4 Ways Greek Life Can Help You Get into Med School
In hindsight, the best decision I made as a pre-med was to joining Greek Life…
I know this may sound weird to some people. Especially since there is a common belief among pre-meds that you can’t be pre-med and be in Greek Life.
But the truth is the requirements of being in greek life are very similar to those required to be a medical student and even a physician.
This can be seen in the membership criteria of the particular sorority I joined: Personal Development, Academic Interest, Character, Leadership, and Financial Responsibility.
The amazing women in my sorority pushed me to become the best version of myself. They made me a better student and a better leader.
Being in a sorority and a pre-med is possible!
Me, my G-Big, my Little, and two of my best friends in my sorority are all Medical Students.
Check Out Four Ways Being in Greek Life Can Help You Get into Med School:
Philanthropy
A common thread between being in a sorority and being a pre-med is a passion for service.
In my personal experiences as a member of Greek Life, your philanthropy is the heart of everything your organization does.
I spent hundreds of hours raising money for our philanthropy, spreading awareness about domestic violence on campus, and volunteering.
Not only did this help me meet the requirements for volunteering for medical school applications, but it also helped me stand out in my interview because my passion for my philanthropy showed through when I talked about my experiences.
Network of Mentors
Greek life comes with a large network of people who have been in your position and want to help you. This can be in the form of mentorship, job connections, and shadowing .
Before I joined a sorority, I had the misconception that this network would only be helpful for those interested in business.
By the end of my first week in my sorority, I realized that the majority of my member class were actually science majors who had similar goals to mine. And that was true of our alumni also.
Honestly, this is something I wish I took advantage of more as pre-med.
Now as a medical student. I have been using my sorority network much more. It has been extremely valuable to learn about different medical specialties while not being able to shadow due to covid.
Personal Development and a Balanced Life
I am so thankful that I joined a sorority because it helped bring me back to myself.
It is so easy to want to study constantly as a pre-med. The pressure of applying to med school can be paralyzing. It often made me feel like I couldn’t have a work life balance.
What I appreciated about being in Greek Life is that it gave me a reason to momentarily step away from the library and enjoy life.
It gave me an avenue to channel my love of athletics into intramurals, encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and participate in our schools annual production, and surround myself with a strong support group during hard times.
My experience in a sorority encouraged me to take time for self care. Ultimately, I think it helped me perform better academically.
Check out my article on self care as pre-med here!
Gap Year Prospects
I personally chose to take a Gap Year. So when I graduated college I was met with an uncertain future.
Imagine recent graduate Gillian with a biology degree and limited job experience trying to step into the work world…
What was I going to do for a year with my biology degree?
So, I ended up applying for administrative positions at the closest Health Science Center.
My first interview was with faculty affairs in which I was applying for an entry level coordinator position.
When I attended my interview, what stood out to my future employer was:
My experience as a leader and the thousands of hours of communication and recruitment training I gained through my sorority.
A couple hours after my interview, I got a call offering a higher position with higher pay.
My experiences in my sorority helped me get a position as an Executive Recruiter where I recruited executive level physicians to the University.
Not only was this job better than the one I applied for, but gained lifelong physician mentors.
The skills I gained from being in Greek life allowed me get an amazing job that made me stand out in my interviews and helped me get accepted to medical school on my first try.
I completely understand those who have concerns about joining Greek Life as a pre-med. It’s a huge time commitment and requires you to have great time management skills.
However, I wanted to write this article so that those of you who have always wanted to join a sorority but thought you couldn’t because you’re pre-med know that its possible.
For more pre-med advice join my Pre-Med Support Network facebook group for quicker access to pre-med advice!
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Really appreciate you sharing this article. Much thanks again. Want more. Raquel Kiel Nelle