Hey everyone! I'm 22 years old and planning to start college in January 2027. I'm really interested in pursuing medicine, specifically urology.

I've been a wheelchair user since childhood, but I'm fully independent in my daily life. Because of my own medical experiences, I've developed a strong interest in the urinary system, kidneys, and neurogenic bladder.

I'd especially love to work with children who are going through life-altering medical experiences similar to what I experienced growing up. I know firsthand how challenging those experiences can be, and I'd love to be someone who helps children and their families navigate them.

My biggest concern is whether being in a wheelchair would make it difficult or even impossible to become a urologist.

Are there any wheelchair users currently in medical school, residency, or practicing medicine who could share their experiences? Would pursuing urology be realistic for someone in my situation, especially considering the surgical training requirements? Or would another specialty be a better fit for my interests?

I genuinely want to become a doctor, and I'm willing to put in the years of education and training it takes. I'd really appreciate some honest, realistic advice before starting this journey.

Thank you!

I’m 24F and i recently started community college.
i realize quickly im very dumb.
im taking only three classes while working full time right now. Psychology, ethnic, and public speaking.
Ive been relying on chatgpt.
all of those classes so far require to write an research essay and quizzes.
i just use chatGPT because people been telling that these are just gen ED classes and i won’t need to remember it later on.
my mid term for psychology i just use chatgpt. i got 99/100.
for my ethnic class, it was more like history and ive always struggle with it. i use chat to summarize it and just explained concepts it so i can understand it better.
with public speaking, i just use chat to help me with researching my topic and with my grammar.
i’m pretty sure if i didn’t use chat, i would either get a C or fail.
i wanted to go into med school in doubting my intelligence and also money too.

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1. Not studying from the very first day: Study even if it's just for an hour. It is going to be a great asset before your professional exams, more than you can even imagine.

2. Giving importance only to studying theory: Yes, theory is important to understand how the human body works, but at the same time, to treat a human being, you need to have a good grasp of practical knowledge.

3. Considering good marks a measure of becoming a good doctor: There are doctors who didn't do well academically but are excellent clinicians today. Scoring good marks in professional exams doesn't automatically make you a good doctor.

4. Reading each and every line of the book: As medical students, we can't study the whole book. It's not just hard work that matters; smart work matters too.

5. Compromising my health: Compromising on sleep and regular meals for studying will do no good for your academics. Instead, it will only drag you down.

6. Considering everyone a friend: Just because you share a class with someone doesn't mean you have to consider them a friend. Be respectful and friendly with everyone, but be mindful of whom you trust and let into your personal life. There's a difference between being on good terms with your batchmates and being genuine friends.

7. Taking everything personally: People will talk about you, but you have to decide for yourself what you should take personally and what you should let go of, because not everything deserves your attention or should affect your growth.

8. Doing nothing but gossip during clinical postings: Go to the hospital, talk to patients, listen to their stories, learn clinical examinations, and develop your clinical skills as much as possible. It will help you not only pass your exams but also become a good clinician in the long run.

I am currently in my first year of med school, in pre med (in my country premed and med are 6 years in the same course). I have my heart set on medicine and on being a doctor, but I have no interest, really, in science. Is this foolish?? I like anatomy and learning about the body but when it comes to biology & chemistry & etc I just find it so dull and I'm struggling with motivation to study. I knew going in that medicine is deeply interconnected with science but I sort of thought I could work past it, but when I see others in my course thriving and quickly understanding in those subjects I feel like such an imposter. I've been getting alright grades but I have no passion for science at all, and I don't know if it is something that I should worry about. Any advice or opinions??

Hello!

I have been incredibly blessed to get accepted to a tuition-free MD program in NYC. I will be, however, matriculating after 3.5 gap years at the age of 26. For the first time in any educational transition, I am spiraling a little. I have spent so long working towards this goal, and I never pictured myself in NYC, and I NEVER expected to get into the program I did, so this came a little out of left field. Everyone in my life is saying this will be a no-brainer and a fun adventure, but I am worried about feeling older than my class and moving from the South to NYC (I have never been before).

I am a woman, if that makes a difference, and I am also spiraling about family planning. My husband works in law and has a stable job, but is willing to move with me.

I am absolutely relieved to have gotten in, but at the same time, physiologically, I have been having so much anxiety and worry for the future. Everyone is saying I should just be feeling happy, so I am not really sure if what I am feeling is normal.

Is this a normal feeling? Does anyone have any words of advice or wisdom? This will probably be the biggest life change geographically I have experienced.

