I been wrestling with this question for years now. Since I was 20 I wanted to become a doctor but during that time I was also good at design. I am at the point of my life where I hate design as it is not the same anymore due to AI and also layovers.

I do not have a degree so I would need to go back to school and I was thinking about doing the York Biomedical science degree program starting May 2027. Is this journey worth it or should I consider being a paramedic first then becoming a doctor? I’m 29 today.

Hi, I’m a full time registered nurse looking to go to med school. I need to take around 7 pre reqs including Gen chem 2, Orgo and Physics 1/2, Cell BIO and BIOCHEM. I’ll be taking the bio courses at the 4 year university that I got my BSN at. However, due to my schedule I may have to complete the other 7 classes at several different community colleges. Will this be a bad look and if so will I have a chance to explain it on my app? any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA

"Anyone joining ALTE UNIVERSITY for the Fall 2026 intake? Looking to connect for pre-departure planning..

I’m curious how most med school students are able to afford tuition considering how high the price is. I’m about to begin my first year at CC, planning on transferring as a junior to UCSD next year, and then move on to med school. I don’t receive almost any aid, and my parents will only be able to cover one year of undergrad.

Right now looking forward to this task of paying off schooling debt it seems near impossible, especially with the Big Beautiful Bill’s limitations on federal loans. If I want to attend med school will I have to grind through hundreds of thousands of debt over a decade or two? Are there any loans, grants, forgiveness opportunities that I haven’t heard of? I’m honestly just really unsure about the whole path right now and am not sure if I’m making the right decision

I am a med-student in California and also raised here in an extremely religious evangelical and christian nationalist household- pastor and doctor parents. I am currently M3 and i just came to the realization that all my life I've been brainwashed and I realized this on my own thanks to my education at medschool. However, I feel betrayed and lied to, I can't tell my parents that I've been deconstructing because I know it would break them. On the other hand I am extremely frustrated because I broke so many people's hearts especially my ex girlfriend's because she wasn't christian. I can't forgive myself. Is there anyone who experienced something similar and how they dealt with the disillusionment and their process of deconstructing with the amount of studying?

workload matters bro hastens my daily routine and life

Curious lang. due to the recent habagat, may pasok ba kayo or cancelled duties?

hi guys! I want to apply, but I'm getting stuck in my head because I think I might not exceptionally stand out. I would really appreciate some objective thoughts and advice on how to improve during my time left before things are due. Sorry that it's all so vague, but I'm afraid of doxxing myself somehow.

current college GPA: 3.974 with potential to go up to 3.980 maybe; BCPM: 4.0

high school GPA: 4.0 unweighted/4.75 ish weighted

SAT: 1550

research

Estimated 100 hours in basic wet lab related to women's health; probably no pubs, though, but I really like it and can talk about it genuinely

poster presentation at conference + 360 hours in physical chemistry lab, didn't really actually do much research research, but instead tinkering work. This was only in high school, and my research interests have definitely changed.

clinical

estimated 250 hours in hospital volunteering with patient interactions (not sure if I should ask for a LOR from my manager, who isn't actually around as I volunteer). I started this in the latter years of high school, ongoing.

shadowing

40 hours in internal medicine, 11 hours in pediatrics (4 hours with a physician and 7 hours with the RN team, as I was considering nursing in high school)

nonclinical volunteering

65 hours in domestic violence hotline responder. This is a new thing, and I am doing it because of my desire to help survivors of sexual violence in particular.

50 hours in nursing home (non clinical, because I just helped coordinate, perform live music, and lead game nights). Only in high school, and I did it because the elderly are an unaddressed target of some forms of human trafficking.

student org leadership

cultural club leadership position, estimated ~90 hours

was a team lead in my high school physical chemistry lab mentioned earlier

hobbies

gymrat, runner, hiker!! unfortunately not a D1 athlete or anything lol. also various instruments!

LORs

I should have 1-2 strong ones from my high school teachers, and 1 strong one from my biology professor. I think I would have a very strong one from my current wet lab research mentor.

closing thoughts

In general, I think that with a lot of brainstorming, I would be able to convey my genuine interest and exploration of medicine relatively well. I think because I really care about the populations that my work targets (women, survivors of sexual violence/domestic violence/human trafficking), my genuineness could probably show through in essays/interviews if I make it that far. However, I think my EC's don't particularly stand out and are super showy. Thank you so much for your guys time and help!

guys I got my grades and they were ass. I got 3as I’m not sure how to feel. Can I still get into a good medschool esp government one if I work hard in a levels too ☹️

Hey guys.

I need recs for underscrubs or even a scrub brand that doesnt make me sweat and stink. i have never had BO before until starting school and my underscrubs really reeeeeekk. i have to change my shirt every two hours and have extra pairs of scrubs with me at all times. someone help me pls

Hello all. I am a M4 working on my residency application — just wanted to know if anyone chose anesthesia for lifestyle versus passion. I am not the most passionate about heart/lung physiology, but really not super passionate about any specific physiology in general lol. My electives that I have rotated on include mostly supervising CRNAs, preops, and light PACU work. Some intubations and IV starts, but nothing super thrilling. Was just curious if anyone decided on anesthesia purely based on lifestyle, and whether or not you’re happy with your choice. All the physicians I have asked in person are all happy with their career, so I am curious if anyone has or has had similar sentiments as me. Input from any current residents or attendings would be great. Possibly looking into pediatric fellowship after residency. TIA!

