Portraying real life stories is the basis of some movies. These films depict experiences about one’s sacrifices amidst armed conflict, endearing love relations, growing up adventures, stories on becoming a famous painter, and even facing challenges to succeed in a chosen career, such as becoming a doctor. True enough, attending medical school is quite challenging. To choose a medical vocation requires sufficient readiness and sufficient discipline. Check out these top five movies about medical school.
In 1934, Of Human Bondage
Phillip Carey returns to London to pursue medical studies after discovering his weakness in painting. He then falls deeply in love with an uneducated and controlling tearoom waitress Mildred who dislikes club-footed men. This experience leaves him to realize yet another distraction in his yet unperfected profession. Witness how Phillip endures medical school and overcomes the obstacles in building his career while confronting his obsession to her beloved Mildred.
In 1985, Bad Medicine
Jeffrey Marx applies into each medical school in the United States but is always turned down. Determined to dedicate his life to medical vocation, Jeffrey finds his way to a medical school somewhere in Central America. Aided by his fellow medical students from Madera Universidad de Medicina, they serve the entire impoverished village with medical assistance even prior to finishing medical school and being allowed to practice medicine.
In 1989, Gross Anatomy
Watch Joe Slovak, a character who never plays by the rules, as he makes use of his brilliance to outwit Dr. Woodruff and pass human dissections class even as his teacher maintains to question Joe’s presence in medical school. Also, because of Slovak’s persistent nature, his lab partner offers him enduring love.
In 1990, Vital Signs
The third year medical students from LA Central learn the facts of life as they compete among each other for the required internship. In the core of this perseverance, each one realizes that hospital life is not just a stage drama but real cases that require not just pure intelligence but also every beat of endurance to save lives including their own.
In 2000, Anatomy
Paula Henning dreamed for a place in the special summer course at the University of Heidelberg Medical School. Paula however starts to investigate why suspicious cadavers end up in dissection tables for anatomy class. Then she gets double survival challenge to end up finishing medical course and not to end up her own life by not being the subject of her own dissecting table.
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One of the toughest decisions you have to make during your medical career is to choose between pursuing medical specialization or continuing general practice. Deciding on which career path to follow requires a lot of time and consideration. To help you make your decision, here are the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a medical specialist:
Advantages of becoming a medical specialist
One of the advantages of being a medical specialist is that your colleagues find you more credible than your general practitioner counterparts. Thoroughly studying a specific branch of medicine such as neurosurgery or cardiology will not only help you gain more medical knowledge but it will also give you better professional leverage.
Another advantage of becoming a medical specialist is the prestigious title associated with your name. Becoming an internist, for one thing, will earn you not only your colleagues’ regards but also their respect. They will see you as the go-to person whenever they encounter patients with rare medical conditions. In addition to that, you also get to be involved in solving one-of-a-kind medical cases that will put you up on a pedestal upon succeeding.
In terms of salary, medical specialists earn more than other types of doctors. A diagnostic specialist, an internist, a surgeon, and a neurologist earn at least $20,000 more than general practitioners. Another advantage of being a medical specialist over being a general practitioner? You have higher chances of qualifying for higher job positions in a hospital.
Disadvantages of becoming a medical specialist
Becoming a medical specialist comes with its share of downsides too. For one thing, it takes longer to be a medical specialist than a general practitioner. You have to spend four years as a medical student, spend one year as an intern, and spend more years as a medical resident. If you want to be a medical specialist, you still need to spend additional years in gaining expertise in your chosen field.
Another disadvantage of becoming a medical specialist is that you will be exposed only to medical cases within the scope your specialization. If you are neurosurgeon, you will only be allowed to accept patients with nervous system-related disorders. Most general practitioners favored general practice over medical specialization because they look forward to helping many people with varying medical conditions.
Your decision in choosing between medical specialization and general practice must always be based on your personal interests – may it be financial stability or self-fulfillment. Choose a career path where you think you can find a balance between work and personal life because that’s the only way you can be happy in the long run.
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What sets an unsuccessful student apart from a successful one is this: habits. Below are just some of the habits that hinder a student from becoming successful. See if you have these habits; if you do, then it’s time to start undoing them and be more productive.
* Being content with producing mediocre output
Perhaps you have found yourself aiming for just a passing score instead of wanting to ace an exam or get an exceptionally high grade on a paper. Wouldn’t it be so much better if you actually did something that you labored over and would be proud of? Although mediocrity seems to be the norm, you can rise above it. Make an effort to do better in your studies. In time, you may find that you’ve cultivated the habit of striving for excellence instead of settling for mediocrity.
