Gateways Program

Gateways prepared for medical school better than any other way I could imagine. I can't describe how much of an advantage it is in medical school to be viewing all of my block material for a second time, since Gateways puts you through the entire first year medical school curriculum. Not only does this take a lot of stress away from passing block exams, but it's also already preparing you for Step 1 and allowing you to have more mental-freedom to get involved in clubs and research. Perhaps most importantly, the level of preparation that Gateways provides allows you to focus on finding a proper work-life balance in medical school, which is absolutely vital on your road to becoming a well-rounded physician.

 

It's totally normal to struggle and experience those intense feelings of stress, especially at the beginning. However, keep the big picture in mind: you don't need to be perfect right from the get-go, you're supposed to struggle, and you'll eventually find your way through the curriculum. Talk with your classmates / alumni and try out a bunch of different studying styles; they're not all going to work for you, and that's totally fine, because you'll find the few that do. Most importantly, and above all else, force time for yourself. You might say to yourself "But Tommy, there's sooo much material I have to cover, how on earth will I find time?!". Taking time for yourself can be scary in medical school, but you have to force it to maintain your mental health. Hang out with your classmates as much as you can, go exercise, go explore Rhode Island, and go see the ocean.

 

I've always been the student who had to work twice as hard to keep up with the average, so if that aligns with you: don't worry, you'll make it through. Always remember that everyone has a different brain. I was pretty intimidated being around the brilliant minds of my classmates at first; however, everyone has their own set of struggles and medical school should be about improving yourself, not about competing with anyone else.