Expert: Todd Johnson - 11/11/2008

Question
I live in NC.  My ULTIMATE goal is to become an OB-GYN.  Where do I start?

Answer
Ahshea,

Thanks for writing. The answer to where to start is basically the same for all students regardless of what they eventually want to do. First, forget college ranking systems. Second, figure out what you are looking for in a college. Big, small, close to home, far away, academically focused or more of a party school, etc. If you aren't sure, visit a number of different types of colleges. Most students will start to get a feel for what they like and what they don't like. Here is a page from my website that discusses some of the issues to consider in finding the right college for you. http://www.collegeadmissionspartners.com/resources/info-to-know/

Third, once you have figured out what you are looking for in a college, look around to find colleges that meet your needs. One way to do this is to look at the College Navigator website of the US Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

That website allows you to put in the type of school you are looking for and then gives you the results to consider. I generally recommend that you consider applying to a number of schools with a range of acceptances. For instance, apply to one or two schools that you are sure you will get into based on your grades and test scores, then several colleges where you have a reasonable chance of acceptance, and then if you want, one or two colleges where it will be difficult to gain admission. Try to go to the strongest academic college that fits what you are looking for.

When you have narrowed your list of colleges, start asking admissions people about medical school acceptance rates from that college. The national average is about 50%. If a college gives you a high number, then ask if there are limits on who can apply to medical school. For example, some colleges will only give recommendations from professors for those students that they think will get accepted. Obviously, this will skew the results.

Medical schools do not care what you major in at college. There are some basic courses that everyone must take, like organic chemistry, some biology, often physics, but after that do what you like and what interests you. You will also usually need to take the MCAT, which is the medical school equivalent of the SAT. Medical schools do tend to be driven by high GPA's so also ask a college what the typical GPA is of a graduating senior and what the typical GPA is of those students who get into medical school.

Assuming you make it to medical school, you then have 4 years to take all of the classes, and go through the clinical training, before deciding on what speciality you might like to do. If you still have an interest in OB-GYN, great. If something else has become more intersting, then go for that.

Hope that helps. Good luck.