For the longest time, I was on the fence about medical school and felt the constant pressure of having to make a decision right away. After all, it felt good to have something concrete to work toward because I knew along the lines of what was expected of me. Besides medicine, there are so many career paths within the realm of science which we will explore. In this podcast, we'll be breaking down the med school application, get a glimpse at a surgeon's day in the life, cover advice on making the most of one's gap year, gaining insight on overcoming procrastination, and so much more! Can't wait for you guys to give it a listen.
Host: Mikayla Tsai | Pre-Med at Northeastern University
Marketing Co-Directors: Morgan Navick and Gillian Mastrocola
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
Working Hard and Playing Hard: Work-Life Balance x Med School
Devon McAuley, a medical student, discusses strategies for maintaining work-life balance in medical school, including time management and avoiding burnout, in an interview with the host.
25 May 2025
What it was really like, working the ICU Step-Down Unit
The host reflects on their six months working as a Patient Care Associate in the thoracic surgery ICU Step-Down Unit, sharing powerful patient experiences and insights gained in this challenging environment.
26 Dec 2024
Wearing Multiple Hats: It's all about authenticity.
Naomi Rajput is a Pre-med attending Northeastern University, who juggles multiple hats.
While we haven't known each other for long, what immediately stood out to me was her authenticity - in immersing herself in the things she's truly passionate about. In reality, there's no singular mold to be followed when it comes to preparing oneself for medical school. With the goal of reducing administrative burden in medical practices, she's Co-Founded Eden, a digital healthcare startup. She is also working in pediatric research which examines motor speech disorders in children. Furthermore, her love for music has led her to perform 40+ showas across the Massachusetts area. Furthermore, we also chat about our experiences moving around countries growing up and how that has shaped our current perspectives with regard to the medical field.
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
14 Dec 2024
From Concept to Creation: Crafting the podcast and lessons learned
Podcast host and creator shares the story behind Med School or Not, highlighting the power of storytelling in professional settings through candid conversations with co-marketing director Gillian Mastrocola.
24 Nov 2024
Chatting With a Pre-med Student-Athlete: Fostering a resilient mentality in remaining positive through setbacks
Jessie Hunt, a pre-med student-athlete, shares her insights on cultivating resilience and finding balance between soccer and academics to truly enjoy the college experience.
11 Nov 2024
Early admission into med school: The FlexMed Program
Tamara Muñoz is a third-year undergraduate who is already medical school bound - accepted into the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai through the FlexMed Program.
The FlexMed Program is open to undergraduate sophomores of any major, seeking early admission into the Icahn School of Medicine. Once accepted, students no longer need to take the MCAT. Join us, as we chat about the diverse and interdisciplinary qualities that Icahn has to offer, aspects of Tamara's application that enabled her to stand out, her involvement in leadership, and the special people who drew her in pursuing this path.
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
27 Oct 2024
The Unconventional Gap Year: Teach For America
Most people opt for one gap year…ever heard of anyone take four? Ivy Dang did, and it was one of the best decisions of her life.
A current medical student at UMass Chan Medical School, she spent her gap years as a High School chemistry teacher volunteering for Teach For America - a nonprofit organization focused on achieving educational equity that targets children in underserved areas across the United States. Most of her students came into class not knowing how to add, work with decimals or read a grade-level text…and they were 16 years old. Outside the classroom, many faced significant challenges within the home, while others had to juggle multiple jobs to support their families.
Despite these obstacles, Ivy persevered and found this experience transformative - ultimately shaping the direction of her medical career.
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
13 Oct 2024
Empathy in rats: Does early life stress influence our tendency to help others?
I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Jocelyn Breton, a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University's Brenhouse Lab. She earned her undergraduate degree from Middlebury College and attained her PhD from UC Berkeley. Her research examines how early-life stress, particularly maternal separation, affects neural and behavioral development in rats, and how early adversity influences empathy-driven helping behaviors.
