im a premed who went to my local, smaller school because it’s less competitive and cheaper so i’d be able to have a better gpa and be a big fish in a small pond. im set on being a doctor, so this path will support me the best. this was a rlly hard decision, though, because i had to choose it over ucla, usc, and ucsd, which were my dream colleges throughout high school. these schools are fun and would give me the opportunity to explore, but theyre either too expensive or too competitive. everyone tells me that i can just go to these schools for medical school, but i don’t think the culture will be the same. can anyone that goes to a medical school that also has a prominent undergraduate population (especially people from the uc system and california schools) tell me how the culture is? i always think of grad school being a lot more lonely and smaller.

Hello everyone,

I am a physician who has successfully completed medical school, residency, and clinical practice while managing disabilities (sensory, learning and physical) of my own. Throughout my training and career, I learned many strategies for navigating accommodations, clinical rotations, disclosure decisions, wellness, stigma, and career planning while living with a disability.

I am exploring the possibility of developing an online educational resource or course for medical students with disabilities and chronic health conditions.

Before investing time into creating something like this, I would love to hear from current medical students:

• Have you felt adequately supported while navigating medical school with a disability or chronic illness?
• What challenges have been the most difficult?
• What information do you wish you had known before starting medical school?
• Would a course created by a physician with lived experience be helpful?
• What topics would you most want covered?
  • Requesting accommodations
  • Clinical rotations and disability disclosure
  • Managing symptoms and academic demands
  • Navigating stigma and bias
  • Residency applications
  • Career planning and specialty selection
  • Other topics?

I am not selling anything at this point. I am simply trying to understand whether a resource like this would be valuable and what would make it most helpful.

Thank you for your honest feedback. (Dr D)

I’m a nontraditional premed who has been accepted to a DO school, and I’m struggling with whether attending is financially responsible or if I should take another year to strengthen my application and reapply to more affordable MD/DO programs.
**My current situation:**
To attend my accepted DO school, I would need approximately:
**$200,000 in federal student loans**
**$160,000+ in private student loans**
**Total: $360,000+ before accrued interest**
I’ve also been accepted into an Army Reserve program that could pay for my living expenses (MDSSP). However, I’m concerned about potential deployment obligations, how military commitments might affect medical school and residency, and whether the financial benefits justify those obligations.
I understand that PSLF could potentially help with my federal loans if I pursue qualifying employment, but the $160K+ in private loans is what really worries me. Between interest accumulation during medical school and residency and the limited repayment options for private loans, I could be looking at a significant financial burden for many years.

**A little about my background:**
Nontraditional applicant with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry
Approximately three years of professional organic chemistry research experience at Scripps Research and Pfizer
Five published research papers in reputable scientific journals
Several years of clinical experience working as an EMT
One year of additional graduate-level chemistry coursework
Strong interest in primary care, particularly family medicine
I believe I could substantially improve my MCAT score with dedicated preparation, and I’m considering taking another year to reapply more broadly to MD and DO schools with lower tuition. I’m particularly interested in three-year accelerated medical programs designed for students committed to primary care.

**My dilemma:**
Part of me feels incredibly fortunate to have an acceptance and doesn’t want to risk giving up a guaranteed opportunity to become a physician. At the same time, taking on $360K+ in debt, especially with nearly half being private loans, seems like a potentially life-altering financial decision.
Since I already know I want to pursue primary care rather than a higher-paying specialty, I’m trying to be realistic about my future earning potential and ability to repay these loans.

**I’d really appreciate advice on a few things:**
Would you give up an existing DO acceptance to reapply for potentially more affordable MD/DO programs?
Is $360K+ in medical school debt manageable on a family medicine physician’s salary, particularly with $160K+ in private loans?
Does anyone have experience with Army Reserve medical student programs, especially regarding deployment risk, residency obligations, and loan repayment benefits?
For those familiar with three-year MD/DO programs, would my research and clinical background make me a reasonable candidate if I improved my MCAT?
Am I overthinking the financial implications, or is taking another year to pursue a cheaper school a reasonable decision?

