What It Actually Takes to Get into Medical School | Dr. Ryan Gray at UC Davis Pre-Health Conference 

Finishing medical school in 6 months, the key is to never quit! I was told to my face I would never go to medical school when I hit a 1.6 gpa. I’m living proof you can do it! I passed my boards first try and I got hella interviews for residencies! You can do it! Never quit!

I think a lot of people underestimate the importance of writing ability when they apply to med school. I think it’s not so much what you do, but more about how you write about it. You can have these great stats, awesome experiences but if you can’t write about it well no one will care to find out what you did. If you’re able to craft and write a cohesive and captivating story you’ll be in a great position when applying

Every time I tell people that my plan is to go to medical school (men or women), their response is always “Oh you wanna be a nurse, that’s great!” No, I’m gonna be a DOCTOR!!!

(this goes without saying but "just go become a nurse" is a stupid suggestion in the context it's often used because nursing school is also incredibly challenging and requires lots of work!!! and nurses work so so hard)

"How many women have been questioned (by men) about why they are pursuing medicine...you won't have time for family" 🙋🏾‍♀️ you're doing great work!

I almost cried when you said those who are just doing a checklist will not get in. I feel like that's me. There's so much work and I don't have that passion when I started the pre-med journey anymore. One part of me keeps saying this is not what you want and you will not become a happy doctor. But in another way, becoming a doctor is the only career path I have seriously considered in my life. I have even less interest in other careers. I can't answer the "why do you want to become a doctor" question, and I'm struggling a lot. Now I can't distinguish is it just something my family talked me into or is this what I really want.

Starting the premed track this fall and I'm ✨scared✨

audience is so dead, man dropped a joke and nobody reacts

Most people I see don’t spend enough time working on their application. Just because you have the GPA and MCAT done, that doesn’t mean the application is just a formality to get into medical school. I had a few friends that had the stats but no luck getting into med schools because of this.

having a 4.0 GPA and 528 MCAT isn't enough to get into med school. You also need to develop your acting skills to such a high degree that you can convince during the interview that your passion for medicine burns hotter and brighter than a thousand suns. You need to convince during the interview that you would give up your first born and cut off your left nut (or left tit) to be a doctor even if you had to work for free for the rest of your life and eat at soup kitchens.

Many People, Physician and Non-Physician, have given me great insight, hope, and inspiration since the thought of going to medical school crossed my mind years ago. That being said, NOBODY has had more of an impact on me than Dr. Gray. I had retired the idea of being able to be a Physician, but after many hours with Dr. Gray on these videos, I am about to start PreMed and give it my all. (I am 30, no college degree, VERY out of the norm). THANK YOU DR. GRAY! Seriously a life-changer.

My application got rejected. I couldn't understand why? I wrote everything I thought they wanted to hear. So now I'm on RU-vid looking at what I possibly did wrong? Watching this video I've now realized what I did wrong. I wrote a checklist. It was generic. Anyone could of written it about themselves. I need to personalize my application, and write in story form.

medicine is a lot of hard work and stress but extraordinarily rewarding. Be yourself. Good luck.

I’m a recovering drug user. I’ve been getting straight A’s for two years trying to buffer my future application. I always fear that my story, which is truly meaningful and special, will be immediately overlooked or rejected by med schools. I work really hard. I just gotta keep working my hardest till I exhaust all options. Whatever that means

Honestly it’s all a blur. That part of the process goes by so fast. The pre med process in retrospect was so much fun. Medschool was just so tiring… not fun.. internship was painful. Residency was wonderful… finally getting to do what you love. Life as an attending is fulfilling and everything you thought medical school would be 8 years earlier… point is, it is a long process with many ups and downs but in the end it is well worth it… it’s a calling, a marathon, stay in the moment while you’re doing it, don’t look back and don’t look too far into the future.. focus on enjoying each day… it’s too long to worry about the past or be scared about what’s coming…. Before you know it 12 years will pass and you’ll be an attending…

Agreed - it's all about the intent behind actions. Awesome talk!

Starting my pre med track this fall, these types of videos make me stop overthinking and take it one step at a time ☺️

I'm only in high school and learning all this and listening to this makes me more motivated to push for getting to medicine

We need more doctors in the US, it’s time to reform the process of becoming a doctor.

