Now, I definitely don't want to scare anyone into thinking that you should already know whether you would want to be pre-med in high school. But if you are interested (like I was), there are a few suggestions I have that could help you as you work your way towards college and exploring your interest in greater depth.
1.) Seek knowledge about the profession
I think one of the best things that you can do if you are considering studying medicine, is to get familiar with the field. Sophomore year of high school, my English teacher had us do a project where we had to research our "future career". Of course, as a little sophomore, it was quite daunting to think about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but I think it was a great exercise. Back then, I was interested in becoming a pediatrician, so my research focused on that. For my project, I had to look into the overview of the career (pay, job responsibilities, etc.), research the academic track to becoming a pediatrician (the amount of schooling seemed really scary back then), and then I had to interview a person in that career ( I interviewed my cousin's pediatrician). Overall, the project was very informative, and I obviously wasn't deterred by the amount of work it took to become a doctor. Of course, you might not have to do what I did for school, but I think it would be helpful to do something similar, especially interviewing a doctor. Something that I wish I would've done in high school was to shadow a doctor because it would've allowed me to get a better sense of the clinical environment ( which didn't really happen until junior year of college). Doing your research will help you see if this career is a good fit for you, and I think it is important to start looking into it early on.
2.) Volunteer
For me, one of the things that reinforced my desire to become a physician was my volunteer work. I did most of my volunteer work in a clinical/hospital setting, but those aren't the only areas that you can volunteer. The medical field is at its core a field of service, so getting yourself familiar with that aspect is very important. I think it's also very important for you to find a cause that you are passionate about, and what a better time to do that than in high school? If you can find a hospital/clinical setting to volunteer in, that's fantastic. You'll be in a good place when your med school apps come around and you can write about how you've been volunteering in a clinical setting since high school. But, I think it's very important to show that you are dedicated to giving back to others, and that can take many different forms.
3.) Focus On School
I'm sure this one might seem like an obvious one, but it is very important. I think high school is a great time to start getting yourself on the track towards being a great student. Take your classes seriously, challenge yourself, and definitely, find what works best for you. I know your workload might not be exactly comparable to what you'll experience in college or medical school, but it is a great time to start developing the habits that'll help you succeed later on. Aside from working on getting good grades, I think it is important to work on being well rounded. For one, it'll help to clarify whether you love science enough to pursue it as a career. Also, it'll help integrate other skills that will aid in your work as a physician. The greatest example that I can think of is reading. One of the reasons that the MCAT has a verbal reasoning section is because being able to dissect important information from a larger component is something a doctor deals with every day. One day, you'll be listening to a patient giving you loads of information and it is up to you to pick apart the pieces that are pertinent to their diagnosis. Of course, high school isn't the time to become an expert on this, but it is a good time to get your practice in.
4.) Find Yourself A Mentor
This point kind of goes with the first point, but I think it doesn't only have to be a doctor. Your mentor could also be a college student, medical student, etc. The point is to find someone that is going/has gone through the journey that you are interested in. I always find it less intimidating if I know someone has already done what I wish to do, and it's so helpful if they tell me how they did it. Also, it doesn't always have to be a live person. For me, I love to read blogs or follow medical students and doctors on social media. It allows me to get a glimpse into their experience, and that allows me to better direct my own journey.
5.) Do What You Love
When you apply to medical school, one of the things that they'll ask you about will be your hobbies. If all you do is school, there won't be much to talk about. So, take the time to do the things you love, or take the time to discover what these things may be. Aside from that purpose, I think it's so important to live a balanced life, especially in high school. In high school, you are still in your safety net (you'll get exactly what I mean when you get to college) so enjoy this while you can. Have fun, go out with your friends, and live life to the fullest. There will be plenty of time to be focused on your career and your future and on all the responsibilities that come along with them. Don't start worrying about it all too early.
I hope you guys all had a great weekend and that you have a lucky St. Patrick's Day week;)
I'll talk to you soon!
~Genesis<3
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