Who is Michael?

Hey there! I’m a UCLA medical student that spends his time outside of medicine playing/watching/reading/refereeing/obsessing over basketball, studying marketing (there are certainly many parallels with clinical medicine), reading (Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind & Robert Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion are on the docket), bugging out over anime, and searching for novel ways to increase my efficiency (e.g. see the debate between Colemak vs. Dvorak vs. Qwerty Keyboard Layouts).

I write about my premed experiences at the #1 Public University in the nation, my medical school experience, interesting ideas from media that I consume, basketball, and all the connections in between.

If you’re looking for someone to answer your premed questions (resources further down), to troubleshoot your habits/productivity system, to watch anime on 2x speed with (1x during fight scenes), or need a walking bucket, I’m the guy.

Why Should I Read His Musings?

In one word: transparency.

Many of us are lost. We college students don’t know what we want to do with our lives. We professionals don’t know if we’re happy with our professsional and personal lives.

I’m human, just like you. This open journal of my musings is proof to you that there are others that think and struggle with the same things you do.

If you’ve wondered whether you’re “cut out” for this premed life, I’ve been there.

If you’ve thought that the profession you’re in may not be right for you, I’ve been there.

If you’ve been frustrated with how you spend your time outside of work (e.g. with your hobbies, significant other, friends, etc.), I’ve been there.

I’m confident you’ll find something here that resonates. When that happens, I encourage you to reach out to me! I’d love to talk about it.

Honey, What Do You Want for Dinner?

This is a question as old as time itself. The answer?

Tell your significant other you made reservations for their favorite restaurant or ordered takeout from their favorite spot. Your significant other will then exclaim something like: “WHAT?! You got reservations at NOBU or takeout from MORTON’S STEAKHOUSE?!”

Then, immediately get your phone out and beg for that reservation or order that takeout…

You Deserve to Become a Doctor
Without Needing a Doctor Yourself

You're willing to dedicate years of your life to the noble profession of medicine--one where you are responsible for the health of others. Unfortunately, this journey exhausts even the most determined students. From sky-high grades to an excellent MCAT score to stellar extracurriculars and raving letters of recommendation, becoming competitive for medical school is notoriously difficult.

But it shouldn't be impossible. Premeds shouldn't have to sacrifice their own health to have the opportunity to help patients with their health. Isn't that so twisted?!

I dedicate this newsletter to providing you with weekly content supporting your premed journey. It's a compilation of hundreds of experiences--from my own to my students, to the other medical professionals I interview for the podcast to my personal mentors. This is the most curated, actionable information on the internet for premed students. I personally made sure of it.

To start, I've created a 4 Year Timeline that I and many other students have used to get into medical school straight through undergrad. It has supporting YouTube video content and instructions for getting your specific questions answered. Just let me know where I should e-mail it to and I'll send it straight away!

4 Year Timeline

The first step in creating your own timeline is to be overtly honest with when you wish to begin medical school. Do your best to ignore the pressures from your peers/parents and answer truthfully, when do you think you'll be ready?

From there, you'll work backwards and ensure that not a single quarter/semester goes by without you making tangible steps to building the application you want.

Have A Plan--Even If It'll Change

Too often, premed students "go with the flow" and in a short two or three years, they are met with very jarring questions. "Am I ready for the MCAT?" becomes "Am I ready to apply to medical school?" Unfortunately, for those without plans, the answers to that are "No, not yet" and at worst can devolve into the incorrect conclusion: "Medicine isn't for me."

Have a plan. Even if it ends up changing.

What is Important... When?

Your goals should change with every year of college. You have another year of coursework under your belt. You're more mature. You've been exposed to more opportunities.

This guide will serve as your compass. It'll tell you when it's most optimal to study for the MCAT, when it's most effective to start delving DEEP into extracurricular activities and when you can determine if applying to medical school is right for you.