Gateways Program

How did Gateways prepare you for your future?

Gateways changed my med school trajectory. Prior, I was a candidate who had a “solid” resume but was too distracted and lacked study skills to be successful in academics. However, all of my classmates would agree that we grew tremendously in the year we spent together under the guidance of Dr. Anandarajah and faculty at the program. They helped us nurture our academic strategies, foundational sciences, and instilled values in critical thinking that I felt not only aided us in research and writing to medical schools, but most importantly, in caring for particularly marginalized populations. I was also able to really immerse myself in the medical and local communities through street medicine and teaching during my time here, and believe I am a better future physician because of the opportunities at this program.

What advice do you have for current/future Gateways Master of Medical Sciences students?

Balance and consistency are key. The pressure you put on yourself is most often much more than you actually need to be successful, so block out parts of your day to relax, have fun, and find time for yourself. I challenge you to not question “Am I doing enough or am I putting in enough hours?” but instead “Am I actually doing this efficiently/how can I get more out of my work?” and “Is this extra hour of studying really worth losing sleep, missing out on a fun volunteering event, or a trivia night with friends?” It is much more important to be able to tackle an exam/studying/activity with more mental focus and clarity!

Any other comments?

Know that you are capable of achieving your dreams. Your value is in your personal story-identity, your ability to care for others, and the perspectives you bring to the table; all of which will always be amazingly-uniquely you.