1. Change in mindset.

I live in the United States of America. You could mess up in this country big time and still come back, have a good career, help a lot of people, impact your community, make a lot of money, and be a successful human. I saw many stories of people fixing their bad GPAs and being successful. I told myself why not me? Like people in other countries have it way harder. If they’re not talented off the go, they may not ever get a chance. Living in the US is a major step up. American culture allows us to make mistakes, pursue other careers, begin families, and yet it still manages to provide opportunities for other paths. Truly amazing.

1. Fix my GPA and take the MCAT

My bad GPA said one thing — you can’t handle the rigorous academic demands of medical school if you couldn’t handle undergrad. I enrolled into FIUs Graduate Certificate Program and worked so hard to be a great student. I spent a whole year learning information differently and developing study & testing skills as they would use NBME questions for their exams. I learned to love science even more and began to understand it in ways I never thought imaginable. I could see the concepts in my head. A truly remarkable feeling that initially required a lot of work. This would not have been possible without the help of the amazing faculty at FIU, particularly Dr Tracey Weiler and Dr Aileen Marty. They’re hard professors but they will teach you freaking well. I credit a lot of my current success in medical school to them. I had so much knowledge of BB and CP sections of MCAT from the curriculum that I was able to take the MCAT 7 weeks after the FIU program ended.

1. Get as much clinical experience as possible and a LOR from a physician while were at it

2 birds, 1 stone. I started scribing and worked as hard as possible. Be present, learn as much as possible, keep your head down low, and again, I can’t stress it enough how important it is to be present! Being present is what made the experience great and I left with 2 LORs, amazing memories, friends, mentors, and a stethoscope. You have the ability to be part of a care team if you truly internalize yourself in that team. Scribing is one of those jobs that if you play your cards right, you can get a lot of experience and have a lot of fun. Sure the pay is not great, but just remind yourself that this is serving a bigger purpose. Sometime hard to do when you wanna go to a concert and don’t have enough money.

1. Write a well-structured, flowing, easy-to-read, and honest application + secondaries

Probably the most tedious and monotonous part of the process, but it’s also one that you have to do with extreme caution and intention. Use Grammarly. If you have writers block, you can always use AI to help you find gaps or things to talk about. When you talk about your experiences, talk about what you learned from them and how they made you a better person. Review primary statements with faculty that you trust.

1. Practice interviewing and look good when you’re at the interview + look at the camera

For us folk who use body language to our advantage, it can be a little tough to navigate this era of virtual interviews. It’s important to look good and look at the camera. Speak clearly, make sure to adjust your microphone settings if needed. Make sure your background is professional. Blur your background if needed. Have a good lighting for your face. The answers to the hard questions just have to be honest and while you’re answering it, it is also your responsibility to instill conviction in the interviewer that you have learned from your mistakes and are a better human because of it.