How to Start Your Career in Medicine

Are you interested in the field of medicine but unsure how to get started? Do you have a free summer and are you looking to fill it with an informative and intellectually-stimulating course? If you are looking for a way to expand your knowledge in any STEM subdiscipline, then you might want to check out a Pre-Med Summer Program!

Are You Looking for a Mini-Med School Experience This Summer?

Check out Tufts University: Pre-College Health and Science Programs.

Students will learn about the challenges doctors face with respect to immunology, infectious diseases, and medicinal resistance by utilizing fields of communication with faculty from the Tufts’ School of Dental Medicine, the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, the School of Engineering, and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The course has recently evolved to focus more on infectious diseases and immunology following the COVID pandemic and current global health crisis.

Students will have access to Q&A panels with medical school admissions staff and doctors, as well as the opportunity to attend various career talks with professionals that will help students hone in their current and future interests. Students will conclude the program with a capstone project that connects infectious disease and immunology with another field of personal or societal significance while working with current medical school students.

By the end of the Tufts University: Pre-College Mini-Med School program, students will have learned what medical school admission committees search for in their applicants; become more familiar with the fields of immunology and infectious disease; and attended various Q&A panels with leading healthcare experts.

Another summer program specializing in medicine is The World Doctor’s Academy. The World Doctor’s Academy is an intensive summer course orchestrated by leading educators and healthcare professionals. Students looking to explore a future career in medicine will receive college-level support and guidance in a personalized, virtual program. All interested students, between ages 12 to 18, will have the ability to sharpen their understanding of the field of medicine.

The program consists of ten online classes and two one-on-one meetings with assigned professors and educators. Students will complete daily assignments, focus on constructive group work, and work on take-home exercises. By the end of The World Doctor’s Academy program, students will obtain a certificate of completion and expand their academic toolbox to prepare them for the study of medicine.

Want to Focus On Molecular and Cellular Biology?

The Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research hosts a variety of molecular medicine workshops focusing on fields like nursing, medical research, and pharmaceuticals. These courses are offered year-round and are offered in a virtual or residential/commuter format. The Rosetta program focuses on a variety of subfields, including molecular biology of cancer, medical bioinformatics, and – perhaps the most currently relevant – COVID-19: Biology/Immunity/Medicine.

The program is taught by PhD-level instructors who will guide students as they complete lab classes to help them learn about cellular and molecular biology and the roles they play in disease development and spread. At the end of each course, students will plan and orchestrate a research project on personally-chosen gene or molecular processes. With the opportunity to experience college dorm life in a lower stakes environment, to hone in a variety of different academic skills, and to make many international friends, students can expect a unique and memorable experience.

Not Sure Which Field of STEM Will Help You Enter Medicine?

Students looking for a large variety of online STEM classes should consider the Syracuse University Summer College: STEM. While completely virtual, students will nonetheless have access to (virtual) campus events, receive excellent instruction from professors, and become a new member of a welcoming – yet intellectually challenging – virtual academic community.

Syracuse’s summer courses are incredibly diverse and suitable for any student interested in continuing down the STEM track. Ranging from aerospace engineering, biotechnology engineering, forensic science, and cybersecurity, students who attend Syracuse University Summer College: STEM are sure to find a great fit and will have the experience to try a field completely new to them.

Young, aspiring doctors might consider Wake Forest University’s “Making the Rounds: An Insider’s Guide to Becoming a Doctor.” Here, students learn how physicians direct each patient’s journey from hospital admission to patient discharge and rehab. Particularly relevant today is their bioscience course called “An Inside Look at Infectious Disease,” where students learn how scientists study, diagnose, and treat various infections and diseases. Students studying in this program will examine diseases such as COVID-19 and understand the steps necessary to treating infectious diseases.

While the Wake Forest University Online Immersion Program is completely virtual this coming summer, students will still have access to interactive weekly Zoom sessions with experts from a variety of healthcare fields.

Why Should I Take A Summer Pre-Med Course?

As the COVID pandemic worsened, the critical role healthcare workers play in society became even more clear. Doctors and nurses, sacrificing their own safety and wellbeing, saved the lives of millions. The road towards a career in medicine is long and strenuous; it requires grit and determination above all else.

Getting started may seem daunting and intimidating, but experiencing a summer program in high school is a good way to dive into the world of healthcare. The programs we mentioned will teach students to be active risk-takers, empathetic professionals, and more confident in the field of their interest. The lessons learned in the right summer program will last a lifetime and can set a student up for a promising future.

If you are looking to attend a course similar to medical school, the Tufts University: Pre-College Mini-Med School might be the right fit for you. If you are more interested in exploring the general field of medicine and what a career in healthcare entails, you should consider The World Doctor’s Academy.

If you are already interested in pursuing a career in pharmaceuticals, medical research, or nursing, or if you are particularly drawn to the field of molecular medicine, The Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research might be the right program to explore. This is the only listed course with both virtual and in-person courses, and it will be a great way to meet new people after almost a year of locking-down.

Do you want to try out various subfields within the STEM discipline? The Syracuse University Summer College: STEM course provides a great opportunity to try out myriad spheres of academic focus and interest and will expand any student’s academic toolbox in an effective and lasting way.

Interested in simultaneously running courses that allow you to customize your own schedule? Wake Forest University Online Immersion Program might be the best program for you. Ranging from business to bioscience, students attending these courses will have free reign over their personal timing while still having two one-on-one meetings with mentors.

You do not need previous experience in any of the listed fields to get started. Sometimes starting is the hardest step. Regardless of the program you choose, the experience gained from them can put you on the track for success.