Mentoring Pre-Med Roadmap

BreakThru
Pre-Med Roadmaps

Congratulations on being accepted into the BreakThru Mentorship Program!

To help you through out, BreakThru has created these extremely High-Yield Pre-Med Roadmaps, customized to where you are in the process.

Below you’ll find a weekly breakdown of how we suggest you tackle topics related to going to medical school. Our medical students have been in your shoes and have had to find solutions to these very same things. Obtaining guidance from them can save you a lot of time, money, and hassle later on.

Of course, you don’t have to follow any of these roadmaps, the program is very flexible!

But we recommend you do.

Click Below For Your Pre-Med Roadmap

Pre-Med Roadmap for Freshmen & Sophomores

Milestone 1 - SMART Goals

This week you’ll focus on building SMART goals with your mentor. These goals will help setup the rest of your six weeks. What are SMART Goals? Click here to learn more about them!

Assignment:

  1. Post your SMART Goals Here!


  2. Update your profile with a photo and your SMART goals!


  3. Introduce yourself

Milestone 2 - Coursework

What major should you go with? How do you select your classes? You probably shouldn’t be picking classes based on how late you want to sleep in. Learn better strategies with your mentor this week!

Assignments:

  1. Join one of BreakThru’s Groups. 


  2. On your personal timeline. Post what classes you’re taking, plan to take, or are nervous about taking. 

Milestone 3 - GPA vs. ECs

This week focuses on the dreaded GPA vs. extracurriculars dilemma. How does one balance a strong GPA with clubs, research, and work? Which is the most important? Do you really need a 4.0 GPA to get into medical school? Ask your mentor what they did to improve their sGPA and any tips they have looking back.

Assignments:

  1. Research and share 1 Grade Tracking Tool in the Pre-Med group. OR create your own tool and upload it for bonus points!


  2. Read this great thread on how to find research! Post your questions!

Milestone 4 - Clinical Experience

Clinical experience is how you show medical schools that you know what you’re getting into. But how does someone get shadowing exposure? Is it worth becoming an EMT or a scribe? Do you have to? What can you even do as a premedical student, what expectations do schools have?

Assignments:

  1. Share or Ask About Volunteering opportunities using this forum


  2. Post what you found in your profile’s activity feed!

Milestone 5 - Studying

One of the most important topics. How exactly does one study effectively? Can you use tools to improve your studying? Do any Apps help? How do you build stamina? Work harder or work smarter? The stronger your work ethic and study habits are now, the “easier” the transition to medical school will be. Always remember, it’s more then just about the GPA! Ask your mentor how you can develop effective study habits that can translate over to the next level and beyond.

Assignments:

  1. Join the Concepts and Clarifications Study Group for Premeds


  2. (Optional) Post a study or homework question you need help with or solved in that forum’s feed.

Milestone 6 - Mental Health

The entire process can be a grueling marathon. How exactly does one stay sane throughout this? Does it ever get better? Should you let medicine consume you? Mental health is incredibly important not only in your school career, but as a future physician as well. Learn from your mentor how to strike that perfect balance and not fall victim to burnout during this final week.

Assignments:

  1. Post on your activity feed one way you plan to de-stress and stay sane this semester.


  2. Search our Members and Use the ‘Connect Feature’ to Connect with 1 or more new Medical Students on the site.


  3. RSVP for and attend a PBT event.

Pre-Med Roadmap for Juniors & Seniors

Milestone 1 - SMART Goals

This week you’ll focus on building SMART goals with your mentor. These goals will help setup the rest of your six weeks. What are SMART Goals? Click here to learn more about them!

Assignment:

  1. Post your SMART Goals Here!


  2. Update your profile with a photo and your SMART goals!


  3. Introduce yourself

Milestone 2 - Leadership

Now that you’re a junior or senior, the leadership roles are really starting to open up. What do you need to do to make your clubs and passions notable enough to be able to put it on your applications? Do you have enough, or should you be looking to do just a bit more during this final stretch?

Assignments:

  1. Research and share your school’s pre-medical organization on the main page of this website. 


  2. Don’t have one? Read our article on pre-medical associations.

  3. Update your profile with what associations you belong to!

Milestone 3 - The Different Degrees

What is the difference between an MD and a DO school? Do you need to apply to both? With Step 1 becoming P/F, what does that mean for US MD/DOs and IMGs? Before you decide on your dream school, ask your mentor about these paths, if there are any differences, and which one fits best with your future goals.

Assignments:

  1. Update your profile’s goal section with any dual degree you plan on obtaining.


  2. Even if you don’t plan on doing a dual degree, share your career goals HERE for feedback, advice, and encouragement!

Milestone 4 - Straight Through or Gap Year?

Medical students come from all sorts of backgrounds. Career changers, Master’s students, personal gap years, 7-year programs, and more. But the path you take is unique to you. Should you be pursuing a Master’s or a Post-bacc? Can you take a gap year just to take a break? Is it reasonable to just apply straight away? Ask your mentor what path they think is best suited for where you are and where you want to go.

