Dana, BNS, '19

So… How do I get into medical school? When I moved to Boston to start school at NEU, this was the question that ran through my mind. Constantly. What courses should I take? Should I do research for my first co-op? How many clubs do I join? Do I need to have an A in every class? Should I be a CNA, or should I be an EMT?

If this is you, take a deep breath.

These precious years of your time in undergrad are going to fly by no matter what you do. So, My advice for you is to choose everything with intention – from the jobs you have, the organizations you join, and the way you spend your time – Be intentional.

When I was a freshman, I walked around Fall Fest and signed up for any clubs and organizations that sounded even the slightest bit interesting, and I am sure many of you can relate. Emails started flooding my inbox and I soon realized I had to make some decisions. I already knew I needed to be cognizant about my time and focus on academics, so I decided to only join one club, Peer Health Exchange (PHE), working as a health educator in Boston Public High Schools. I chose this organization because it allowed me to have a direct impact on the population I wanted to serve, working alongside people that shared similar values and goals as me. Today, as a 5th year, I am still in PHE as a Leadership Council Member, which allows me to not only continue teaching students, but also lead my own group of educators. Aside from Peer Health Exchange, I joined two more clubs in the years following, Students to Seniors and Lean on Me Huntington, both of which allow me to work within the community and towards missions that I am passionate about. I put a significant amount of time into each organization I am a part of, and have taken on more responsibility within each of them over the years.

Throughout interviewing for medical school, I am able to have thoughtful, thorough discussions about these experiences and speak to how they have affirmed my choice of medicine as a career. I was never asked why I didn’t “do more,” in fact, I often received comments about the commitment and dedication that I have exhibited during my time at Northeastern.

I hope that from reading this, you ultimately take away that quality will trump quantity. Be intentional with your choices and invest yourself in experiences that fuel your passions, challenge you, and help you to grow. This path is long, challenging, rewarding, and everything in-between, but the most important thing to remember is that this path is yours and it is worth enjoying.