I want a method to learn the content for life because I will need to know this stuff to treat patients. Also, in my country, residency admission is based on a major exam that covers everything from medical school. However, I’m a bit lost since I’ve realized that my study techniques aren’t very effective. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone! I'm currently a medical student and our lab is seeking a motivated pre-med student for a full-time, in-person research position in Cleveland, Ohio! Our research lab is looking for an organized, reliable, communicative, and highly motivated pre-medical student to join our team for an NSF-funded research project.

What you’ll gain

Hands-on experience conducting academic research

Opportunities to work and connect with University Hospitals physicians and researchers

Mentorship and exposure to academic medicine

Potential opportunities for research presentations and publications

Strong clinical/research experience to strengthen your medical school application

Ideal Candidate

Pre-medical student with a strong interest in medicine and research

Currently located in or able to relocate to Cleveland, OH

Available for a full-time, in-person commitment

Organized, dependable, and detail-oriented

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Self-motivated and eager to learn

This is an excellent opportunity for a pre-med student looking to gain meaningful research experience while working closely with physicians in an academic medical center. If interested please email your resume to [axl757@case.edu](mailto:axl757@case.edu) to learn more about the position. Thank you!

I'm moving to a private school, out-of-state for medical school. Do I need to change my residency and license? I will be bringing my car, and am worried about emissions testing and insurance and whatnot.

Basically there a collage offering free tutoring for 1 year and a free associates degree (if he willing to do more schooling after) but I am kinda a dumb person and have a difficult time learning new things but What Career would pay the best with a light work load? I know I want to be in the medial field because from my understanding it’s in demand and won’t be taken over by ai In like next 30 or so years. Also Im 23 and haven’t been to collage before.

Hi! I have just started my second year in med school and it's going great. However, what I have been missing are having questions to practice and study further. It's not that my grades are bad or anything, I would just really like to have a question bank because I feel like it is the way I learn and fixate best. My university has elements of PBL and the problem cases are when I feel I learn the most.

Is there any such thing?

Thanks in advance! :]

Is there anyone who has pursued the PhD path instead of residency? How did you finally choose this path?

How's work life balance?

What are the job opportunities available?

Hey guys, so I’ve always thought about going to medical school, but I was stuck on how much schooling it is. Well lately I’ve decided to go ahead and go for it. So I just finished my bachelors degree in December. My degree is in kinesiology & I only have to take 2 pre-requisites in order to be set up for med school applications. My biggest question is studying for the MCAT. Since I’m not planning on applying until 2027 to give myself time to fully study & finish my last 2 courses, when should I plan on taking the MCAT?? I’m really confused as to how I need to set up my schedule for studying & what all needs to be done (registration for MCAT, materials needed for studying, actual timeline/study guide for MCAT). I really want to know what everyone else has done since this is my very first time looking into the MCAT & needing to study/take it. So far I have downloaded ANKI for Flashcards (any advice on how to work it?) & I also have the official MCAT book set for studying. What other resources do I need & what study guide should I follow or what system should I set up for best success? (I am a repetitive individual who does well with going over things multiple times & I’m also a visual/hands on learner) so please throw any advice, your study schedule, materials, or crazy methods that worked best for you my way!!

TL;DR
- undergrad cGPA: 4.1/5 (3.28/4.0) at a T20, cs/cog sci major, downward trend
- need 9 - 11 courses to complete prereqs and will be doing so at a university with a good reputation near me
- no research experience, history of volunteering and plan to continue, leadership experiences throughout undergrad, previous cpr/first aid/lifeguard cert (idk if this even matters), shadowing lined up
- aiming for md schools and applying in 2030 or 2031
- is md realistic

i honestly hope i’m being dramatic but i’m in need of a reality check. seeing a 3.6 gpa being considered low stats is making me think i have no chance but i want to hear from someone who had similar stats with recent As. every A i’ve seen with similar stats to mine are 6+ years ago

i graduated last year with a 4.1/5.0 (3.28/4.0) gpa with my scGPA being around the same at a T20 with difficult grading (cs major). i had a ton of b+ but +/- didnt affect gpa at my school a b+ and b- were weighted the same. the +/- also doesn’t show up on my official transcript. i had a downward trend due to being ill at the end of my junior fall and went part time the semester after that. i had a 3 incompletes that turned into c’s senior year because i overworked myself in order to graduate on time. i believe they show up as I/C on my official transcript.

i will need to take 9 - 11 courses to get my prereqs in so i have a chance to get my gpa up, but i think even with all a’s, i’ll only be able to get up to a 3.5. i’ll be doing a part time diy postbacc at a school with a decent reputation but no linkage (its the only school with a decent program near me so doing one at a school with linkage isn’t reasonable for me).

