The Mrs. The Mommy. The M.D.: Medical School

Medical School

I get asked all the time about medical school. I’m not an admissions guru or career counselor — but I have walked this road, and I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned along the way.


If you’re curious about what medical school is actually like — beyond the highlight reels and white coat photos — you’re in the right place. These are some of my most-loved posts where I keep it real about the journey, the growth, and everything in between...

Application Process:
Should I go to Medical School? 

Year 1:

Year 2: 


Motherhood & Medicine (See It. Do It. Guests): 


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Since I had the lovely opportunity to go through the application process twice  (can you sense the sarcasm?), this is just a list of the things that I learned with the hopes of helping someone else:



1. When you study for the MCAT, make sure that you are able to effectively concentrate just on the task of studying for at least a couple months before the exam and TAKE LOTS OF PRACTICE TESTS. The first time I took a class through Princeton Review, and I feel like that would have been enough if that also wasn't the same summer I found out I was pregnant - I was a little distracted by my crisis...lol

But anyway, even though you can always take it again if you aren’t happy with your score, it’s great when you get it right the first time, and don’t have to. Some schools care how many times you take it, and others may not. You should call the admissions office of the schools you are interested in and see. Or consult with MSAR or Student Doctor Net (see below).

**When I studied for the second time with my post-bac program (I increased my score from a 25 to a 30), I had prep class 5x/week for 4 hours in the morning followed by 4 hours of continuous practice questions in the afternoon. This was for 10 weeks before the exam. And get an ExamKrackers book for your weak subject(s)

2. APPLY EARLY! This is especially important if you don’t have as competitive as an application as you would like. It doesn’t hurt to get it in well before the deadline— as deadlines start to approach even some of the greatest applicants may get turned away. (I took the MCAT 8/15, primaries went out by 8/27-ish so when my score came back in september I immediately got interviews set up for November. The first time around I didn't send out my primaries until December, and had interviews in February.)

3. Be prepared to defend weaknesses in your application during an interview - always focusing on how you turned a negative into a positive growing experience.

4. Make sure you have some kind of significant clinical exposure on your resume. This will give you a chance to find out if medicine is really what you want to pursue. If you have something else you think you might like to do for a living, do it...lol

5. Be yourself. If there is a hobby, activity, or skill that you have or love to do, don’t be afraid to talk about it in your interview. The best doctors are the ones that are down to earth and have genuine personalities.

6. REJECTION DOES NOT MEAN IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE! You should be realistic about your application, discuss weaknesses with a counselor or admissions rep, but use it to come back harder next cycle. If this is something that you really feel you are called to do, then go for it, and God will find a way. Don’t let anyone tell you that what you are doing is impossible or cannot be done.
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