In this episode, Dr. Leith States shares his story of growing up in Compton, losing a friend to cancer, being tokenized as a Black/Latino/Indigenous student, joining the navy during medical school and working as a battalion surgeon and public health emergency officer, completing an MBA, and now working for the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) at a federal level. He opens up about the challenges of applying to medical school, overcoming self doubt, and often being the only male of color at federal health policy meetings.

Do you have to work to support yourself while you’re in college or taking your premed requirements? That’s OK — many students have to balance school and work responsibilities. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma discuss some factors you should consider when choosing your work experiences so that, come application time, you’re in the best position possible to shine!

Did you know that there are many types of combined programs that enable you to get both your medical degree AND another degree simultaneously? These include BS+MD programs, MD+PhD programs, MD+MPH programs, MD+MBA programs, and many more! Listen in as we guide you through the basics of such programs and the pros and cons to consider for each.

Listen as double board-certified physician Dr. Au shares about growing up in Hawai’i as the daughter of a Native Hawaiian dad and Maori Danish mom, how her uncle with ALS motivated her to help people, majoring in mathematics at BYU-Hawai’i, confronting racial microaggressions, finding supportive networks during college and medical school, working as a pediatric hospitalist, and now helping young adults at a university health center. She also shares her best advice for current premeds.

When you’re working tirelessly to get into medical school, physician burnout may be the last thing on your mind, but it’s an important thing to understand before you commit fully to a career in medicine. (You may even be asked about physician burnout in your medical school interviews!) In this episode, we get really honest and personal about our own burnout through various stages of our medical careers — from the premed years to residency and even through various jobs we’ve had. Many factors that contribute to burnout are features of existing educational and healthcare systems, so they’re not always in your control. Nonetheless, we share some tips for things you CAN do to help improve your own experience and maximize the chances of becoming a happy physician.

Have you ever felt like you’re not as smart, capable, or worthy as others around you? Have you ever felt like you’re just pretending to belong as a premed? Or, have you ever done something really well and told yourself, “I just got lucky”? If so, you have likely experienced impostor syndrome — which is difficulty believing that you deserve the success that comes to you through effort. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma discuss their own experiences with impostor syndrome and share some tips about how to overcome the negative thinking patterns that feed it.

Listen in as Dr. Zulma interviews pediatric cardiologist Dr. Silva Sepulveda, a doctor specializing in children’s heart conditions. He shares about immigrating to the U.S., getting in trouble as a teen, working his way through college with a variety of jobs (including violinist in a Mariachi band!), overcoming challenges with the MCAT, and making his way from community college to medical school. He also talks about why he loves his job and the challenges and joys of balancing a medical career with six kids, including kids with special medical needs. Don’t miss his inspiring story!

Listen in as Dr. Zulma interviews Thalia Fabian, a 4th year osteopathic medical student who just matched to residency in psychiatry. Hear her story of being born in Peru, growing up in California’s central valley, the challenges she faced as a first-generation college student, and why she chose the field of psychiatry. Her best advice to current premeds is, “Don’t be afraid!”

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a surgeon that helps treat cancer? In this episode, Dr. Juliet Siena Lumati, MD, MPH, shares her story of becoming the first-ever Black female surgical oncology fellow at Johns Hopkins She shares what her day-to-day life is like, her passion for research, and her interest in treating cancers of the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas. She also talks about her passion for international health and stories of helping cancer patients in Nigeria. Learn about the unique challenges of pursuing a career in surgery and hear her advice about how to increase your confidence that you belong!

If you are planning to apply to medical school soon and want to save yourself the devastation of rejection (and the cost of having to reapply), then this episode is for you! We review the 10 most common mistakes we see on primary applications to medical school, including:

• Rushing your application

• Applying late

• Not explaining clearly WHY you want to be a doctor

• Leaving big gaps in your story

• Not making use of the disadvantaged statement

• Listing too few activities

• Not having enough clinical experience

• Telling instead of showing

• Exuding arrogance or overconfidence

• Not asking for help!

Have you ever wondered what the differences are between a Physician with an NP & one with a PA? These individuals work together on healthcare teams to deliver medical care, but each one has unique education, training requirements, and roles within medicine. In this episode, we explain what the differences and commonalities are between them and what to consider when trying to decide on the right path for you. (Spoiler: Becoming a physician may take longer—think 15,000 clinical hours vs. 1000—but we think it’s worth it!)