So I’ve been debating between PA school and med school and I honestly don’t know which one I would prefer. I know med school is a much longer commitment with way more student debt, but of course a bigger payout. I’m currently a surgical technologist and I work closely with PAs as well as surgeons (obviously). I’m a full time student while working full time to get my bachelor’s degree and pre-reqs. I love the idea of being able to have flexibility between specialties and still be involved in surgery, but I also still have a dream of being a doctor and being able to having that autonomy/ level of education. I’ve been fairly certain on PA school for about 2 years but the more involved I get in my current career, the more I’m questioning just going for med school. I’ve talked to some doctors and PAs that I work with often and of course their opinions are mixed as well. Any advice or input would be appreciated!

so im in my first year of undergrad. i was top of my class at highschool and had alright ec's related to healthcare. during college app season, this is where i messed up. i only applied to csu's but when decision day was approaching i realized i shouldve also applied to uc's. right now im working on building my ec's and just getting through classes before my plans to transfer after my second year. im currently working a part time job at chipotle which i recently got when i started classes here (my first job) but im wondering if i should potentially leave and take up a medical assistant program to hopefully become an ma and get more experience in something that aligns with my major. the program would run through spring sem (im taking gen chem, bio 2, and calc that sem so thats why im not sure if i should keep the chipotle job).

basically my question is is this license worth my time for my transfer app or should i just keep my part time job rn. its like my only ec other than being an ambassador for a program currently.

I’m a current junior in undergrad, but I already have the rest of my semesters planned out to where I can’t fit my pre med reqs in. I’ve taken like 2, but I’m still lacking the major requirements. I know for sure that I am taking a gap year, but I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been advised to take the rest of the reqs at a community college and build my research experience/clinical hours which I still need. A part of me wants to do a post-bacc because I know some of them do MCAT prep and have linkage. However, I can’t find a post-bacc that allows for students who might have some reqs and needs others. A lot are career changers.

If anyone is/was in a similar situation any advice would be appreciated!

Hey yall! Hoping to get some advice, I’m currently a 3rd year PT student going to graduate in June 2027. I feel like The D in DPT does not live up to what I believed it was going to be heading into Pt school. I feel like I’m severely limited in my scope and my draw to medicine and thirst for knowledge is leading me to peruse an MD.

While I’ll likely peruse it anyway, it would help if anyone had any financial insight on if this is even doable. In June I’ll graduate with 84k in debt total (undergrad and grad). I plan on applying to instate MD/DO schools that are about 47k a year maybe less in tuition.

Edit: Pretty much anything that is around 50k a year both in and out of state now

In the mean time while I build my resume I plan on working PRN/Higher paying specialties in PT to save so I don’t have to take out any money for COL and only for tuition.

I am concerned that maybe I’m being very financially stupid and that I’d be better off putting my nose the grindstone and dawging through a PT career in hopes legislation changes PTs scope.

I will still have to take ochem series and MCAT. And for reference I will graduate at 23yo but turn 24 shortly after graduation.

Thank yall in advance!

I do not wanna post in premed since I wanna get advice from people who have completed that journey successfully.

My first round in college was awful because I was major in liberal arts stuff which does not have correct answer. So I have a useless BA in a jobless major with barely enough to graduate GPA from 2010s. And went back to school 2020 to brush up my GPA to pass the filter. I have completed prerequisites with 4.0. But got trouble with a terrible CC recently. I am there for wet lab experiences and possible research opportunities due to their relationship with a top med school nearby. I wouldn't do it if the MS I got landed me a real job in research. But you know the job market and how difficult for someone who fight alone to survive. I am there because I have no other place to go. And the quality of the classes are awful. Recently got a final grade from a 8-week long course. I had 100% with homework and assignments and even made an only 100% on an assignment before. But those grades only weight 10%. The biggest chunk is lab notebook. I have no idea how I lost so many points since I carefully followed the requirements. Also lost many points on practical exam and open book final. Nothing came out with transparency. I have already sent an email about if extra credit is counted. It feels like the instructor did everything they can to make my grade 0.xx lower than 90%.

The class contained many wrong info and the lab setup is crazy btw.

Biomedical/biotech is a small world and I don't see there is anything I can do to make it better.

I got invited to join two more projects this month and I’m not sure if I should say yes. Right now I’m working on one review where I’m basically doing everything: the question, the search, the screening, and I’m the one who has to defend every choice. It’s slow, and some weeks it feels like it’s never going to end.

Meanwhile I see people around me on five papers each, mostly doing a bit of screening or helping with the writing. And part of me wonders if I’m making a mistake, because honestly their CVs look a lot better than mine on paper.

But then I picture an interview where someone asks why we excluded a certain study or why we picked that model, and I’d actually know the answer. I don’t think I could say that about five papers where I did 10% of the work.

If you were starting over, would you go deep on fewer projects or spread out?

Is it better to work as healthcare consulting or do MA in biomedical informatics? Thank you!