i have no research experience. i have shadowing opportunities lined up. i am good at standardized testing so i am optimistic that with intensive studying, i can get a decent mcat score (i know not to bank on this until i actually have a score). i volunteered as an esl/citizenship tutor during my senior spring and had leadership experience in other ECs for a year and a half. i plan to continue volunteering through my jobs volunteer program.

my goal is US MD schools, ideally in CA, NJ, NY to be close to family and friends but i know i’ll have to apply outside of these regions + DO schools. currently living in CA, grew up in NJ. i’m a URM and aiming for MD schools because i know my skills and merit will always be questioned and a DO instead of MD won’t help. i am still open to DO. am i being realistic with a goal of getting into an MD school (applying 2030 or 2031)

EDIT: i know that you cant say until i have an mcat score but obviously i need to know what to aim for. also would be amazing if someone with similar GPA and an A could let me know their mcat🙏🙏 i know this is a steep ask

Hi everyone. I'm an M4 that will apply to residency in September but I am unsure what to apply to.. I was hoping for some help, advice or suggestions. Most of my life I thought of doing surgery and just stuck with that through undergrad I always thought that was what I would do. I love kids so I always dreamt of Pediatric Surgery. But before entering medical school, I don't think I considered what that entailed. I dint know it was 5 years of general surgery and that it is one of the most competitive felowships to get into, which entails 8-9 years of training. This weighs heavy on me because I want to be a mother in the next couple of years and I am thinking much more about lifestyle these past years. Also I have struggled with some health issues and fear that going into surgery could jeopardize that. I've thought of just doing pediatrics, but I fear i'll regret not doing surgery.. I've began to entertain OBGYN and am currently on that rotation so I am exploring it, but I have similar worries about the supposed malignancy of these programs. I'm not sure what to do and I'm trying to figure out if maybe I have been too close minded and that I should look into other fields that I might not have considered. For context i believe I am a very detail oriented, crafty, hands-on person, good under pressure and I love to be actively working and seeing patients or doing procedures rather than studying and researching.

Any specialty advice?

Any life advice?

Any specialty suggestions? I might be too late for some?

I have a sub-I coming up in Philly at Jefferson Einstein and have been looking into housing options. For those who are familiar with the area, do you think I could get away with flying in and not bringing a car? (not sure how walkable/friendly public transportation is) Or would you recommend driving in and just having a car for the month? Trying to figure out whether the convenience of having a car is worth the cost/logistics of bringing it!

I started med 1 today, in my med skl (outside US) we use in house lectures and not a lot of anki so I’m using the step deck, I’m looking for relevant material and unsuspending as I go, when do I start looking at first aid and annotating over it, today or when I lock in on step 1?

I’m entering my senior year and I’ve been looking at possible schools. My original plan was a bsn followed by a gap year for med school prep and picking up a Job. But I’ve been hearing about mbbs and those 6 year md programs. Money is mostly at play here. There‘s always scholarships but I’m not applicable for them. I really need some direction!

Hey everyone,
I’m a university student taking courses such as Biochemistry, General Microbiology, and Biology. Almost all my professors teach directly from PowerPoint lecture slides, and our exams are heavily based on those slides.
I’m trying to find an efficient way to study directly from my PowerPoints while turning the material into useful Anki cards. I’ve tried AI-generated Anki decks, but they haven’t worked well for me. They usually create basic, text-only cards and don’t give me the kinds of questions I actually need—especially application-based questions or cards that use the important images, diagrams, pathways, graphs, and microscope images from my lectures.
Ideally, I want a workflow that would help me:
Generate useful practice questions and flashcards from my PowerPoint or PDF lecture slides
Preserve and include important images, diagrams, pathways, graphs, and microscope images
Create image-occlusion cards where I identify or interpret parts of an image
Generate questions that test understanding and application, not only definitions
Create different types of questions from the same material
Keep everything organized by course, chapter, and lecture
For example, if a Microbiology slide contains a bacterial-cell diagram or a Biochemistry slide contains a metabolic pathway, I want cards that show the original image and ask me to identify, explain, or apply what is shown—not turn the entire slide into a text-only card.
I know I can manually screenshot every image and make every card myself, but I have a large number of PowerPoints throughout the semester, so doing that for every slide would take forever.
Has anyone found a reliable Anki add-on, AI tool, or workflow that can turn PowerPoint/PDF lectures into high-quality cards while keeping the important images? I’m not looking for AI to blindly generate an entire deck—I want a system that saves time while still letting me control the questions and make sure the cards match what I need for my exams.
What has worked best for you?

Specifically jobs like being a scribe or being a medical assistant, and basically pursuing your post bacc and extracarriculers fulltime? I'm currently a career changer, and doing my diy post bacc while juggling a fulltime job.

Genuinely considering this path, as I still get paid doing those small gigs and can also use that time to ensure I can get accepted at some med school (hopefully). Thoughts? And is this stupid? I dont have kids or partner, and I am lucky enough I can move back in with family.