Love this for any career, especially at the beginning. Passion, love for it, and never give up on your dream.

This brought me to tears. I needed this so much.

“ you don’t have to be smart to do good in medical school, just have to work really really really hard “ I’m sold! Haha

“ it’s so much easier to go to your plain B” I know, I’m a senior in high and thought about my plain b and was soo shocked how easy it was, but after watching this I’m gaining my confidence back😛

Thank you so much for this. I went back to school to begin a second career and my advisor has been swaying me to change my major. I started listening but still feel the desire to be a pediatrician. I have great grades, I felt that maybe she knew better. As of now, I no longer will listen to anyone else but myself.

I’m currently in nursing school and working as a medical assistant. Your video just kept popping up everywhere and decided to watch it. And now I know what I want to do after I’m done with nursing school and save some cash. Thank you for the information!

I agree with up to the Q and A part. I highly disagree with the MCAT part tho. I think if a student thinks they can improve their score, than do it. For example, I bombed a section of my first MCAT and I knew exactly what I needed to do to get a better score. I think if you are reapplying, retaking, depending on the situation, might be a good idea. With that said, you should not try your first attempt until you are ready

all that really matters is that you have a good GPA and a high MCAT score. As long as a you write a decent personal statement and you can show empathy in your interview, then you will get in somewhere. Your personal statement and having a great life story will get you into better places. Volunteering is unfortunately a requirement. I say unfortunately, because many pre med volunteering opportunities are BS.

Just graduated from UC Davis last year& I’m nervous about applying to med school & the journey but it’s what I want to do! :)

I know you say it's not a checklist, but try applying without any of those things and have your application get dissected and psychoanalyzed by ADCOMs as to why you didn't do certain activities. I'd say it's a checklist with room for your own enjoyment like: High GPA/MCAT, Research (something you find interesting or like), volunteering (something you like to do), and clinical experience/shadowing (in a field you're interested in). I do like the "no plan B" advise though, it would be hard to say somebody should go into medical school not completely dedicated or all in for it.

Love the last bit of this video. Very well said.

This is so inspiring! I love it! Thank you so much!

OMG thank you so much Ryan. This was wonderful to hear.

I thought I was bad at math and like a B student and I thought you had to have straight As and be fantastic at math and take like 8 classes and do all this stuff and then I actually looked at it as a confident and secure adult and it seemed doable. I’ve been a CNA / tech for years. Shoot, being an adult adulting and providing for myself financially and struggling and dealing with heavy-lifting and bodily fluids and having people die in my hands and watching people die and getting attacked by my patients and working multiple jobs and trying to do school and life happens. Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. What I thought was hard / impossible time and time again, I’ve gotten past it. I’ve been a single parent of 9 foster kids. I’ve been attacked by patients and ended up injured like hair ripped out, black eyes, and a dislocated hip. I’ve been raped, beaten, and totally abused. I’ve gone days without eating because I couldn’t afford it. I worked 5 part-time jobs while getting my CNA and 3 jobs while getting my med aide. It took me 3 tries to get my CNA because I had to get my gallbladder removed and I had a screw come loose in my face from a jaw surgery I’d had 10 years prior. I failed the same math class 7 times and aced it on the 8th try. I have burn scars from child abuse. I have realized I have grit. Med school feels totally doable now. In my 30s, it’s a different mindset. I didn’t have the maturity and responsibility or the confidence and life experience in my 20s. I initially thought I was too old, but I can handle med school. It’s totally doable.

Awesome videos. Keep posting them please 🙏.

I needed this so much. THANK YOU!!!!!

Oh!! I was at the conference but didn't know about you until now

I'm still researching and debating on if I want to go back to school for pre med. I have a theatre performance degree and I wanted to be a police officer for the last few years. I still think it would be neat to do but I'm considering being a psychiatrist instead. I recently got out of an abusive relationship. He was a cop and a USMC vet who suffered from PTSD after fighting in Afghanistan twice. His PTSD manifested as anger and he let it go untreated. He eventually pointed his duty weapon at me and later held me hostage in our house. I strongly believe that this whole thing could have been avoided if he got the help he so desperately needed. He knew he needed help but he refused to get it. Now, he's a felon and the courts are forcing him to get treatment. It's unfortunate that this happened but I'm glad he's getting treatment so it doesn't happen again. I would love to work with veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD. No one deserved to go through what I went through, no one deserves to live with the pain he is currently dealing with, and no one deserves to feel like getting treatment is shameful.

