Gateways Program

 How did Gateways prepare you for your future?

I believe Gateways to be one of the most important experiences on my path to medicine. Gateways not only gave me early exposure to medical school level curriculum and study habits but allowed me to be confident in my ability to succeed in medical school. Further, I was surrounded by an incredible and inspiring cohort that was supportive and with each member having different incredible strengths and lived experiences. It was because of my year in Gateways that I gained the skills, confidence and perspective needed to succeed in medical school. 

What advice do you have for the current/future students of Gateways?

Be confident in your story. I think there is a lot of self-doubt imposed on pre-meds by undergraduate institutions. With the constant desire to "weed people out" and improve their acceptance rates, it's hard to ever feel that your grades, experiences and extracurriculars are anything other than the norm. This is especially true for anyone who's had life get in the way of their journey to medical school. But, all those speed bumps and adversities you've had to face is what will make you a powerful applicant. Often the story of the person who falls down and gets back up is just as, if not more powerful, than the one who never stumbled. So work hard, highlight your strengths, use Gateways to correct your weaknesses and be confident that if medicine is the only career for you; it will not be a question of if you get in but when.