GPA and Medicine

The unfortunate (or fortunate) truth. GPA isn't everything, but it sure is A LOT.

These are some of the things I wish I knew before I got started with undergrad.

1. Reputation of undergrad is important, but GPA matters more. I chose UCLA over an ivy league for financial reasons. Weighing my 3.6+ with a friend's 3.4 at Yale, I think I came out on top in the silly application process (more interviews and acceptances). I'm not trying to brag, I don't think I am any smarter or more capable than my friend. A 3.7 at a no name school is better than a 3.4 from Cornell (or Princeton or whatever).
2. A difficult major is impressive, but a high GPA in sociology is better than a low GPA in bioengineering. Major in what you can do well in.
3. A double major is impressive, but a high GPA in one major is better.
4. Drop classes if you are getting a C. Don't be afraid of a couple Ws (withdrawals) on your transcript. Having two Ws isn't going to kill you. I have a friend who had 3 Ws but was never asked about them during interviews. Now he's a med student. Basically, a 3.7 with Ws is better than a 3.4 because you got 3 Cs.
   
   (I hope by this point I've drilled into your head that the numerical value of your GPA matters more than any other aspect of your academic record.)
   
   
5. Learn how to study and how to get help when you run into problems. I stopped going to lecture-style reviews for classes because listening to another regurgitation of the material right before the exam doesn't help me at all. Instead, I learned to go to office hours with a list of questions. Identify your weak points and attack those.
6. Study effectively. I wish I figured out earlier that I simply can't learn from listening to lectures. When I did realize this though, I began recording lectures so I can review them later, in conjunction with notes and texts. I also study best alone. Try different ways of studying, you never know what could work better.
7. As an addendum to the above: get regular exercise. It'll keep up your energy level and improve focus, reducing study time but improving effectiveness.
8. Test taking is a skill. It is not enough to just know the information, you have to be able to demonstrate that in a specific manner. Your GPA is a measure of your mastery of that skill. If you are not good at it, figure out how you can improve. The road to an MD/DO is riddled with lots and lots of tests.
9. Finally resist the temptation to cheat. The only thing worse than a low GPA on your transcript is a notation of academic dishonesty. I'm going to throw out morality here and speak in terms of practicality. Whether you get caught or not is a probability based on how many times you cheat. Each time you do it, you are putting yourself at risk. All it takes is ONE TIME to royally fvck yourself over. I knew a guy who plagarized on a biochemistry lab report. He was caught and had a permanent record placed on his transcript. Not only is he screwed for medicine, he is screwed for dentistry, pharmacy, law, and any graduate school. There is no better road to nowhere than by being a cheater.