Bribery. The Aunt Becky method.

Never wanted to become a doctor. Forced myself to study because of familial pressure, actually resented medicine as it furthered the status quo's infrastructure in my society. I do not know how, I have fallen in love with a profession I initially disliked because my father considered them saints whilst I could see many pursued the career for fame and money. I do not judge them.. But I couldn't do something when my heart was not up for it. Do not know how things will work out now. I'll put my life on line for it if chance demand so.

Truly amazing

thanks for this!

How do I find doctors to shadow 🥺

Thank you for putting all these valuable information out there! I am new to your chanel and would like to know, in your experience, what is the minimum GPA to get admitted into med school, given Mcat and all other requirements are good?

Can you make a video about what you think the future holds for medicine. Maybe surgery.

it is really... really.... helpful if you can self-identify - you get a 10% bump in GPA and 18% in MCAT's

How difficult was it to obtain a scholarship from the military?

If I could do all over again, I would just focus on my GPA and MCAT and graduate at a top 50 or top 100 college/uni. I am pretty sure I can get into a DO school. There is a huge difference among huge public school, private school and community colleges in terms of grades despersion. At the end of day, the adcom is not even going to look at where exactly you spent your 4 or 5 years.

Hey Ryan! I was wondering when you'd start a RU-vid channel, lol! (Subscribed)

Hi Dr. Gray! As someone who is applying for medical school first time around, my favorite series of yours would have to be Application Renovation. I refer members in my Pre-Med organization all your videos and books, and I’ve met students who have been featured on your channel who have been accepted. I’d love to meet with you to share my PS and activity descriptions. - Mark Velasquez

I know it’s a stretch... but can I argue having frequent doctor visits for personal reasons as clinical experience?? Long story short, on average I have had 12-14 doctor visits per year for the past 5 years due to surgeries, hospitalization/treatments, check-ups, etc (I have physicians for 7 different specialties due to a condition I was born with). I have a solid argument in mind as to what I learned and gained from each one! I also have really good stats, non-clinical volunteer hours, research, rec letters (including one from one of these physicians), and have a good story and strong reason for wanting to be a physician even aside from my own condition. I know I can tie everything in my application together well and make it convey something, but will this be enough without true clinical hours (since starting college, I got a nice amount of both shadowing and clinical volunteer hours in high school)??? I even have proof that my clinical position was set up back in March and then cancelled due to COVID!

It’s soooo funny you say that because literally i go to the University of florida and my advisor said the exact same thing to me.

what do med schools want to hear in an interview

good one

What the website to estimate application costs & related expenses??

Aw I missed him speaking at campus! I seem to be missing cool people coming to campus by a year. No more or less. 🤷‍♂️

Do you take any student for the med school application?

I died when you said two Bs or not two Bs hahaha

An old Jewish custom is to reject someone who wants to convert to Judaism three times. If they still have the passion and unquenchable desire to become Jewish after three rejections then and only then can they begin their studies to become jewish. You must show the admissions board that life is not worth living if you cannot become a doctor.

The what system?

It’s almost unfair how tough it is to get into medical school. Most students that apply the first time just get rejected and they quit becoming a doctor. The US needs to ease the burden of admission to medical school, like seriously. Also it’s darn expensive. You be taking out loans all the time

Watching this while in my final year of law school. Intend to attend medical school in my late twenties/early thirties. Fingers crossed.

How good would do an electrical engineer with a Master of Science degree in EE, with research experience.

I have 0 shadowing hours. If you had to guess, will my 500 hrs of ED scribing help soften the blow of my lack of shadowing?

Please how do I get in touch with Dr Ryan

What was the name of the podcast where we can learn about health care?

Can u do one about majors!

