Preparing for College

High school is a period of social adjustment and a time when the student becomes increasingly aware of what adult responsibilities are. Thus, while high school is a transitional era, it is a critical one in that it is usually the time when your career goals become tentatively formulated. Career ambitions may change as you become exposed to new areas of knowledge and as old ones are explored more deeply, but it is advantageous to have some general educational goals rather than to drift aimlessly.

A final decision to choose medicine as a career need not be made in high school and probably should be deferred until the end of the sophomore year of college. Two questions, however, need to be answered in high school: Do you intend to go to college? Do you have a genuine interest in science? It is essential to plan an educational program of high school studies that will make it feasible to gain admission to a suitable college as well as to test the validity of your preliminary career decision.

Especially gifted high school students should be aware that there are integrated BA-MD or BS-MD programs offered by about 35 schools (see page 128). These combine undergraduate and medical education into a continuum that in some cases facilitates the completion of one's studies in less time than required by the traditional programs.