The Medical School Journey

Being a non-traditional student here is great. For context, I was a software engineer for six years before switching to medicine, and I worked at various startups and large companies during that time between college and med school. I find that mentors and professors value my additional experience. Mentors have helped me find ways to incorporate it into projects; for example, I am working on a research project involving biostatistics and epidemiology that will involve writing some code.

There are several other non-traditional students here, so you’ll be in good company. Students here are laid-back and you’ll be able to make friends easily while balancing your own priorities. For example, I’ve made a lot of new lifelong friends while also getting engaged to the love of my life. Whatever your background, people here will value it and you’ll feel right at home!

The journey that is medical education can be very intimidating as a first-gen student, but I promise you’re not alone! I have definitely felt self-conscious about being the first in my family to pursue higher education, especially when surrounded by amazing students whose parents and siblings are also in medicine. Despite how overwhelming these feelings can be, I think WashU Med does a good job unveiling parts of the hidden curriculum by connecting us with faculty and older medical students early on. My coach, clinical mentor, and “big sib” have all been super kind and a great resource when I need advice. WashU Med also has no shortage of resources outside this mentorship, so I think the harder part for first-gens is actually believing that they deserve these resources and belong here. Rest assured, you belong in this space and you got this!

Research played a significant role in my undergraduate years, and I want it to be a part of my future career. While I considered the MD/PhD path, it didn’t align with my goal of prioritizing clinical practice over research. The additional commitment of four or more years to an additional degree also wasn’t very attractive. WashU Med turned out to be the perfect choice, blending an outstanding clinical environment with a strong emphasis on research. The sheer breadth of research opportunities here is unmatched. With thousands of labs exploring every conceivable part of biology, medicine, engineering, and public health, first-year medical students can easily find a research home. It’s often as simple as reaching out to a professor whose work resonates with you or connecting with upperclassmen who share similar interests. Moreover, many faculty members deeply involved in research do not hold PhDs and are enthusiastic about offering guidance and mentorship. Their support enriches the medical and research journey, helping students navigate their dual roles seamlessly.

Coming from a low-income background definitely comes with a unique set of challenges and perspectives that aren’t always talked about. One of the biggest struggles I’ve had while pursuing higher education was feelings of guilt for spending or saving money to take care of myself. It may sound silly to the average person, but understanding that you cannot help loved ones financially without filling your own glass first is very hard. The good news is that many people at WashU Med want to see you succeed personally and professionally (myself included)! My biggest piece of advice is to not lose sight of the lived experiences that brought you here and congratulate yourself for getting this far!

Staying at WashU Med for medical school after doing undergraduate here has been an incredibly awesome experience in ways beyond what I anticipated. In addition to the benefit of already having a great support network in place in the form of advisors from undergraduate who I can still turn to for general academic advice and research mentors with whom I am still very close to and trust for career guidance, it has been extremely comforting to have a broad familiarity with the organization of the university to contextualize where I fit in as a student. It is also very nice to still have some of my friends from undergrad in/around the St. Louis area. All of the faculty and staff at the medical school were extremely welcoming to me shadowing and being involved in research while I was in undergraduate, and they have somehow become even more welcoming now that I am a medical student. WashU is truly a world-class institution, and more importantly, the people here are world-class human beings who are truly invested in helping you become a better person every day. They are why I chose WashU and why after all these years WashU feels like a second home to me. I am very proud to be able to call myself a WashU Med medical student!

First and most importantly, I’ve never felt like my age has influenced how I’m treated. Your most important identifier in the hospital is that you’re a medical student and no one really asks questions beyond that. I think the ways I’ve been most impacted by age are that I was terribly homesick for my first few weeks here, that I’m still not the best at feeding myself, that I just got my license and am still somewhat scared of driving (especially in the snow), and that I didn’t turn 21 until the Saturday of orientation week. But to be fair, three of those four things have more to do with personal disposition than age. Although our classmates are all at different life stages, everyone is happy to celebrate milestones with you or help you out when you might need it. For example, my incredibly kind roommate sat in the passenger seat every time I drove for the first month of school. If you’re worried about feeling out of place, here’s a quick reminder of some of the perks of being young: you will hear at least one Doogie Howser joke per week, you can still legally be on your parents’ health insurance, you can (sort of) get away with being a bad driver, and your youthful body has a high tolerance for caffeine and sleep deprivation! But jokes aside, being young can be to your advantage in terms of reducing the stress surrounding relationships, residency timelines, research years, and dual degrees. Whatever your personal feelings may be, just know that in the context of medical school, age is truly a non-issue.

