What should teens do to help them become doctors?

Question

I'm 13 and i want to be a doctor when i'm older, my dad's a doc. and my mom's a nurse. I was inspired by House and i want to go into diagnostic medicene, what kind of stuff should i do as ateen to help me get a place at med school, and help me get a good position??

Answer 1

As a teenager, there is nothing that you need to do except learn little about Real Medicine.  Real medicine is not like what you have seen on TV. The characters that are on House are entertaining and try to be informative but....... there is NOWHERE in the world, even John Hopkins, that they are allowed to practice like that.

I would suggest learning what the Real medical doctor does daily before targeting your whole life into the imaginary world of "diagnostic medicine" (which is the special made-up department to give House something to do).

I do not wish to be harsh, but medicine, today, is not what it was when I started many years ago.

Medical Schools are NOT looking for any one thing special. The are looking for real people who can stop, look, listen, read and understand.

Old Doc

See:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 2

It's great that you know what you want to do at such a young age! And, now is the time to start planning for your future to become a doctor.

Most colleges are not only going to look at your grades but also at your extra-curricular activity involvement. It will take a lot of time away from your social life, but at the same time it will give you the chance to meet new people, get their feedback and even make new friends. Get involved in as much as you can without taking too much time away from your studies. You have got to keep that grade point average high! Lots of Science, lots of Biology. :o)

It sounds like you have a good start with your dad being a doctor and your mom being a nurse. They can tell you things that no one can teach you in a text book.

Good luck to you!

Answer 3

Oh... When i was at your age, i decided i wanted to study medicine too! (Im 15 now).

I also watch House like a maniac!!!! It's a great series...

You should be good at subjects related with Medicine, which also help you to go into Medicine, such as Mathematics, Science, Physics, Biologie and stuff. To be honest, i have no idea how the system works in America, i just wish you luck!

Answer 4

Things that medical schools look for:

1) Good grades (mainly because medicine is competitive, not because it is particularly hard)

2) Commitment to wanting to be a doctor (i.e. work experience that has MEANT something to you where you haven't just chased around after a consultant for 2 weeks thinking that white coats are cool; long-term volunteering in a nursing home goes down well)

3) Extracurricular activities (things that demonstrate perseverance, leadership, team work, good communication skills)

4) Good performance at interview (get a book of practice questions)

5) Knowledge of how the healthcare system in your country works, and your opinions on it.

6) Ability to deal with difficult situations and concepts - know about the downsides of medicine and all the ethical nightmares it presents. They also like you to know your own limitations and be aware that you won't always know the answers to things.

7) Being normal. At the end of the day, you have to be able to switch off. Medical schools don't take people who they think will burn out from doing nothing except work. I seem to remember telling one interview panel when I was 18 that I would quite happily sit and read Harry Potter for days on end when revising for exams got too much.

Good luck :o) I decided I wanted to be a doc when I was 15, and once you make a definite decision on it, you have a LOT of hard work ahead of you. Enjoy ;o)