Who's right?

One of the most challenging things about being premed at Harvard is that there's lots of advice available -- but it is often contradictory and confusing. I met recently with a student who said she was feeling overwhelmed by all the advice she was getting from her family, her premed tutor, her lab supervisor, her roommate, and her concentration advisor. Each one told her something different about how to improve her application for medical school. She burst out "I don't know who to believe!"

I've noticed this too when a student asks too many people for feedback on her essay for med school. The student's voice is often lost because she has incorporated so many suggestions from too many people.

I once spoke with an MD/PhD admissions dean about dealing with conflicting opinions at Harvard: He said, "Yes - that's Harvard for you. Often wrong, never uncertain!"

When someone is giving you advice about being premed, remember to consider where they are coming from. If you are passionate about community service and hoping to pursue clinical medicine, then advice from that MD/PhD who insists you should work in a basic science research lab may not fit you.

We all have particular perspectives and biases (including Jeff and me!) and your challenge is to figure out what makes the most sense for you.