Choosing to study medicine

Attending medical school is a big commitment of time, energy and money. Most practicing physicians have done four years of undergraduate studies, four years of medical school and at least three years of residency, more if you choose to specialize. So deciding to study medicine, and then deciding which medical school to attend isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. Here are some suggestions for you to consider before applying to medical school. Have you spent time with doctors and patients in a medical setting? Have you volunteered in hospital, or a lab, or a community clinic? How did you find it? Gaining medical work experience before medical school is vital, and not just because it will help you get into medical school! But because it will help you decide whether your vocation is a real passion or a romanticized dream. Have you discussed your plans with your family? What do they think of your decision to go into medicine? After all they’ll be seeing very little of you over the next eight years or so as you study every hour of the day and then enter the highly demanding world of residency (not to mention the demanding medical career that comes after). Deciding to study medicine is a big decision. And once you have made that decision, then you need to decide which medical school you are going to attend. Saint James School of Medicine has a growing reputation for offering a good medical education at an affordable price and we are enjoying significant growth in student numbers as a result. But we may not be the right choice for everyone. So as part of making your decision, it might help to go through a checklist with your family and cover off some key points. Are the tuition fees affordable? Can you access finance? Does the culture at the School sound right for you? Do the Schools clinical sciences and clinical rotations sound right for you? Do the School’s accreditations mean that once you graduate, you will be able to practice where you want to practice? When you are discussing your plans for your future with your family you can direct them to the parents section of our website which has some helpful FAQs about Saint James. And, as always, if you, or your family, have any questions about Saint James School of Medicine, our Admissions team will be delighted to help. Please email us at info@mail.sjsm.org or call us at 800-542-1553.