Have you considered applying to an international medical school, such as one in the Caribbean or Mexico? In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of international programs so that you can make the best decision possible for your medical education and future medical career. (And stay tuned for future episodes highlighting stories from doctors who went the international route!)

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a doctor who specializes in women’s health and pregnancy? In this episode, Dr. Zulma interviews Dr. Michelle Contreras, a specialist in obstetrics & gynecology (“ob/gyn”). Dr. Contreras shares about her upbringing in rural California, what inspired her to become an doctor, what medical school and residency was like, what it’s like to take care of women through pregnancy and other health issues, what a typical workday looks like for her now, and what she wishes she knew when she was a premed.

Have you heard of post-baccalaureate (also referred to as “post-bac”) programs? Have you considered whether a post-bac program is right for you? In this episode, we guide you through the various types of post-bac programs that exist, reasons why you might consider one, how to apply, and the potential pros and cons. Dr. Zulma also shares her experience of doing a specific type of post-bac program called a conditional acceptance program just before medical school, and how she feels it helped her prepare for success in medical school.

Do you feel pressure to go directly from college to medical school? Are you forcing yourself to fit all of your premedical requirements, volunteering, research, and clinical experience into four years — and feeling burned out in the process? If so, it might be a good idea to step back and consider taking a gap year. There are many great reasons to do so, from helping to improve your GPA or MCAT score to helping accumulate more life experiences to simply taking a break from the stress of school. In this episode, we talk you through the many reasons to consider a gap year and help you consider some of the benefits of doing so. After all, in the grand scheme of things, one year (or a few) will just be a small fraction of your journey to becoming a doctor!

Do you struggle with chronic procrastination? Are you the one cramming the night before an exam, pulling an all-nighter, and turning your assignment in just in time? Or, do you procrastinate so much that you end up missing deadlines and dropping classes? If this describes you, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma are here to share their experiences and wisdom with you — so you can start transforming your habits and prove to yourself that you CAN do hard things and succeed!

We all have an inner voice that speaks to us all day, every day. If that voice tends to be negative or critical, it can impede your chances of success. Fortunately, you can gradually train that inner voice to be more hopeful and optimistic. It takes practice, but it’s possible! In this episode, we discuss two main strategies to help train that inner voice in a way that will help you reach your dream of becoming a doctor. We’ve done it, and so can you!

Are you in the middle of taking organic chemistry and struggling? Have you heard horror stories from other students who have taken it and are dreading your turn?

Organic chemistry (also known as “orgo” or “ochem”) is notoriously challenging, but it doesn’t have to your nemesis, and your final grade in this class does NOT determine whether you’re cut out to be a doctor. It’s really just one of those hurdles you have to jump through to show that you have the commitment and perseverance to succeed in medical school.

In this episode, Dr. Marina talks with two current chemistry teaching assistants (TAs) who share their experiences with taking organic chemistry and how they managed to master the material well enough to succeed…and become TAs! They also help to show you that you shouldn’t be afraid of asking for help — in fact, they love it when students come into office hours with questions!

In this episode, Dr. Marina chats with Jessica E., a recent UCLA graduate, about how she managed to score a 516 on the MCAT on her first try. She shares all about how long she dedicated to studying, what test prep materials she used, how she focused her study time, how many practice exams she took, and how she overcame the psychological hurdles of studying for such a big test. If you’re planning to take (or re-take) the MCAT soon, listen and get inspired by her success. If she can do it, so can you!

Are you struggling in your general chemistry course? Have you heard horror stories from other students and want to prepare yourself to succeed?

General chemistry is widely known as one of the first premed “weeder” courses, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a grueling experience. It also doesn’t mean that if you fail chemistry you’re just not cut out to be a doctor. In fact, many people have struggled in chemistry and are fantastic doctors today.

In this episode, Dr. Marina talks with two current chemistry teaching assistants (TAs) who share their experiences with taking chemistry and how they managed to master the material well enough to succeed…and become TAs! They also help to show you that you shouldn’t be afraid of asking for help — in fact, they love it when students come into office hours with questions!