Thank you very, very much.

hello
I decided to start preparation for Step1 by following the study plan by bootcamp its a 9 week duration

this is the plan:
https://www.scribd.com/document/846518726/Bootcamp-s-Step-1-Study-Schedule

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vJ2xHieMCZ_1vt1Vlyn4ti2F85z1Yon1/view

But I don't know which plan to follow.
I am thinking of using First Aid to guide the flow of my study plan. After studying for a couple of days, I want to start UWorld so I can practice solving questions using clinical logic rather than just relying on my gut feeling.

What do you all think of this plan? Will it succeed, or do I need to make changes? Also, which specific study schedule should I follow? If my knowledge base from my five years of medical school isn't very strong, is Bootcamp a good fit for me, or should I stick to Boards & Beyond?

Any suggestions or recommendations would be highly appreciated.

Thanks!

My uni heavily emphasises them but idk like are they helpful? I know a lot of my cohort just watches videos.. Like is videos + pre-made flashcards and notes a better option ?

And for osce how much do I need to practice with others? Can I use geeky medics and practice in front of the mirror mostly?

Working on my study technique.. any tips? Are flash cards good for memory? Are textbooks worth it? I use guyton, robbins, Kumar and Clarke, moores clinically oriented Anatomy.. also there are pre made decks like anking. Is that better than making my own flashcards? Also there are pre made notes? What is the most high yield study technique?

Hi everyone,

As an international academic collaboration and student-support organization in medical education, we frequently see students and families make major decisions about studying medicine abroad without fully evaluating regulatory compliance and clinical training quality.

To help prospective medical students navigate this process safely, we’ve put together a practical checklist to evaluate any university or international program before enrolling:

1. Regulatory Compliance & Guidelines

NMC Compliance (For Indian Students): Ensure the program aligns with the National Medical Commission's Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations. Key requirements include a minimum course duration (typically 54 months + 12 months internship), English-medium instruction, and registration granting a license to practice in the host country upon graduation.

Primary Medical Qualification: Verify if the university is listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) with active status and appropriate sponsor notes.

2. Clinical Exposure & Teaching Hospitals

In-House Teaching Hospitals: Check whether clinical rotations take place in affiliated, high-bed-capacity teaching hospitals or third-party facilities.

Patient Load & Bed Capacity: Ensure student-to-patient ratios allow for actual hands-on clinical exposure rather than purely observational rounds.

3. Curriculum Alignment & Licensing Exam Prep

Foundational Science Integration: Look for curricula that cover core pre-clinical subjects (Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pathology) systematically from Year 1.

Licensing Alignment: Check if the academic schedule incorporates structured preparation for national screening/licensing exams (such as FMGE/NEXT or USMLE) alongside core coursework.

4. Student Support & Infrastructure

Language & Cultural Integration: On-campus local language training helps students communicate effectively during clinical hospital rotations.

Academic Mentorship: Dedicated academic counseling and on-ground student support make a huge difference in student success rates away from home.

For current medical students and graduates: What was the single most important factor you considered when choosing your institution?

Feel free to ask any general questions about regulatory guidelines or international medical education standards below!

I’m probably overthinking this but I got MA offers from both ophthalmology and fertility clinics. Applying 2027. Which one sounds better?

Ophthalmology MA

-$23/hr
-30-50 min commute depending on traffic
-more staff intending to go to medschool, higher chance of getting LOR
-complex responsibilities handling initial screening before seeing dr
-fast paced, about 70-120 patients per day
-more interested specialty
-weekday shifts, typical earliest at 8-4:30 and latest at 9-5:30
-paid holiday and birthday shifts
-moderate longitudinal pt relationship

Fertility clinic MA

-$27/hr
-2 min walk commute
-unsure about physician mentoring and support
-“chaperone” patients during exam visit w physicians
-main responsibilities are rooming, performing phlebotomy & potential opportunity to assist in procedures after more experience
-not as many patients as opthalmology
-less interested specialty
-variable shifts, earliest at 6:30-3 and latest at 8:00-4:30
-work weekends every three weeks, work alternating holidays
-extensive emotional and longitudinal pt relationship

Hi guys I’m curious if any psychiatrists on here do psychotherapy as a part of their practice, as I know this is a dying practice in the field of psychiatry.

Which is the best tab for md medicine for notes, ss prep
11 inch ipad pro 512gb vs 13 inch ipad air 512gb?

Hi I'm a third year. I did fine my first two years of med school. However I failed my first attempt at comlex level with a 395. I thought the retake went slightly better however I am tallying up my rights and wrongs and feel like I failed again. I know 2 board fails is DOA everywhere so not sure how I'll match.

I feel like i wrongfully entered a career I wasn't smart enough to be in. I struggled with the MCAT and got a 496 yet got 5 interviews so i believed I could do it. However i think i should just face the fact I'm simply not smart enough to continue down this path and wil need to withdraw. I have no motivation and am severely depressed I put myself in a field I was too stupid to do. I wish I was smarter but I am not.