As an international medical student from Canada, I’ve felt well-supported throughout the transition. The Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) has been incredibly helpful. The OISS advisors are approachable and happy to answer any questions you may have. OISS and the Office for International Student Engagement provide a thorough orientation and host various social events to help us navigate life as international students and integrate into this new environment. St. Louis definitely feels like a home away from home!

I turned 31 shortly after starting at WashU Medicine and was definitely nervous about how I’d fit in with people who were almost a decade younger than me. Fortunately, it hasn’t really been much of an issue. Pretty much every student here has a different background and set of experiences that makes them interesting and fun to be around regardless of how many years out of undergrad they are. Like, sure, sometimes you might have to ask someone to explain some newfangled slang or feel like ending a night out an hour or three earlier than your classmates, and it can feel weird to see all your high school and college friends progressing in their careers and starting families while you’re grinding through Anki. But, idk, get over it!! You’re still living your dream, comparison is the thief of joy, etc.

I came to WashU Med after growing up in large public schools and attending a large state university. I was accustomed to being surrounded by a large community and even transitioned to college with friends from high school. Moving to St. Louis and starting medical school at WashU Med was definitely a big social and academic change. Thus far, the most evident differences have been in the opportunities available at WashU Med that are simply not possible or accessible at larger institutions. There is constant room for improvement in a field as dynamic as medicine, and it is clear that WashU Med makes a significant effort to adapt the curriculum with current advancements in education and scientific discovery. The administration and curriculum at a smaller institution like WashU Med has been more flexible compared to my experience at a larger school. There is no shortage of research opportunities, funding for student organizations is readily available, and the administration is appropriately staffed and responsive to student recommendations and concerns. The impact of having these resources available has been a huge positive change in my experience as a student. I enjoy being able to focus energy on exploring my interests in a supportive environment rather than competing for limited positions and funding. Although I miss and will always fondly remember the longitudinal relationships, social events, and college football traditions at my large undergrad, the change has been refreshing.

Aside from “name,” “hometown,” and possibly the always dreaded “fun fact,” “Where did you go to undergrad?” is one of the first things people tend to ask you when you get to interviews, Second Look, and so on. Coming from a school with a reputation for basketball and, let’s just say, “festivities,” hearing many of my peers name the prestigious, well-known universities they graduated from made it easy to feel like “one of these things is not like the others.” If coming from a non-elite university happens to give you a case of imposter syndrome, let this serve as a friendly reminder that you are not defined by the caliber of your undergrad (or med school for that matter). Every single person here earned their spot, and you are no exception! Our community is stronger as a whole because of the unique backgrounds (including undergrad experiences!) each individual brings to the table. You, not the places you come from, define your success.

WashU Med is a small school. It’s the people from big schools who have to adjust. My cohort numbers 125 students, all of whom know each other’s face and name. The staff is personable. The admin is approachable. The professors even hold club events in their homes — well, some of them. You’re likely to feel right at home at WashU Med.

I had five weeks of summer break in the time between college graduation and moving to St. Louis. Possibly dreading my impending workload in med school, I tried to do as little as possible during my break — lounging around, drinking beer, reading books, going on walks. Now that I’ve been here for a couple of months, I don’t know what I was worrying about. Sure, class is class (and there is a lot of memorization), but I’m far from feeling burnt out. There’s always something going on in St. Louis, so I’m never short on distractions from class and studying. I definitely feel younger compared to my classmates who have taken gap years (because I am), but we’re all in this together.

I was running on five gap years by the time I actually applied to medical scientist training programs. During those years, I was a researcher focusing on vaccine development, which quite frankly burnt me out over the pandemic. I can imagine that most people taking gap years may feel the same, especially while juggling a full-time job and applying. My first and foremost advice is to make sure to take a month or two to yourself before the start of school. Whether you decide to travel to see new places, relax with family and friends, or try and pick up a new hobby is up to you. Just make sure to take some time to re-equilibrate yourself so that you can start the year relaxed and fresh.

Classes in the Gateway Curriculum are adaptable to all learning styles depending if you’re a class-goer or an independent learner. If you’ve taken a gap year or a few you may already understand how you learn best. There are a few mandatory classes each week, but you should be able to create your own schedule that works best for you. At this point, I’m used to a classic workday schedule so that is what I stick to. I attend classes each day from morning to early afternoon and then work in the library until about 5 p.m. when I call it quits to go home. The Gateway Curriculum is competency- (not grades) based so I don’t feel the need to memorize 100% of the minute details, which allows me the freedom to focus on big picture topics and use the rest of my time for myself. It’s allowed me to keep stress to a minimum and still feel like I’m keeping pace with material.