* Doing things at the last minute
Admittedly, there are students who produce better output when working under pressure. However, many students also use this as an excuse to procrastinate. Even if you still have weeks to go before you need to pass a research paper or submit a project, you can benefit by starting now. You can head over to the library and make a list of resources that you can consult later on when you start your draft. You can also arrange your files so that they are easy to locate later on when you need them. Make it a point to be productive most of the time.
* Making hasty decisions
Always being impulsive won’t work well when you’re dealing with your studies. You have to know which decisions need lengthy deliberation and which issues can be settled quickly. You might think that it’s okay to decide on something on a whim, but doing so can make things more complicated for you later on. For example, if you’re going to submit a thesis proposal, make sure that you already did preliminary research on the topic you want to work on. In case you’re having trouble making decisions, you can consult your parents or teachers.
* Failing to see the consequences of actions
A good example of this is not studying for an exam, thinking that one low score won’t affect your overall grade. What you have to realize is that getting low grades won’t help you get into top schools. If you’re already in college, it certainly won’t help to have failing or barely passing grades. When a prospective employer asks for your transcript of records, having low grades won’t bode well for you at all.
* Having a tendency for pessimism
If you always think that you can’t do better, this may just affect your productivity. Negative thoughts and self-perceived incompetence won’t help you. Instead, strive harder and do your best to prove to yourself that you can achieve more than you usually do. Don’t be discouraged by your failures or low grades. Instead, use these as your motivation to improve yourself.
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A common belief among foreign medical school applicants is that they have slim chances of getting into US medical schools. On the contrary, a lot of medical schools are looking to diversify their student body, and they do this by admitting people of different races and nationalities.
The medical school application process for foreign students is not that complicated, and it is actually quite similar to that of US citizens. The only difference is that foreign students are required to submit additional documents, some of which are mandated by statutory laws. Below is a simple guide to medical school application for foreign students:
1. Choosing an institution
Gathering information on the programs and application processes for various medical schools should be easy enough with the help of the Internet. For foreign students, however, there are additional factors to take into consideration. Most foreign students opt for medical schools which are located in areas they are familiar with, or where they have relatives living near the area.
Next to location, it’s also important to consider the tuition and everyday expenses. A lot of medical schools in the US charge higher tuition rates for foreign students as compared to those paid by US residents. For foreign students seeking to apply for financial aid, they should also check if their desired institution offers such aid because they are not covered by the US government-funded scholarships and grants.
2. Residency and lodging
A lot of medical schools have dorms and boarding houses within the campus. This is a good option for foreign students especially among those who don’t have any relatives living in the US. However, if there are no such lodging options, foreign students can also opt to live in apartments within the vicinity of the campus. These apartments usually have student discounts to make the rates affordable to students.
3. Requirements for residents and non-residents
As mentioned, most of the medical school application requirements are the same for both American citizens and foreign students. Some of these common requirements include:
* Resume or CV
* Transcript of college records
* Recommendation letters
* Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores
* Personal statement medical school
The personal statement is one of the most important requirements in applying for medical school. For foreign students, their personal statement medical school should include an explanation why they chose to study in the US. You can check out sample medical school personal statements found on the Internet to give you a general idea of how to write one.
4. Additional requirements for foreign students
Most medical schools require foreign students to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL. Because you’ll be studying in the US, where the national language is English, proficiency and ability to communicate in English is a must. In some cases, taking the TOEFL may be waived if the foreign student has studied in US or Canada for at least one year.
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It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the requirements and processes that medical school application entails. Keeping track of deadlines for specific documents is one of the important tasks you have to master. While medical schools may have varying sets of application requirements and processes, there are elements that are common among all medical schools. To help you prepare for medical school, below is a suggested step-by-step process you can follow:
Step 1: Collect and select.
The first step in applying to medical schools is to determine which schools offer programs that would best suit you and your field of interest. To do this, collect information on various medical schools which you can easily find on the Internet. It’s also helpful to read school reviews and student testimonials so you’ll have an “insider” view of what the institution is like. Here you can also gather information on the specific application procedures and requirements of different medical schools.
Step 2: Have a checklist of requirements.
As mentioned, application requirements may vary depending on the medical school. However, there are some common medical school requirements you need to submit, which you’ll find listed below:
* Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores
* TOEFL or IELTS (if applicable)
* Transcript of records
* Recommendation letters
* Resume or CV
* Personal statement medical school
If you’re at a loss as to how to write your personal statement medical school, you can check out sample medical school personal statements on the Internet to get an idea of how and what to write.
Step 3: Submit documents and application forms on time.
There are various medical school application services that you can use to help you through the whole application process. An example of such services is the American Medical College Application Service or AMCAS, which provides students with access to 90% of accredited med schools in the US. This service is offered by the Association of American Medical Colleges or AAMC.
From here, medical schools who are interested in your application will contact you and provide details on the supplemental requirements you need to submit. These supplemental requirements vary depending on the institution.
