Often parents write letters inquiring about how to help their students get into medical school. I am always struck by their love, anxiety and determination for their children’s success.
Along with unconditional love and unwavering support, parents can assist their children in becoming physicians by fostering resilience, balance and persistence — critical skills for life and a career in medicine — as well as helping them choose the best college, major and extracurricular activities to succeed on the path to medical school.
[Read about the five key characteristics of successful medical school applicants.]
Develop Critical Skills
— Resilience: This quality allows people to make life more manageable. Med students must be able to weather an array of attitudes, communication styles and temperaments from colleagues and patients. Upon occasion, attending physicians yell — it’s important for students to have a thick skin.
— Balance: Balancing academics, relationships and extracurricular activities can be challenging, since all compete for time and attention. Parents can model ways to be fully present in the moment, such as going technology-free during dinner, vacation and homework.
They can also demonstrate prioritizing themselves and practicing self-care — for example, taking time to exercise, volunteer or engage in their favorite pastime, which displays the importance of taking care of oneself in addition to academics. These practices pay dividends as students foster focus on the task at hand and learn to prioritize activities.
Every day, physicians must identify the sickest patient or the most important assignment to tackle first , which can make a difference in losing valuable time or endangering a life.
[Learn about pursuing leadership skills for success in a health care career.]
— Persistence: Pushing forward despite touch circumstances is essential for achieving an accomplished career in medicine. At some point, students won’t achieve their first choice college, medical school, residency or job. Even the list of things needed to merely apply to medical school may seem overwhelming, yet the same feeling will return when applying for residency and fellowship. The ability to persevere in spite of challenges and disappointments creates emotional intelligence.
Pursue the Best Path for Success
In addition to helping your child develop these essential life skills, guide your child in making good decisions that will set them on a path for success in medical school.
First, guide your child in selecting the undergraduate institution that fits best him or her. Location, institution size, campus support and cost are all considerations. A university where the student can thrive and is afforded the greatest opportunity for academic success, as well as depth and breadth of experiences, will nurture a happy, whole person. Medical school admissions committees look for well-rounded individuals — not just for stellar academics.
Next, help your child identify a major of personal interest that promotes intellectual curiosity and stretches her or him academically. Although many students elect to major in a science, both science and nonscience majors matriculate into medical school.
[Choose the right undergraduate major for medical school.]
Encourage your student to meet with the premed adviser in the first semester to set a course to satisfy the prerequisites for the med school application and for taking the MCAT. The MCAT is a multiple-choice exam that assesses critical thinking and biological, physical and social sciences and is a key component to med school admission.
Encourage your child to participate in a variety of collegiate activities to have a well-rounded experience and move outside of his or her comfort zone. Remember summer experiences also expose students to science and medicine through premed summer programs, study abroad or research.
Armed with well-developed critical life skills at a well-selected institution, your student will be equipped to endure the challenges that come with pursuing and handling a career in medicine, especially with your love and support.
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Ways Parents Can Help Students Pursue Medical School Dreams originally appeared on usnews.com
