Today’s feature is from Jean who I had the pleasure of meeting through the AAMC program, SMDEP. It is now called Summer Health Professions Education Program. I will probably write about this program later. I highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity and apply. I will probably release a post on how to apply and what the program entails. Jean is an awesome person who is always willing to give advice and recommendations. She has always been that person who can bring a smile to your face in tough times. Jean is now a medical student at Harvard, which she will talk a bit about. It’s so great to see her accomplishing so much! Hope you enjoy her post!
Hello Everyone! My name is Jean, and I am a first year at Harvard Medical School. My journey to medical school is a humble one. My family emigrated from Ghana to the Bronx, where I was born. I grew up in a quiet town in Upstate New York where I spent much of my time reading and enjoying my favorite TV shows. I traveled down the state for undergraduate school at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. I studied diligently for what turned out to be 5 years, discovering that the journey to medical school is truly an endurance test. I emerged Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Multidisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Creative Writing, Biology, and Chemistry, and a minor in Creative Writing and Literature, along with an MBA in Innovation with an Advanced Certificate in Healthcare Management, and a 99th percentile MCAT score. In addition, I served on a couple of University councils and participated in West African cultural drumming and dance. Through the amazing plot twist that was my application cycle, I discovered that medical schools love it when you take your own path in life while accomplishing your goals! Please remember, you too have what it takes to reach medical school!
I am hoping to release some sort of book, or video series, or perhaps an online course on my insights on everything from course schedule planning to scoring in the 99th percentile or better on the MCAT. In the meantime, you can enjoy my other works under my pen name Akosua Amoabeng, including a medical fiction featuring a female doctor who faces pushback as she exposes bias in healthcare and a science fiction collection featuring women of color. I also have a fiction instablog on which I post occasionally: @smile4thyself.
When it comes to feeling stressed and being mindful, I have three main suggestions. First, remember that this is all an endurance test. No matter how you feel about your current performance, you are already winning if you keep going! Second, you do not have to finish it all now! If you have to postpone some big assessment in your life (eg- an internship application, the MCAT, the GRE, the GMAT, etc.) for any reason, that is ok. If you have to drop and reschedule a course or you decide to change your major, that is ok too! It is all a part of your story, and you may find something even more fulfilling in the alternative! Third, every person on this Earth gets stressed! You are not alone. To stay mindful and destress, I do a number of activities. I love listening to audiobooks, watching great TV, and reading manga. I also love talking with family and friends who encourage me and make me laugh! For an acutely stressful situation, breathing from the diaphragm does the trick too!
Thanks for sharing, Jean! Wishing you the best of luck on your journey to the MD Promiseland! If you want to read more motivational posts like this, check out my other interviews! And remember,
Thanks for visiting my blog! Be sure to check out my other posts. More to come soon! Until then be kind and remember tomorrow depends on what you do today. Hope you enjoyed reading! — Taylor ❤
#blackgirlmedicine #school #blackgirlmagic #minoritystudents #africanamericanstudent #student #Premed #blackblog #medstudent #medicalschool #medicalstudent #blackgirlmagic #blackgirlmedicine #studentlife #MD #chemistry #biology #blackstudents #science #organicchemistry #premedicalstudents #gradschool #premedicalstudents #Life #blackblogger #university #graduatestudent #medical #premedstudents #blackexcellence #gradstudent #blackincollege #Medicine #Harvard #collegestudent #med
Comments