Hey guys, can anyone pretend to be a Doctor that im interviewing just for a school project 👉👈

What is it like being an Doctor?

Are you having a hard time doing this job?

Whats your advice to people that whats to be a Doctor like you?

What were the difficulties you faced?

Please guys its due tomorrow and I was trying so hard finding a Doctor to interview but they are busyy, and none of the people I know are Doctors ughh

Hi everyone! For current students or anyone who has interviewed at ECU’s Brody School of Medicine, do you have any tips for preparing for the interview?

I’d also love to connect with current students to hear about your experience at Brody and what you’ve enjoyed most so far. Thanks in advance!

my uni or to be more exact the curriculum of my country is extremely bad and outdated and I don't trust becoming a decent doctor relaying on it, but they consume us so much only to pass not to learn and we lack such fundamental knowledge and I switched multiple uni and notices its a common problem.

if I want to study in a different country where can I be an exchange medical student in a different med school and how the process will be ?

Not "exercise and sleep", everyone says that. I mean the small habit that works for you in practice, even if it sounds silly.

Did it take a while to find it?

I’m currently a junior in undergrad and I’m in the process of getting involved in research. I’m wondering if anyone would know if med schools favor a more “hands on” traditional research thesis or would research that is more experiential be just as valuable to them (I.e, research through patient experience data etc).
I’m new to this and a transfer so any advice would really help .

Basically what the title says. I was behind in the queue, and when it was finally my turn, all the testing centers near me were full. My goal was to take it on January 29th, 30th, or February 12th. And in case I end up needing a retake, I can take it again in April. But all the January and February dates are filled, so now I'm worried I won't get a spot. I did the "Notify Me" thingy for when a spot becomes available, but do people usually drop when it's a testing date that early? Im worried.

I have an A from a nearby school which uses VR only. When I tried it on I felt sick and got a headache so im worried I won’t be able to learn from it properly. I also have an A from a much further away school and they use cadavers. I’m a bit more hesistant in moving further away but if it will help my learning I am ready to move. Any advice on what I should do?

Hi, I'm 15 y/o, living in Europe. I've become very interested in pursuing medicine because it seems to be a profession that overlaps well in my personal interests & job stability.

However, I hear a lot of warnings about med school that make me doubtful if I will properly enjoy it. Most of these warnings come from people who aren't actually involved in medicine though lol. So I'd like to get some answers from actual med students. Pls say what country/region you study in btw so I can get a proper perspective :-)

Here are my questions:

1. What is the workload like for med school? Is free time really as scarce as people claim it is?
2. When people say that you have to 'waste away your 20's' in med school, what do they mean? What things would a regular 20 y/o experience that a med student can't?
3. How common is burnout in med school, and what does it feel like? How does someone get through it?
4. How different is med school from regular school?
5. What would you say are the best and worst aspects of med school / the medicine field in general?

Also, for some added context, I plan to study in Ireland or Portugal (dream school is TCD). Also, since Im European, I won't actually be doing any premed course like they do in the US.

Thank u for reading! I appreciate any and all answers ^_^ Feel free to add anything else about your experience in med school that you think is valuable to know.

P.S sorry if the flair is wrong, wasn't sure whether premed or med school was best given the nature of the question VS my actual position

Hi everyone! I'm a pre-med student exploring medical schools, and I'd love to hear from current medical students about their experiences. I want input from everyone, but I'm especially interested in Harvard Medical School, John Hopkins Medical School, Yale Medical School, NYU, and the rest of the Ivies.

I'm curious about what medical school is actually like beyond what's advertised on school websites!

A few things I'd love to know:

• Are you happy with your choice of medical school? Would you choose the same school again?
• How is the workload, work-life balance, and overall student culture?
• Do you feel supported by your professors and classmates?
• Is the environment collaborative or competitive?
• What do you wish you'd known before choosing your school?

I'm also an international student on an F-1 visa, so I'd especially love to hear from other international students who are currently in medical school in the US! I'd be interested in your experiences with the application process, tuition and financial aid, and any additional challenges or considerations you've faced as an international student.

I'd really appreciate any honest advice or experiences, both positive and negative. Thank you!

I have been set on being in police for years, then firefighting, then being an EMT and then to paramedic. There’s pros and cons for all, but one thing i do always love is helping people. Help their wounds and make them feel okay, i’ve never done that, only on dummy’s. I won’t be as fit for firefighting, police may not accept me, but i so love the medical field. but i basically failed both my UE subjects for year 13, health and geography. so even though i want to do a medical job, i feel i may be too dumb for it. should i give it a go, will i waste my money if i fail i’m not sure. any advice will be helpful, i’m female 19, graduate school in 2 weeks, just want a second opinion. Thanks in advance.

