The Premed Years

(00:00) — Welcome and framing: What this conversation is for and who Dami is (00:40) — Growing up in Lagos: How health inequity planted the seed for medicine (02:16) — Medicine vs. public health: Why exposure shapes the choice (04:49) — Athletics first: Arriving in the U.S. and finding track and field before premed (06:13) — Picking a college for D1 throwing, not for premed academics (07:07) — Stu...

(00:00) — From physics to premed: Riley describes deciding to pursue medicine at the end of sophomore year after shadowing in medical physics. (03:37) — Patient transport as a first clinical role: what it taught him about hospital environments and patient interaction. (04:54) — Staying in the physics major: why switching wasn't necessary and how he fit in prerequisites. (08:24) — Building the prem...

(00:00) — Family in medicine: How a neurologist mom and a sister in pediatrics shaped Justin's early interest (03:28) — The chemistry PhD question: Why lab research pushed Justin back toward medicine (07:14) — Duke and the premed decision: Choosing a school and a major with med school in mind (09:40) — Applying straight through during COVID: The stress of a compressed timeline and limited clinical...

(00:00) — Pre-k graduation and "I want to be a baby doctor": Where the idea of medicine first appeared for Riya. (01:07) — Seventh-grade biology and Hashimoto's thyroiditis: The classroom moment that made medicine feel like a real possibility. (02:24) — Hospital volunteering in high school: First clinical exposure, patient interaction, and what sparked genuine interest. (04:57) — Discovering combi...

(00:00) — Welcome and origin spark: Kiki’s path starts without an “aha” and a teacher’s nudge changes everything. (02:24) — First shadowing, open-heart: A six-hour quadruple bypass leaves her captivated. (03:48) — Type B and present: Owning a goal without over-planning in high school. (04:29) — Balancing D2 hoops and premed: Small-school community and time management pay off. (07:19) — Burnout and...

(00:00) — Ear cleaning origin: A childhood earwax ritual lights the first spark for medicine. (01:25) — Writer first, then premed: Entering college for writing before finding patient care through EMT work. (02:10) — EMT on campus: Deescalation, student calls, and heavy mental health moments. (03:27) — Suicide hotline: Human-to-human conversations that clarified her desire to be a physician. (04:10...

(00:00) — Welcome and setup: from premed dropout to med student (00:47) — Corporate grind sparks the spreadsheets vs patients question (01:30) — Rewinding to undergrad premed and the 495 MCAT during COVID (03:15) — Finances and first-gen pressure push him off the path (04:35) — Articles, AI, and volunteering rekindle interest in medicine (06:10) — Leadership draw: why physician responsibility appe...

(00:00) — Early spark for medicine: Jasmine’s childhood curiosity and desire to help takes root at age four or five. (02:40) — High school split focus: AP sciences vs. seven-hour show choir and a one-week summer health program. (03:55) — Choosing Howard: Proximity to a hospital/med school and an open-door culture sealed the decision. (05:15) — Major, minor, and momentum: Biology major, chemistry m...

(00:00) — Avoiding medicine to committing at 22: Sports injuries, engineering Cs, and a hospital trauma that made medicine click. (03:06) — Doubting smart enough: Imposter syndrome, scraping through chem, and possible ADHD. (06:50) — Growing up around violence: Valuing life early and pushing through school and sport. (08:50) — Living in the moment: Lists, weekly survival, and triaging tough neuro...

(00:00) — Family roots and Flint crisis: Medicine in the house, art dreams, and volunteering during Flint’s water crisis point Omar toward health. (02:00) — Why physician, not just public health: Leadership and impact pull him to the MD path. (03:30) — Mentors and mission work: Seeing overseas service in Sudan clarifies what medicine can do. (04:55) — Did family help? Inspiration, yes; U.S. applic...

(00:00) — Meet Dr. Leila Amiri + her route from peer advising to admissions: How a peer advising job led to a career shaping medical school classes. (03:20) — What’s stayed the same—and why the “black box” persists: Core expectations endure while parts of the process remain opaque. (05:07) — Transparency hurdles: politics, misreads, and legal fears: Why some schools don’t publish every detail of t...

(00:00) — Opening and early spark: Maya recalls childhood, cultural expectations, and her mom’s cancer shaping her why. (03:05) — High school full circle: Research at Dana-Farber and reading her mom’s records makes medicine click. (04:26) — ER simulation at Midscience: Realizing she could do this for real. (05:38) — MCAT dread and doubt: Nights staring at the ceiling, wondering if this path is for...

(00:00) — Welcome and origin story: Kyle’s path into med ed without being a physician (00:46) — Early admissions work and philosophy: get students into—and out of—med school (02:58) — What AACOM’s VP of UME Services does: support across 71 DO locations (04:48) — Admitted-to-M1 is hard: student services and reps supporting the transition (05:12) — Time in the DO space: Marian start and osteopathic...

