Nursing/Med Prep for High School Senior

[schiu]

My little sister (forbidden from forums) asked me to do some research for her - she is a high school senior who is set on a career path into medicine.

To prepare her path along as broad a swath of potential careers in medicine as possible, what sort of "real world" and hands-on experience should she try to get? I've heard of general "volunteer" work, but how about some specifics? What will help her

1. Decide if she wants a career in medicine (I want her to know for sure),

2. Get her ready for the necessary schooling, and

3. Prepare her to be a good practitioner after school (or will be good for volunteer and clinical work)?

Thanks so much - sorry if this is has been addressed before!

[SingDanceRunLife]

Does she want to go into medicine or nursing? They are two different things...

[becky3vb]

I would suggest that she shadow people in all areas of the medical arena if she really isn't sure what she wants to do: MD, DO, PA, NP, RN, PT, OT, RT, etc. That way she will at least be able to elimate a few.

Volunteering at a local hospital, clinic, or nursing home would be a good place to start. She could check their websites to see if there is a specific person to call. Being exposed to patients and medical professionals will give her a better idea of the interactions between them all. She could also take an EMT-basic course (may have age requirements) or look into becoming a CNA to gain more experience/knowledge before and while she is an undergrad.

All medical professions require science courses. She should take as many science and math courses as she can to become exposed to the information before college. If she wants to become a doctor she will most likely need physics, biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. Nursing requires similar courses but may also include nutrition, psychology, etc. All schools have different prerequisites.

In general, I would suggest as much exposure to the medical field and science/math academics as she can. Most medical schools/nursing schools/PA schools, etc., will focus more on what she does while she is in college. From what I have seen, they want students who have medical exposure/experience, good academics, yet are still well-rounded. Most of it will fall into place as she goes through her undergrad years. (Make sure she has plenty of FUN during the rest of her senior year too!)