My daughter has her upcoming white coat ceremony. Any suggestions for gifts?

Very non-trad that’s been planning on applying to this upcoming application cycle. 

I’ve been talking with some various people lately and they all seem to say “oh if you go the MD route your life will only be medicine”. Which has given me some apprehension on something I was dead set on. 

While I really am interested in medicine and really want to go into the field, I also don’t want my entire life to be medicine. Quite frankly, I probably want to work part time as early as possible. Went military out of college, they paid all my schooling so far, have GI bill for med school, and quite frankly set myself up well in my 20s for retirement, so the pay cut that would entail, student loans, etc I’m not worried about. 

Rather, I want time to be able to travel, start a family, do things and spend time with people I love, WHILE still being able to work as a Dr. And again, I absolutely want to be a Dr, I just don’t want to ONLY be a Dr. 

All that being said, is that realistic as an attending? should I be looking more towards pursuing PA vs MD?

Selling Marrow Edition 8.5 hardcopy notes. Brand new and unused, still unopened in the original packaging.

DM me if interested!

I'm at a point in my life where I could make a change in careers. I am a 3D artist in video games with a BFA and I'm burnt out on corporate life. I have a knack for remembering medical information for some reason and was always curious about being a doctor.

I've done some research and I would need to do a premed postbaccalaureate and maybe some classes even before that in biology. I guess, I'm not confident I know what the process looks like and I'm not sure how to find it for someone who already has a fine arts degree.

Has anyone here done the art to med-school/doctor path? Can you share your story?

Hey all, looking for honest input from people who've been through the Guard, especially anyone who went to med school afterward.

Where I'm at
Senior in college in Wisconsin, double majoring in biochemistry and global health.
Pre-med, but my GPA is low. I'm planning a multi-year academic rebuild (post-bacc or master's) before applying.
No research experience yet.
Working as an EMT for about a year. Eagle Scout.
Interested in politics down the line.
The plan
Enlist as a 68W (combat medic) in the Wisconsin Guard. The open slot is with a medical unit in Racine.
Ship after I graduate. Because I already have my EMT, medic school is shortened from 17 weeks to 9, so basic plus AIT is about 19 weeks total.
Choosing between a 3+2 or 6+2 contract.
Recruit Sustainment Program until I ship.
After training: work as an ER tech, take post-bacc classes or a master's, drill monthly, then apply to med school.
I don't want to be a military doctor. Just enlisted service.
What the recruiter told me
Guard covers my remaining undergrad semesters, plus 8 semesters of education after undergrad.
The Wisconsin GI Bill would pay for med school, up to a capped amount.
Student loan repayment is only with the 6-year contract.
No enlistment bonus for 68W.
The unit last deployed in 2025 and rotates about every 5 years, so the next one would be around 2030. Deployment doesn't fit my plan.
On a 6-year contract, being accepted to or enrolled in med school would excuse me from deployment.
I'd transfer to another state's Guard if I get into med school out of state.
Why I'm considering it
I genuinely want to serve.
Hands-on medic training and a more distinctive med school application.
Discipline, leadership, and structure during my gap years.
It would matter if I go into politics, as I want to show a commitment to this country.
Covering med school myself. My parents can pay for it, and I know that's a huge blessing most people don't get. But I'm prideful and I'd rather not have them pay. I know that's not the most rational reason.
Honestly, I think I'd regret not trying.
What's holding me back
I'm not in great shape right now, especially for running and rucking.
6 years (really 8 with IRR) feels like signing my life away. 3 years feels more manageable.
I don't have student loans, so the 6-year loan repayment doesn't matter for me.
A 6-year contract would overlap with med school and likely the 2030 deployment.
Drilling while taking post-bacc classes and working ER shifts could hurt the grades I'm trying to rebuild.
A few things the recruiter told me turned out to be overstated, so I'm trying to verify everything independently.
My questions
For those who went to med school: did non-deployed Guard service actually help your application?
Is 3 or 6 years the better call for someone in my spot?
Is med school enrollment actually a valid reason to be excused from a deployment?
Has anyone used the Wisconsin GI Bill for med school? How did it work?
How hard is it to keep grades up while drilling, working, and taking classes?
Anything I should make sure is in the contract before signing?
Bottom line: worth it, or should I just focus on rebuilding my GPA?
Thanks in advance.