Assignments:

  1. Find Volunteering opportunities using this forum


  2. Post what you found in your profile’s activity feed!


  3. Do a strict Social Media audit for professionalism problems! 

Milestone 5 - The Application

This is what it all boils down to. All your blood, sweat and tears is being paraphrased into your AMCAS/AACOMAS application. How do you take everything you’ve done and turn it into the perfect resume/CV? How does one even write a personal statement? How do you even prepare for a medical school interview?? In this week, discuss with your mentor about these final steps in the process and what you can do to give yourself the leg up. You’re in the final steps, almost there!

Assignments:

  1. Join the Med School Application Group


  2. (Optional) Brainstorm your personal statement here! If you feel comfortable you can even post it, or an outline, or ideas, or even just ask for advice on what to write it about!

This is a great way to tap all of our mentors input!

Milestone 6 - Mental Health

You’ve talked about the application, you have a goal about how to tackle these last 1-2 years, but… now what? Is it just months of crippling anxiety waiting to hear back? Waiting for your MCAT… waiting for your primary and secondaries … waiting for your interview invites…

Keeping healthy mentally and physically is absolutely critical. Discuss strategies and perspectives from your mentor to help you on this next step in the process.

Assignments:

  1. Post on your activity feed one way you plan to destress and stay sane this semester. This could be something you’ve always done or a cool tip your mentor told you!


  2. Use the ‘Connect Feature’ to Connect with 1 or more new Medical Students on the site.


  3. RSVP for and attend a BreakThru event.

Pre-Med Roadmap for Graduate, Post-Bac, and Non-Traditional Students

Milestone 1 - SMART Goals

This week you’ll focus on building SMART goals with your mentor. These goals will help setup the rest of your six weeks and even beyond. What are SMART Goals? Click here to learn more about them!

Make sure you take into account family, work, and other commitments when mapping these out. Expect to spend at least 2 years getting into medical school, then 4 more years in school, and finally 3+ years in residency.

Assignment:

  1. Post your SMART Goals Here!


  2. Update your profile with a photo and your SMART goals!


  3. Introduce yourself

Milestone 2 - The Plunge

If you’re on this timeline, that means you’ve either taken an extra year or two to pursue a Master’s or complete a Post-Bacc, OR you’ve decided to undergo a career change and aren’t a traditional student.

No worries, this isn’t a negative at all! In fact, this can easily become your strength! Talk to your mentor about what they did to optimize these extra years and the pitch they gave to the admissions committees about the new skills and perspectives they learned during their post-grad years.

Assignments:

  1. Research and share 1 Grade Tracking Tool in the Pre-Med group. OR create your own tool and upload it for bonus points!


  2. Do a strict Social Media Audit for professionalism problems! 

Milestone 3 - The Different Degrees

What is the difference between an MD and a DO school? Do you need to apply to both? With Step 1 becoming P/F, what does that mean for US MD/DOs and IMGs? Before you decide on your dream school, ask your mentor about these paths, if there are any differences, and which one fits best with your future goals.

Assignments:

  1. Update your profile’s goal section with any dual degree you plan on obtaining.


  2. Even if you don’t plan on doing a dual degree, share your career goals HERE for feedback, advice, and encouragement!

Milestone 4 - The Application

This is what it all boils down to. All your blood, sweat and tears is being paraphrased into your AMCAS/AACOMAS application. How do you take everything you’ve done and turn it into the perfect resume/CV? How does one even write a personal statement? In this week, discuss with your mentor how to make your case for medical school even stronger and create that compelling narrative.

Assignments:

  1. Join the Med School Application Group


  2. (Optional) Brainstorm your personal statement here! If you feel comfortable you can even post it, or an outline, or ideas, or even just ask for advice on what to write it about!

Milestone 5 - The Interview

This is it! You’ve done everything else, and now its time to mentally and emotionally prepare for those critical events – the interviews!

The interview process is where you can really sell yourself, show how much you’ve learned over the years, and why you’d be a great fit for their school. But how do you even prepare for a medical school interview??

Ask your mentor about their experiences and how they used their background to their strength.

Assignments:

  1. Post a question (or questions) on our interview thread


  2. Review our BreakThru Learner Videos / Posts on Professionalism during  Interviews.

Milestone 6 - Mental Health

You’ve talked about the application, you have a goal about how to tackle the rest of the process, but now what? Is it just months of crippling anxiety waiting to hear back? 

Mental health is at an all-time importance at this stage. Discuss strategies and perspectives from your mentor to help you on this next step in the process.

Assignments:

  1. Post on your activity feed one way you plan to destress and stay sane this semester. This could be something you’ve always done or a cool tip your mentor told you!


  2. Use the ‘Connect Feature’ to Connect with 1 or more new Medical Students on the site.


  3. RSVP for and attend a BreakThru Event.

The Path to Medical School Can Feel Long And Unclear

But never forget that we’re here to help. Have you had a chance to see our our BreakThru Learner Series?

Use the BreakThru Feed to Ask and Inspire others with your questions. Our Medical Student Mentors are always here to help you, for free, anytime.

-BreakThru,
Where Mentoring Happens