Dedicated

My biggest issue is that I KNOW I want to be part of the medical field, I want to help others, but I'm running out of time and I'm going into college in a couple years, and I don't know specifically what job I want to do, there are so many options but I cant bring myself to decide. And a lot of them I can't see myself a part of. Has anyone else gone through this? How did you decide what path you went down? Is it possible to just go in blind and decide where to go through college?

Overall, very good talk. However, there are a few things that you had better have on your checklist if you want to get into medical school: 1) excellent grades - make sure to check the average GPA of students accepted into the medical school you're interested in and at least match it 2) your MCAT score had better be top notch - so make sure that you use available resources (even if you have to pay) to study for the MCAT 3) do research - especially in the specialty you eventually want to match in (for residency) 4) shadow physicians 5) have some extracurriculars that highlight your leadership abilities. If you don't have these on your checklist and don't fulfill them, then you are a fool.

Why did the airforce say that you couldn't practice orthopedics?

If he, just recovered from -- surgery OK then! If not, a SEC-8 i.e. Title-18 -- matches USCMJ -- Military. I slipped, and fell! As a MD! Now I'm-- MD / Lawyer. Whaat laws-- are applicable? All American Indian.

anyone realize this man's public speaking tactics are to the letter

Currently a freshman and have taken general chemistry my first semester and recieved a C. I feel like my chances of getting into Med-School are now gone.

I’m scared about medical school interviews

Hi guys Does anyone here starting their pre -med journey from 2024? Would like to connect....

Can you get into med school with an online bachelor's?

College and med school essays = excuse section. Poor me blah blah blah .. Great vid enjoyed it.

2 B’s or not 2 B’s... that is the question 🤣

Pre-- pare -- indeed experienced, Expeditions. Swedish -- Shit! out of luck -- lied past tensor

If you're worried about how your personal system of beliefs and conservative approach to women's health will determine your acceptance into med school....... medicine is not for you. That guy jabbing on about personal politics is cringe.

affirmative action?

Dr. Gray do you have a service where we can just pay you to calm us down through this process/waiting game? Lolll

"I wanted to cut people" ...ha ... ha....

Or maybe there is another side of the story - you are just intellectually not capable to become a physician and if you super struggle with concepts of science you'll be a mediocre physician or even incompetent and dangerous.

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On politics and abortion. So, lie your face off if you have the wrong position. I guess lie your face off during all the other questions of the interview. Sadly it's not bad advice for getting into medical school or anything else in life I guess.

Doesn’t seem like medical school or postgraduate is a worthwhile investment for the vast majority. Better to get done with school in 4 years with a degree in computer science / engineering / financial economics and earn a good living right out of undergraduate. Rather than spend another 4-10 years losing even more time, money, health, and happiness in medical school and postgraduate.

There's different levels of nursing. At highest levels nurses can earn more than doctors, and have similar knowledge. They learn chemistry, pharmacology, human anatomy, biology, advanced maths, diseases, mental disorders, performing medical procedures, etc. I personally knew a doctor that had worked in a hospital for 20yrs. He said he had never used a needle, and never used a stethoscope. Because the nurses did the physical work. He joked that he writes the prescriptions, the nurses do the work, and the surgeons operate. The funny thing is the doctor walks around with a stethoscope.

23:00 - I'm pro life but really I'm pro choice. I don't think that was a good example of being empathetic, the example he gave was ,more like someone caving in on their values to try to be more agreeable.

It takes money. If you got money you will get in.

While I agree with Dr. Gray that a lot of this is persistence, getting second opinions, the reality is that he's advising people full time to get into medical school when two things are facts 1) He didn't enjoy practicing as a physician himself (and thus stopped) and 2) He was unable to become an orthopedic surgeon because he both miscalculated the number of air force spots allocable to them (3 as of 2013) and demonstrates a degree of poor planning on his part. I give you Dr. Gray credit on pursuing consulting, but for all those listening, consider seeking additional advice.

this guy kinda weird lol

I think you have useful insight on the application process for medical school, but I'm disappointed by how you subtly promote your own political views and discourage people who have a different view than you. You're very deceptive and narcissistic for thinking that you can lie to people and that no one will see through you.

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