I still cannot believe that after...
1 MCAT,
2 years of STEM boarding school,
4 years of undergrad,
6 months of MCAT prep,
and 13 interviews,
I am finally starting medical school at my dream program!!! WON'T HE DO IT?!
Sometimes, it still doesn't seem real. Sometimes, I question myself and my abilities. Sometimes, I wonder if I am smart enough. Then...I remember everything that I have overcome to get here. I think about the time I came home from an organic chemistry exam review session and burst into tears because I had no idea what was happening in class. I think about the time my first MCAT FL practice score was lower than my diagnostic after almost 3 months of studying. I think about how I managed to work full time in undergrad to afford to apply to medical school. And I reframe my mindset -
I am meant to be here
I can handle this
I will be an amazing physician
SO, what have I been doing this summer?! Most of my time has either been spent sleeping or creating content (this is truly the good life!!), but I have done a few things to prepare for medical school...keep reading to see what I've done!
Things I've Done to Prepare
I know that I will need a community to support and uplift me in medical school. Luckily, I have AMAZING friends and family who are there for me every step of the way. However, I think the relationships you build with individuals going through the same phase of life as you are very unique. I am so glad to have an amazing group of peers to embark on this journey with.
✨ Traveled to de-stress and explore
Right after graduation, I spent a week in Mexico, and I swear I was in paradise (read about that trip here). I have also taken some local trips to visit friends and family, and this weekend, I am actually in Charlotte, NC, for my last hoorah before medical school.
✨ Reached out to faculty for potential mentorship/research opportunities
One of the things that drew me to NYUGSOM is a mentorship program where they connected me with a minority faculty member with similar interests BEFORE I even committed. I connected with my amazing mentor during revisit weekend, and I recently reached back out to see if she has any research projects I can be a part of. I have also reached out to a faculty member in the specialty I am interested in pursuing. While I don't plan to start research right away, I think it will be nice to have these connections now; once I am settled, I can start getting involved.
✨ Spent way too much time planning how I want to decorate my room
I am simply obsessed with my new color scheme (ivory and blush), and I cannot wait to share my move-in vlog and apartment tour in August. Until then, check out my Amazon Storefront to get a sneak peek at some items I purchased for my new place.
✨ Created a budget
I have tried Mint, YNAB, an excel spreadsheet, and everything in between to budget in undergrad, and NOTHING worked. However, now that I will be living off a set amount off of a set amount of money that has to last me the entire semester, rather than having steady streams of income from working, I have to get it together. I made a preliminary budget, and I will share all the details in a few months if I can stick to it. Until then, please comment all of your budgeting tips!
Things I'm Planning to Do to Prepare
✨ Make a NYC bucket list
Dr. Anya Bazzell (@surgeryandthecity) is my inspiration. She created a NYC bucket list to complete during residency, and I want to do something similar before medical school. I am sure the next four years will fly by, so I want to be intentional and take advantage of living in NYC. Comment your favorite things to do in the city to give my inspiration while making my bucket list (and yes, I'll share my list when it's complete)!
✨Attempt to make a Notion template for M1
I have heard SO many good things about Notion, but I have never used it for myself. I connected with a friend who sent me a great YouTube tutorial + lots of great tips to get started. Now, I plan to dedicate a day to personalize a template to keep track of lectures, exams, ECs, and more during my first year. Let's see how it goes!
Thank y'all so much for being a part of my journey this far - I cannot wait to see what NYC and medical school have in store for me!