Family Medical Career Planning Guide

Medical Career Planning: Family Guide For Future Doctors

If you have a high school student interested in a medical career, there are many things you can do as a family to help prepare them for this path. Getting started early with planning and preparation will help give them the best chance at success in their undergraduate premedical studies, the medical school application process, and their future medical training.

Getting started early with planning and preparation will help give them the best chance at success in their undergraduate premedical studies, the medical school application process, and their future medical training, including enrolling them in a rigorous pre-med program.

Medical programs for high schoolers, like summer camps, mentorships, and job shadowing opportunities, allow students to explore different medical careers firsthand. Experiences like these help teens decide if the medical field is a good fit before investing many years into training. These programs also look great on college and med school applications later on.

This guide aims to provide comprehensive insights and practical tips to facilitate your involvement in your loved one's medical career planning.

Explore Health Care Career Options

There are many types of doctors and medical professionals. Rather than just default to becoming a generic ‘doctor,’ teens should spend time researching all the options to find the best specialty fit.

For example, a student who excels in physics and technology may be an excellent radiologist, whereas someone with a passion for exercise science might make a great orthopedic surgeon. A people-person interested in mental health may be well suited for psychiatry.

Let your student shadow professionals, attend informational interviews, volunteer in hospitals, and take personality tests to narrow their interests. This exploration process helps aspiring doctors choose rewarding careers.

Get Hands-On Experience

Nothing beats firsthand experience when it comes to deciding on a medical career path. There are abundant opportunities for high school students to get involved in medicine, and they look great on applications, too.

Summer camps, academic enrichment programs, hospital volunteer work, blood drives, tutoring, and job shadowing are just a few options. Look for programs that allow for patient interaction, skill development, research projects, CPR certification, and other resume boosters.

Some medical schools now even accept high school students into anatomy lab subjects alongside college premed students. This gives them an early advantage in med school preparation.

Take Challenging Courses

A solid foundation in science and math coursework is essential for any future doctor. Students should take the most rigorous classes available at their high school, including multiple years of biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and advanced science electives.

Success in advanced placement (AP) programs and honors courses shows colleges a student is ready for premed coursework. Good grades in challenging classes also help compensate for any so-so test scores later on.

Round out the schedule with humanities courses to become a well-rounded applicant. Literature analysis, writing, psychology, sociology, history, arts, and languages are important. Admissions committees want personable, empathetic doctors with strong communication skills.

Get Competitive Test Scores

Standardized test scores are a fact of life in medical school admissions. Aspiring doctors should plan to take the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) in high school to get them out of the way.

Many also take SAT subject tests in biology, chemistry, math, and literature for extra credentials. Excellent scores open doors to top premed programs.

Plan for repeating any necessary exams to get the best score possible before application time. Private tutoring, prep courses, and plenty of practice help boost scores.

Develop Time Management Skills

Juggling rigorous coursework, extracurricular activities, test preps, and medical experiences demands excellent time management. Starting to hone these skills in high school prevents burnout later on.

Have your student map out a weekly schedule to stay on top of classes, activities, test prep, and applications. Learning to be disciplined and productive now leads to success down the road.

Build A Well-Rounded Resume

Academic credentials may get your foot in the door, but extracurricular activities show medical schools who you are outside the classroom.

Develop interests like volunteer work, sports, music, student government, research, health advocacy, travel, and language study. This demonstrates the passion, leadership, teamwork, and service valued in physicians.

It also helps prevent burnout by giving you an outlet beyond just academics. Find meaningful activities you enjoy and stay committed.

Get Comfortable With Standardized Tests

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is essentially a rite of passage for premed students. This stressful, 7-hour medical school admission test covers biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and critical analysis.

Scoring well requires months of intense studying, so start practicing standardized tests early. Take the SATs, SAT IIs, and AP exams to get comfortable with the format and strategies. Strong scores mean less pressure on the MCAT.

Develop Excellent Study Habits

Medicine requires an immense amount of learning and memorization. Students need great study habits to master premed prerequisites and pass intense board exams.

Have your high-schooler experiment with flashcards, practice questions, study groups, apps, and other techniques to find what works. Use active recall, spread out study sessions, teach concepts aloud, and overlearn material. Establishing excellent habits now prevents struggles later.

Final Thoughts

With smart planning, passion, and commitment, your high school student can lay the ideal foundation for medical school and a fulfilling career in health care.

Support their exploration of interests, take on academic challenges, get involved in medicine, develop themselves as a person, and master habits for success. The investments made now will let them thrive every step of the medical journey ahead.