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What Prepares Us to Become a Doctor?

2021; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 96; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/acm.0000000000004036

1938-808X

Marin E. Langlieb,

Health and Medical Research Impacts

To the Editor: As I prepare to submit my application to medical school during the 2021 cycle, I am thinking of all the steps I had to take along the way: doing well in my science courses; taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT); seeking out research, volunteer, and shadowing opportunities. But COVID-19 has changed everything. Many medical schools are accepting pass/fail grades and online coursework for prerequisites, the MCAT was shortened to allow for social distancing, and students are seeking out alternatives to replace canceled activities. Although these changes may not last long after the pandemic is over, they still raise questions of what knowledge, experiences, and achievements are necessary to succeed in medical school. For example, this pandemic is a unique opportunity to see how students who take certain prerequisite courses online and for a pass/fail grade perform in medical school, which could lead to rethinking some of the long-standing requirements for admission, or, alternatively, prove that they are necessary. Even further, this pandemic has taught premedical students valuable skills that cannot be measured by a grade or test score, skills like flexibility, creativity, and resilience. Take the MCAT at 6:30 am? So many students tried to sign up, the website crashed. Extracurricular activities canceled? Students are using their free time to sew masks, virtually tutor their peers and younger students, and engineer 3D printed face shields. But most of all, I think this pandemic has reshaped our view of what it means to be a doctor. We read stories of physicians and health care workers risking their own lives to save their patients’. We watch videos of physicians breaking down after emotionally and physically grueling shifts. We see our mentors being hailed as heroes. For years to come, pressing the “Submit” button for a medical school application will signify both the official start of a journey in medicine and an acknowledgment of the unpredictable challenges that lie ahead. Will we truly be prepared for them? No one could. But fueled by hope for the future, we are ready to try our hardest.