Join us, as we break down each step of her experiment, discuss the topic of euthanasia, what drew Dr. Breton to this niche field, the process of embracing mistakes, and more!
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
29 Sept 2024
A chit chat: Creating the podcast and catching up with the team
Six months ago, I remember wishing to be like all the other Pre-Med students I'd pass by in the halls - accomplishing tasks with such drive and purpose with a concrete goal in mind. Although I could pull of good acting, I no longer knew what I was working toward - a truth I was afraid to admit.
Making a podcast was a whisper of an idea until I met Gillian and Morgan who helped me bring it to life. From the weekly Zoom calls, to sketching Spotify profile pictures on the fly - we chat about each step of the design process, the backstory behind this podcast, how to take criticism with grace and a whole lot more!
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
9 Sept 2024
What is D.O. Medical School?
While most are familiar with the M.D. (doctor of medicine) degree, have you heard of the term D.O.?
D.O. stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - an alternate route to medicine that share striking similarities to the M.D. route - a virtually identical med school application process, a four-year med school curriculum…and the list goes on. Joining us, is Devon McAuley who is a Boston University graduate and headed to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).
This episode is packed with punch, as we highlight the history behind D.O. medicine, its emphasis on community service during undergrad and their commitment in serving the rural and underserved communities - among other things!
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
25 Aug 2024
All About the MCAT: It's all about balance baby!
Clara Wu is currently a student at Harvard Medical School, but things weren't always smooth-sailing.
On her first MCAT diagnostic, she scored in the 33rd percentile. However, after four months of practice, she scored in the 100th percentile on the official MCAT exam. Among other habits, she credits her success to the completion of numerous full-length AAMC practice exams…and taking a lot of breaks. She describes the MCAT preparation process as a marathon. "Why sprint the beginning only to burn out towards the end?" It all boils down to balance.
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
29 Jul 2024
Integrative medicine: How yoga, acupuncture and plant derived medicine can be used to treat cancer
Under the umbrella of Western medicine, chemo and radiation therapy aren't the only routes to cancer treatment!
We are excited to have Katherine Han on the podcast - a Wellesley graduate who previously worked at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a leading cancer institute in the nation.
Tune in, as we dive into the realm of complimentary medicine - known for its less invasive nature with milder side effects on the body. Katherine also touches on her international upbringing and her views on the intersection between cultural awareness and medicine.
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
14 Jul 2024
Crafting the Personal Statement...and staying true to yourself in the process
Clara Wu is an incoming student at Harvard Medical School who has a thing or two to share.
"Spicy, savory noodles…" not even a full sentence and the opening line to Clara's personal statement as she proceeds to tie that back to the prompt of "Why medicine?" Tune in, as she discusses the importance of showing and not telling, the key to avoid sounding arrogant, being vulnerable with your audience and more!
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
29 Jun 2024
The Split Gene Discovery: Sir Richard Robert’s Journey to the Nobel Prize
This week, we are honored to welcome Sir Richard Roberts, a renowned biochemist and molecular biologist. Sir Richard Roberts received the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking discovery of split genes in eukaryotic DNA and the mechanisms of gene splicing. He will discuss the importance of mentorship, the benefits of stepping out of one's comfort zone, the role of failure in scientific progress, and how a Christmas present sparked his lifelong passion for science.
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
14 Jun 2024
Med School Interviews: The importance of genuine curiosity and choosing the right personal anecdotes
Hear from Ritu Amarnani, a medical student at Georgetown University who's played both sides of the field: both as an interviewer and the one being interviewed. She covers the importance of genuine curiosity and having a clear focus, gives advice on choosing the right personal anecdotes to best suit each question asked, highlights common pitfalls to avoid, and more!
--
Hosting provided by SoundOn (https://www.soundon.fm/)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
15 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
65
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
Contact Med School or Not?
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Med School or Not??
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
