Udaiyaa Bommudurai is the Vice President of Pre-Medical Honor Society at University of California, Berkeley.
Can you tell us what’s unique about your pre-health society and your role as president?
As Vice President, I focus on assisting other officers with hosting their events and helping them with the logistical side of things, like booking rooms for meetings. Sometimes, when an officer's schedule changes at the last minute, and they can't oversee an event, I step in. The beginning of the semester is when I really get busy because that's when we accept new new members, and as Vice President, I work with the President to organize the applications to send out to our admissions committee. They're a group of members who've volunteered to review new applications blindly, and after the initial round, we work with our Diversity and Inclusion committee to look over the rest. I'm also in charge of certain partnerships with outside organizations and act as a middleman between them and our members. The organization runs efficiently thanks to our officers on board and the coordination between us and our general members. It would not be possible without them.
What advice would you give to a first-year student just beginning their pre-med journey?
The biggest piece of advice I would give is to never compare yourself to someone else. Everyone has their own specific circumstances and their own reasons for pursuing medicine. The path they follow will be different from your own. In fact, it should be different from your own. You may feel like you're not doing enough and everyone around you seems to be doing much more, but you should never count yourself out. Some people have 4.0 GPAs, a million extracurriculars, and hundreds of hours of research and clinical experience while you don't. That doesn't mean you're any less qualified to be a doctor than they are. Don't let yourself get discouraged because it's a slippery slope from there. Be patient with yourself and keep your end goal in mind. Most importantly, remember why you chose this path, and keep your passion alive.
How do members of your society typically prepare for the MCAT, and what strategies or resources have been most effective?
Many of our members start with content review for a month or two. This is when they'll start familiarizing themselves with the material. They spend twice as long focusing on practice questions, so they can understand how the content will be asked on the exam. We have a Slack channel where members can ask questions, and get their own questions answered, whether that be about the logistics of the exam, or content questions. A lot of people try to take the exam in August or September, so they can spend the summer studying full time (or as close to full time as possible). This past summer, some of us formed study groups and would go over practice exams together after taking them individually. Some of the most effective strategies we've come across include taking at least 6-8 full lengths before the actual exam. We also recommend going through as much of the AAMC official materials as possible because we feel like it's the most representative of the actual exam. The more practice questions you do, the better.
What do you think are the skills students can gain from joining an organization like yours?
We host different events throughout the semester ranging from physician networking panels and medical school info sessions to resume building and interviewing skills workshops. Our members learn to ask questions and explore their options, whether that be with physicians to gain shadowing hours or medical school admissions officers to gain a better understanding of different programs. Through our professional development events, our members learn how to apply for jobs and internships, so they can put their best foot forward in the real world. College is full of learning experiences, and we encourage our members to try new things and attend different events. Through our volunteering opportunities, members develop their time management, leadership, and empathy. Collaborating on events, engaging in community outreach, and mentoring peers also build communication and teamwork skills that directly translate to patient care and healthcare settings. Not only that, but by joining a community of like minded pre-med students, our members build connections and lifelong friendships with each other, which is arguably what college is all about.
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself through leading a group of aspiring healthcare professionals?
One thing I've learned about myself through leadership is that I'm capable of more than I think I am. It's easy to compare myself to others, but leading a pre-med society has taught me that everyone's journey is different, and that I don't follow the same path as someone else. When I applied to be Vice President, I hoped I would get the position, but was nervous about stepping into such a significant role. I was constantly doubting myself and wondering if I had what it took to lead such a large club. Thankfully, I wasn't alone and I had my fellow President to lean on, as well as all my other officers. Over the past year, I've realized that I can do anything I put my mind to, and that I am qualified for such a role. I've learned to think outside the box, and leading this group has taught me to adapt, celebrate small wins, and build confidence in others.
Inspira Advantage is proud to interview experts like Udaiyaa Bommudurai to help pre-medical students understand the advantages of extracurricular involvement in college. Learn more about how our medical school admissions consultants can help you get into medical school today.
.svg)