Step 4: Wait and then make follow ups.
This is perhaps the most grueling part of the medical school application – waiting for response and feedback. As for making follow ups, remember that there is a fine line between checking on your application status to show your determination and bugging the admissions committee to process your application. If you’re called in for an interview, make sure you follow up by calling the school or by confirming your appointment through email.
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Entering medical school is considered as a huge and defining step in a student’s academic life. Students who enter medical school are subject to expectations from relatives, and even from themselves. But before you get intimated with your expectations of medical school, remember that all it takes is a great deal of preparation to build confidence in facing the challenges of medical school. With that in mind, find below our suggestions on how you can prepare for medical school:
1. Motivate yourself and practice self-discipline.
A lot of students get easily intimidated by the prospect of entering medical school. To avoid this, you should muster as much enough self-motivation as you can to remind yourself that nothing will stop you from getting into medical school. Part of this self-motivation is having the initiative to get the information you need (i.e. application requirements, programs, etc.) And as you probably know already, medical school involves a LOT of work. So as early as now, you should practice self-discipline even in little ways, like setting a schedule and adhering to it to process your documents, etc.
2. Process your documents and take the MCAT.
Assuming you followed our suggestion above, you should now be operating on a mind frame that focuses on the steps you need to go through to apply for medical school. Taking the MCAT is one of these necessary steps. With exam fees that can go up to $500, taking the MCAT unprepared would be a waste of time, money, and effort. A lot of people say that the ideal time to start studying for the MCAT is during junior year, so that the lectures and knowledge are still fresh in your mind. You will find tons of MCAT preparation kits and resources on the Internet and in bookstores.
3. Plan, plan, and plan.
Don’t waste your time while waiting for the MCAT results to come. Instead, start planning the path you want to take once you’re in medical school. This will involve checking out the courses, majors, and programs of the medical schools you’re planning to apply to. This would also be a good time to decide in which area you plan to specialize in. As for extra-curricular activities, joining organizations will help make you feel more comfortable in your new environment, and the experience can help you develop interpersonal communication and leadership skills.
4. Complete the application requirements and prepare for the interview.
Recommendations letters, transcripts, test scores, etc. These are common medical school requirements students should submit as part of the application process. If you already have these prepared, the next step would then be to write your personal statement medical school. You can check out sample medical school personal statements available on the Internet so you’ll have a general idea of how to write it. When filling out the application form, try making a few drafts first to reduce the chances of errors and having to submit a messy application form.
To prepare for the interview, you should do your own research to get a backgrounder of the institution you’re applying to. By taking the time to know more about the medical school, the admissions committee will see how motivated you are to get into their medical school and acquire the education you need.
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Entering into medical school and becoming a doctor is considered by most people as a life-changing decision. Becoming a doctor entails having a significant portion of your life planned out in line with the path you have taken. The experience of getting a medical school education and of moving forward to become a doctor is filled with trials and hardships. It is in knowing and understanding why you chose that path that you will draw the strength to persevere in med school. Below are five of the worst reasons for wanting to become a doctor.
Financial gain
Money is a very effective motivator. However, in the field of medicine, money is not enough to encourage you to persevere. If money or financial gain is your sole motivator and reason for wanting to become a doctor, it’ll be hard for you to persevere in a career that involves a heavy physical, intellectual, and emotional workload. Those who want to become a doctor for this sole reason should understand that it takes a while before you can get to the point where you’re earning thousands of money and living luxuriously. The road to becoming a doctor is paved with trials that you may not be able to surpass if your focus is on the financial rewards.
Pressure from family and relatives
This is also one of the most common reasons people go into medical school and strive to become a doctor. However, you have to remember that it’s YOU who will be dealing with the daily hardships in medical school and eventually in the medical profession, not your family or relatives. If you want to become a doctor, you must want it for yourself, and not because you want to meet other people’s expectations.
Admiration and respect from others
While it’s true that doctors are widely respected and admired, the most-loved doctors are still those who entered the profession because of their desire to help other people. If your reason for wanting to become a doctor is merely to boost your ego and self-esteem, you will also only be admired and respected because of your position and not because of your ability to reach out to those who need your help. You may be an excellent medical practitioner, but you will lack the heart to relate with your patients on a personal level and gain their trust.
Purely intellectual interest
A lot of samples of personal statement medical schools focus on applicants’ desire to get into medical school because they find the academic discipline intellectually stimulating. Medical knowledge is abundant and seemingly inexhaustible, and this prospect of constantly enhancing one’s intellect lures a lot of students to apply to medical schools. However, being a doctor doesn’t just require neurons. It’s a profession wherein you will sometimes be forced to make decisions using both your brain and heart. And because you deal with people, and not machines, on a daily basis, being a doctor also requires interpersonal skills and being able to effectively communicate with your clients.
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