Hey guys,

First off congrats on submitting your application!🎊🎊

I was just wondering for how long should I prepare for? Is it worth starting now. Also how do you even prepare in the first place what am I supposed to do?

What resources do I use to prepare, preferably free because I'm not sure I can afford paid subscriptions at the moment.

Also is interview prep any different for foundation years if I applied for standard entry and foundation years?

Hi, I am a senior undergrad applying to med school next year (taking a 1-year gap). I need to retake the MCAT (thinking end of Jan or Feb) and also focus on building strong clinical hours. For context on clinical hours, I have about 340 hours volunteering at the hospital (not deep clinical work), about 80 hours working on a clinical study where I speak with patients about their healthcare experiences, and about 60 hours doing EKGs for a clinical club.

I have been looking for MA jobs, but I'm thinking of dedicating the time from now to January to focus on the MCAT. Then I'll join a clinic as an MA full-time in April (since I graduate early). If possible, I would like to start part-time in Feb/March if that works for the clinic.

In the past, I tend to overcommit and spread myself too thin, which I think has hurt me. So I need advice on how to prioritize and organize my schedule to get a strong MCAT score and more deep, thoughtful clinical hours when I apply in the upcoming cycle. Please help.

are there any stories of people who were not academically great in med school becoming excellent doctors? i remember always thinking that i would be the one to tutor and be a rockstar on my exams, but even as an m3, shelfs have been hard (but passing) and m1/m2 exams were so difficult (but passed). i just want to know if it’s possible to level up my game... i just need someone to tell me its not too late to start being awesome at med school :-(

Hi all! I am curious about the field of psychiatry. I was considering being a psychologist but I want the authority to prescribe medications.

How was medical school for you? How was residency? Do you feel like you had a balance of work and life in residency?

Please let me know! Would love to hear from anyone on any stage of their progress.

Hi everyone, I am sorry for posting in this subreddit as a pre-med, but I just wanted to ask if I should purchase KenHub. The reason is because I am in anatomy club, and I really enjoy it; I got into it as a tutor for getting my anatomy courses done at community college. So, I am a tutor mainly for Anatomy 2 because I told them that I got a 97% in the class while for Anatomy 1 I got C's and D's, leading to a final grade of a B. Though, at university, there is lot more to learn than community college.

I ain't saying it's going to be hard though because I already got a pretty good foundation of knowledge. It's mainly anatomy of musculoskeletal, neuro, and blood vessels from cardio that I don't know/struggle with. Does KenHub do a good job at managing/scheduling time for us to study and master topics?

Overall though, one more thing I want to mention, the anatomy club is really fun, and there is just some "kick" to it, so I do want to allocate some time to studying anatomy for current plans, personal enjoyment, and club purposes. I really appreciate you guys for reading this post! If not kenhub, please suggest some other tools that you would recommend for me based on what I am looking for: scheduling what to study each week, spaced repetition, overall good quality.

Thanks!

Just straight up, is it possible?

Has anyone had some crazy shit happen like this and still made it as a doctor?

Just do not want to go to a Carribean school unless I have to

Hi all,

So basically I went to school for biology with intent to go to med school. Turns out 18-22 year old me was not prepared for college. I bombed, ended up with a 2.945 cGPA with replacement (CASPA estimate has me at 2.63 cumulative and 2.3 science) my transcript is riddled with Fs and Ws and even 2 Ps. I don’t turn myself around until senior year where I managed a 3.0 - 3.5 range, but by then I’d given up and switched trajectory to become a lab tech.

Now, 10 years later, I have taken a few preliminary post bacc courses and got As and feel ready to take the coursework required. I do recognize that my bachelors degree history is atrocious, so I’m here asking if anyone has any stories or information about whether a path exists for me to reinvent my academic career and become eligible for med school.

I am willing to do an extensive DIY post bacc, probably 60-80 credits of prereqs and upper division courses, and even would try to get into an SMP, but I don’t want to invest in something that’s already dead in the water so I wanted to ask around first.

Thanks

Got some DO As early on but got my first choice MD acceptance yesterday, which is super exciting. I’m trying my best to get away from medicine for my gap year so I’m working as a bartender, moving back home to save money, eating healthier, and trying new hobbies (writing, yoga). I think I’m on the right track, I already have some travel plans, but a little part of me is so excited to get the ball rolling and start. I also immediately got imposter syndrome. I’m worried about not being able to keep up with the pace of med school when I start and I’m already having dreams (nightmares?) that I’ve forgotten assignments or that I’m struggling in school.. lol.