Skip to main content

Ways Parents Can Help Students Pursue Medical School Dreams

By U.S. News & World Report

Often parents write letters inquiring about how to help their students get into medical school. I am always struck by their love, anxiety and determination for their children’s success.

Along with unconditional love and unwavering support, parents can assist their children in becoming physicians by fostering resilience, balance and persistence — critical skills for life and a career in medicine — as well as helping them choose the best college, major and extracurricular activities to succeed on the path to medical school.

[Read about the five key characteristics of successful medical school applicants.]

Develop Critical Skills

— Resilience: This quality allows people to make life more manageable. Med students must be able to weather an array of attitudes, communication styles and temperaments from colleagues and patients. Upon occasion, attending physicians yell — it’s important for students to have a thick skin.

— Balance: Balancing academics, relationships and extracurricular activities can be challenging, since all compete for time and attention. Parents can model ways to be fully present in the moment, such as going technology-free during dinner, vacation and homework.

They can also demonstrate prioritizing themselves and practicing self-care — for example, taking time to exercise, volunteer or engage in their favorite pastime, which displays the importance of taking care of oneself in addition to academics. These practices pay dividends as students foster focus on the task at hand and learn to prioritize activities.

Every day, physicians must identify the sickest patient or the most important assignment to tackle first , which can make a difference in losing valuable time or endangering a life.

[Learn about pursuing leadership skills for success in a health care career.]

— Persistence: Pushing forward despite touch circumstances is essential for achieving an accomplished career in medicine. At some point, students won’t achieve their first choice college, medical school, residency or job. Even the list of things needed to merely apply to medical school may seem overwhelming, yet the same feeling will return when applying for residency and fellowship. The ability to persevere in spite of challenges and disappointments creates emotional intelligence.

Pursue the Best Path for Success

In addition to helping your child develop these essential life skills, guide your child in making good decisions that will set them on a path for success in medical school.

First, guide your child in selecting the undergraduate institution that fits best him or her. Location, institution size, campus support and cost are all considerations. A university where the student can thrive and is afforded the greatest opportunity for academic success, as well as depth and breadth of experiences, will nurture a happy, whole person. Medical school admissions committees look for well-rounded individuals — not just for stellar academics.

Next, help your child identify a major of personal interest that promotes intellectual curiosity and stretches her or him academically. Although many students elect to major in a science, both science and nonscience majors matriculate into medical school.

[Choose the right undergraduate major for medical school.]

Encourage your student to meet with the premed adviser in the first semester to set a course to satisfy the prerequisites for the med school application and for taking the MCAT. The MCAT is a multiple-choice exam that assesses critical thinking and biological, physical and social sciences and is a key component to med school admission.

Encourage your child to participate in a variety of collegiate activities to have a well-rounded experience and move outside of his or her comfort zone. Remember summer experiences also expose students to science and medicine through premed summer programs, study abroad or research.

Armed with well-developed critical life skills at a well-selected institution, your student will be equipped to endure the challenges that come with pursuing and handling a career in medicine, especially with your love and support.

More from U.S. News

3 Types of Students Who Should Consider a Joint M.D. Degree

Use a Medical School Diversity Statement to Shine

Cultivate Communication Skills for Med School Admissions Success

Ways Parents Can Help Students Pursue Medical School Dreams originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote