yes. Undergrad ranking school doesn't have weight for apps. Get a high MCAT 511 i believe or around a 35-36 to be at least competitive and a 3.8+ gpa and tier 1 med school is bound if you have a great interview.
Dr Maya Babu. NAMASTE. after seeing your interview I just want to tell you. woow. I'm 62 years-old at 59 I had a brain aneurysm. doctors like you save my life, I arrived at the hospital by helicopter it was not so good. thanks for choosing your career I know someone's life is always in your hands talent and dedication.
Sourabh Sharma Girls are Better students But Surgery is a very erratic job and demand lot of time, energy and experience. Family life suffers especially for women and often they have to compromise with the job to take care of their children
Thank you, Dr. Andrea, for this long-waited interview! I wished she talked more about her experience in college, majoring in neuroscience. I am still in a community college, and my major will be Neuroscience when I transfer to university. I know how long and hard is the process to become a neurosurgeon. I felt that she was emphasizing a lot on being open-minded about what specialty you choose. To be honest, I felt kind of intimidated listenning to her 😱 but I won't let fear stop me. I wished this interview was live! Thank you again for the interview ☺
I'm in the exact same position that his lady was once in. I'm only in senior high school but I'm stuck between what career path I would like to follow: Medicine - Neurosurgery or neuropsychiatry / Law. I'm leaning towards Medicine thus far as I want to truly help people and change the world for the better, even if it be only minor. Both ways, there's a long road ahead and this video is extremely inspiring and motivating to work hard no matter you want in life. Best of luck for anyone pursuing a career in Medicine.
She’s such a wise person and insightful. Really appreciate her input. I’m not interested in neurosurgery but her approach to looking at residency programs and how to choose one is wonderful. She’s fantastic.
I'm about to be a freshman at UCLA as a premed in a few weeks and I'm so glad I found your channel! You're answering all of my questions that I wasn't able to find from anywhere or anyone else! You're an inspiration!!
Love your vlog. I'm a neurosurgeon, MD PhD, also went to Harvard. My mentor was Dr Roberta Glick also a woman. Her mentor was also a women, Dr. Fran Connelly. Dr. Connelly wrote the famous book, "Walking Out On The Boys." EVERYONE especially women in medicine should read this book. It is great to have more women entering the field. However, one must be mindful, we have a legacy to build and must be cognizant of the privilege.
I would really love to hear from pediatrician/neonatology specialist :) I'd love to go that route after med school so i'm interested if it's mentally hard to see children being sick and interacting with parents etc. i feel like peds is perseived as not very challenging, it's not as hard to get into residency as ophto, neurosurgery etc. and i want to do somenthing challenging but then i just love working with kids so much! Thanks a lot for inspiring us here and on the blog (miss you there lately!)
I can't imagine others perceiving PEDS as a non challenging specialty. You have to diagnose and treat someone who often may not be able to tell you what they are feeling, and that alone is a huge challenge. I shadowed the doctor who was my pediatrician and honestly people who are born to enter that specialty have such a great ability to sense what is going on at a deeper level (with added experience, of course) So don't let anyone make you feel like it's not a challenge! If it's what you want, go for it and know that your little patients appreciate you :)
Thank You so much for your reply ! :) Last summer I had something like a summer rotation in family medicine and I was doing it with my own family doctor who is also a peds specialist.. I absolutly loved it and she taught me so much ! Kids loved her :)
very good points . How residents interact is a huge deal because senior residents mentor the incoming interns and junior residents. That becomes all the more important if you're working long hours, without much sleep, and critical cases to deal with. You tend to rely on your resident team for intellectual and social support. That'll be my number one priority when looking for residencies
im so glad you did this video ive been wanting to become a neurosurgeon since I was five ever since I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and I was thankful to have a wonderful neurosurgeon that has helped me realized how much I want to become a neurosurgeon
Really enjoyed this video! Could you do a video interviewing a transplant surgeon and a trauma surgeon? Those are the two fields that I'm currently looking into!
+Giulia Arrigo Also check out Student Doctor Thompson, he is really good as well but i really need a video from Andrea since all her videos are in great details
I am 14 years old and I am confident I want to become a medical student. I am interested in becoming a pediatric surgeon, and I think this is a great channel
Please make another video or blog post soon! We know you're super busy, but it's so great every time we get to hear from you :) If you're considering doing a vlog video, please do so! Your posts and videos have served as motivation for me during my first 2 years of undergrad, so I'm missing them so much!
She's from my alma mater, the University of Minnesota. And all this while I was assuming that Harvard Med School takes in only Ivy League undergrads lol.
lol this is one of the hardest professions in the world, let alone pediatric neurosurgery. They will tell you up and down "you can do what you put your mind to!!" ......no. Regardless of work ethic and drive, without certain affinities, you will not make it realistically. There is much more than meets the eye about this medical stuff guys, look deeper before you plunge into it.
Taru that’s very true and residency in surgery but especially neurosurgery is enough to break someone. It takes a lot of willpower to make it to where she is, something most don’t have.
I am truly loving your videos Andrea! You and your guests inspire and motivate me so much. Thank you so much, I know it must be hard to find time for youtube in your busy schedule. I will be starting dental school in October and while studying for my exams I had to take in order to get in, I tried some of your study methods and they helped me a ton. Greetings from Prague, Czech republic 🙂
Ok so I'm 12 and my dream job is to be a neurosurgeon or neuroscience my dream medical school is Harvard or Stanford with a scholarship because I am currently a straight A student the only reason I have straight A's is because I want to become a great surgeon I've had straight A's since 3rd grade (which is the grade they start giving you letter grades) I want to go to Harvard because it's a great medical school the high school I will be going to in a few years has different academy's for your future job ex: medical health is what doctors would be in I'm really working hard now so I can go to Harvard I really thought this through THIS GIRL IS WHAT I WANT TO BECOME!!
Jaelyn kylie that's super cool! I'm 12 also and I live in Eastern Washington. I plan on going to college in Seattle, same for medical school. Then after all my training and such and when I'm a neurosurgeon, I'll live in Spokane and do neurosurgery there.
Hold on to your dreams, guys! I held on to mine and now I'm an MS1 at my dream medical school :) It's hard work, but it definitely pays off. (Also how cool are brains?!)
I think I've always kind of known that I'd go into medicine. (With the exception of when I was 3 because back then I just wanted to own a donut shop!) If I were to list all of the reasons why I chose to become a doctor, it would fill up the whole page, but to summarize, I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else. Currently I'm interested in EM, Ortho, Gen Surg, and Neuro. But who knows! I'm open to anything.
I am premed right now but I am really considering neurosurgery and I just LOVE your videos and the helpful information and just seeing all these women in medicine is so inspiring for me!
thank you very much for the great video and interview, Im encouraged, I have always wanted to do neurosurgery. I study Medicine in China, and as from Next academic year, by God's grace, I will be specialising in Neurosurgery. Amen.
Thanks for doing this interview! I've been waiting for this interview for a long time! I'm really interested in neurosurgery so this video was very helpful! :)
Hey Andrea! I just want to thank you so much for all of your videos. I know I want to go into healthcare and you're videos help so much. I really appreciate your videos!😃
Hi Dr. Tooley, thanks for this video! Dr. Babu mentioned how 3rd year rotations are really informative in regards to what a specialty is like and can influence a person's choice of residency. My question is, let's say you absolutely love a rotation in third year you were not expecting, what do you or Dr. Babu suggest for obtaining research experience in that field in a timely manner when residency applications are only a year away? Especially for competitive surgical specialties, if one decides on surgery mid third year, that leaves them with only about a year to obtain research in that area before applying. What are your thoughts on this?
Really informative video! Thank you Andrea :) I found it quite interesting how I have also been treated for a rare illness for a year, and had the crossroad of neuroscience and law in terms of my interests. I chose to pursue law, but there are days when I wonder what if.
Education Harvard Business School Harvard Business School Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) 2005 - 2010 Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Cum Laude 2005 - 2010 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities University of Minnesota-Twin Cities B.S./B.A., Neuroscience and Psychology, Summa cum Laude with Highest Distinction 2001 - 2005 WOW
asturiasra this chick must like sitting on her ass studying 48/7. Id rather commit suicide. I guess if she likes what she does than congrats to her lol.
Hi Dr. Tooley! You are such an inspiration :). Thank you for your hardwork in uploading such substantial content on your YT channel while finishing up residency. I have been subscribed for a year and have learned so much from you and your guests in your videos. Whenever you get a chance or if ever you do, could you also interview a psychiatrist? Thanks for being a motivation to pursue pre-med!:)
I have Neurogenic Muscle Atrophy and there seems to be no cure. A bicycle accident (hit head sideways on concrete hard), no helmet, had full stroke, damaged nerve that carries blood-oxygen to the muscles. I suspect insulation on Myelin sheath was damaged. Muscles breaking down wasting. Can't tolerate exercise, getting worse fast. 61 years old. Thanks.
I'll interview you. Is cancer 200 different diseases? If it is, how does 200 different diseases have hallmarks? 'The Hallmarks of Cancer' Weinburg 2001 interview is over
Great video! You should do an interview with a Pediatric Surgeon! I aspire to become a Pediatric surgeon but I'm not sure if I will be cut out for it? Also on that note is good to become a Pediatric Cardiovascular Sonographer to get experience with kids before pre med and medical school? 🤔 Thank you!😊
Is it odd that I don't find this intimidating? like I am nervous to pursue such a high level of profession, but I know I can do it. Not just for the money, but I'm interesting in helping people and alleviating them of any pain they're having.
she is everything I dream about right now! A neurosurgeon who went to harvard and never forgets who she and where she comes from (she is wearing kurti).
Hi Andrea! Awesome interview as always. Did Dr. Babu mention anything about if her MBA was beneficial for her career and if she would recommend getting one to other medical students?
Hi Andrea! I love what you do. It was inspiring to hear from her. I've loved being subscribed to you these past years, you've helped me a ton with your advice videos. Can you interview a radiologist?
This is my dream job,This is what I live for I migrated to America from Jamaica to peruse this career if I’m not able to make it a dream come true my life will completely be over
Hi can you do a video on tips for non traditional students who are trying to apply to medical school, and how to balance school and kids. I really appreciate your videos, thank you!
Can you do a video on research? How to go about choosing a topic? The process of research and publication? Also I love your videos they are so helpful!
Hi Andrea, I love your videos!! You have inspired me so much. I was wondering if you do a video of an Ear Nose Throat Physician?? I'm especially interested in ENT but I want to hear it first hand from an expert! Thanks so much!
Andrea thank you so much for your video!!!! Question though, when do you think is a good time to get involved into research while you are in the medical school? I am starting my first year this fall!!! :) .. Do you think it is a good idea to let professors know that I am interested? Thank you.
I think the sooner the better! First year is overwhelming, so don't worry too much about research, but if an opportunity presents itself, it is great to get involved early! The summer after first year is also a great time. Good luck!
What do you want to research? I wanted to form immune complexes on kv10.1 and CD47(which is a hallmark, to the best of my knowledge) the classical complement pathway requires an antibody. So macrophages, dendritic cells and complement proteins will attack. I wanted to get integrase to work with crRNA to correct the most devastating mutations, such as P53 as a transcription factor, or the mutations in the pathways that stem from it. I wanted to use a vector. That can and will start the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. I wanted to shut off the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. 110 alpha and p110b inhibitors already exist. The advantage is that that would halt the cell cycle, but not in immune cells because the catalytic subunit is different. So it shouldn't effect macrophages, clonal expansion, ect.. And that is a watered down version of the cure for cancer. I worked as a nurses aid. I never went to school.
We did it! I was arrested for it too. So badass! "Andrea, I wanted to answer the girl, but I can't find the comment. Yes, Cancer cured. We were using tachyplesin, antibodies for Kv10.1 and interferon beta so the antibodies don't make the off target hits. We used plasmids and short hairpin RNA to knock out CD47 oncogenic isoform. We knocked out oncoproteins like C-myc using antisense oligonucleotides. We replaced the phosphate group with a thiol group so it could survive the cytoplasm of the cell and activate RNAse H. We made antibodies for the specific phenotype of Cancer, so immune complexes would form. We used Interferon Gamma to amplify the ROS and NOS after phagocytosis ensued. We halted the cell cycle all kinds of ways. I'm the Nurses Aid at Sloan Kettering! Ask for me. Ask Christine Mayr. Where's Rich, the Nurses Aid here."
Can you please do a similar video with a cardiothoracic surgeon? I would love to get some information about residency and etc. Love your videos and thank you in advance.
I too would also be interested to here from a doctor who works with children. Specifically, a paediatric oncologist. I watch your videos all the way from Australia. You are very inspiring. I'm currently studying to be a registered nurse as my undergraduate. Looking to apply for a graduate program in the children's hospital then go into medicine.