(00:00) — Late to medicine: Chris didn’t consider being a doctor until college, shaped by early family experiences with inadequate care. (01:20) — Struggling student to UC Davis: He describes a nontraditional path and surprise at earning a single college acceptance. (02:50) — “You won’t amount to much”: A sixth-grade dismissal and falling in with the wrong crowd set the stage. (04:40) — Misdiagnos...

(00:00) — Opening + Early Spark: PBS Nova lights up neuroscience and a reluctant interest in medicine. (01:11) — Family Expectations vs Autonomy: Pressure from a physician dad meets teenage rebellion. (02:38) — Why the Brain: Linking biology to behavior and people. (03:51) — MD vs PhD: Lab work that kept pointing back to patients. (05:19) — Learning the Process: What help a physician parent could...

(00:00) — Getting started: Early interest and a high school health pathway with real certifications (01:35) — Small border town roots: Del Rio, one high school, and limited options (02:35) — Finding a “seed”: Family illness, cancer curiosity, and early research (03:40) — Choosing a college: Looking for rigor, research, and premed support (05:54) — Where guidance came from: Personal research and pr...

(00:00) — Curiosity in the halls of Mass General: Her mom’s triple‑negative breast cancer and remission shape an early interest in medicine. (02:54) — Choosing a major without a premed major: From biochemistry to discovering neuroscience and why UMass ultimately fit. (06:04) — Double majoring without burning out: Overlap with prereqs, honest advising on dual degrees, and following interests. (09:1...

(00:00) — Welcome and setup: Ryan tees up Bayley’s many cycles and lessons learned. (00:45) — Early spark and Canada: Bayley shares deciding on medicine in grade 6/7. (01:52) — Family in healthcare: Great‑grandfather physician; dad a dentist. (02:20) — Undergrad choices in Canada: Picking science, not chasing a perfect premed program. (03:49) — College admissions contrast: Canada’s stats focus vs...

(00:00) — Welcome and guest credentials: Dr. Gray introduces Dr. Christine Crispin and frames the workshop. (02:10) — Redefining “premed”: Shift from “I’m going to med school” to ongoing career exploration. (05:40) — First‑year success: Why freshman year should prioritize academics and campus adjustment. (08:45) — Dip, don’t dive: A toe‑dip into service or shadowing without hurting grades. (12:00)...

(00:00) — Welcome and setup: Dr. Gray frames a conversation about medicine, premed, and medical school. (00:38) — Puerto Rico at the center: Alysa names her roots and early love of learning from teacher parents. (02:26) — A stroke changes everything: Her father's hospitalization turns biology facts into real patient stakes. (04:12) — Choosing the path: Curiosity plus connection points her toward m...

(00:00) — The first spark: Dr. Gray asks when medicine became real. (01:34) — Military plans, cold feet, and choosing community college: He skips the Air Force and starts at McDonald's while exploring options. (02:50) — Hospital volunteering clicks: Serving patients water and meals feels right. (03:57) — Dodging family careers, then trying healthcare: After business, HVAC, and computer science, he...

(00:00) - Dream to Physician (09:36) - Navigating Premed at UF (17:46) - Navigating Mentorship in Premed Culture (28:58) - Navigating Medical School Challenges (38:00) - Embracing Support in Medical School When Kelviyana was just 15, their world changed overnight as they became the primary caretaker for their mother, newly diagnosed with breast cancer. This poignant experience ignited Kelviyana's...

(00:00) - Becoming a Physician (09:39) - Navigating Pre-Med College Life (17:20) - Navigating MD-PhD Gap Years (24:43) - Overcoming Challenges in McAt Preparation (35:31) - Choosing Medical Schools in New York (39:11) - Reflections on Pursuing Medicine Growing up with a pediatrician aunt, Julia was captivated by the world of medicine from an early age. Her story is one of passion and perseverance,...

(00:00) - Journey From Nursing to Medical School (09:54) - The Path to Medical School (20:04) - Exploring Transition to Medical School (35:11) - Transitioning From Nursing to Medicine (39:04) - Overcoming Challenges on Path to Medicine Maria's journey from nursing to medical school is a testament to unyielding determination and the courage to pursue one's dreams despite formidable challenges. Imag...

(00:00) Student Loan Repayments in Pre-Med (13:53) Changes to Student Loan Repayment Plans (19:38) Navigating Student Loan Repayment Plans (29:26) Future Trends in Medical Education Unlock the secrets to navigating the complicated world of student loans with insights from our special guest, Lauren from Student Loan Planner. Discover how to turn the tide on student debt, particularly for medical st...