đź©şUT McGovern Medical School Student Interview
📧 🎙 With Mr. B
Date : Febuary 10th 2026 @ 3:00 pm
INTRODUCTION SECTION
Name, title, department
Mr. B :
I’m in my first year of medical school at UT McGovern and I did my undergraduate at Baylor University.
Can you walk us through your path so far?
I graduated high school about five years ago. I went to Baylor University for undergrad, majored in Biology on the pre-med track, and applied to medical school during my junior year. I went straight through without taking a gap year, which is less common now.
I’m currently a first-year medical student, so I still have a long way to go.
What should high school students focus on right now if they’re considering healthcare?
There are five big things you need to keep on your radar:
Standardized tests
GPA
Leadership
Volunteering
A hobby
Standardized tests open the door. Everything else helps you walk through it.
Right now, that’s the SAT or ACT. Later it’s the MCAT, GRE, DAT whatever your field requires.
Your grades matter. Leadership doesn’t have to be huge, just something. Volunteering can be anything meaningful. And your hobby should be real. If you put something on your resume, be good at it. I’ve heard of people getting asked to perform their hobby during interviews.
Why are standardized tests such a big deal?
They level the playing field. The SAT is your first taste of preparing for something high stakes. The MCAT is that times ten. If you’re taking the SAT soon, really try. Not because it defines you, but because it opens doors.
The same system repeats itself in college. GPA and standardized tests are the foundation.
When does research become important?
Nobody really talks about research in high school, but if you’re thinking about medicine, it becomes important in college.
Research is one of the more “gate-kept” parts of medicine. It’s hard to get your foot in the door, but once you’re in, it snowballs. That’s why starting earlier helps.
I worked at a stem cell facility the summer after high school. That helped me get into a hearing loss lab. That helped me work at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Each opportunity built on the last.
What’s the full timeline to become a doctor?
If you go straight through:
4 years undergrad
4 years medical school
3 to 9 years residency
It depends on what you choose.
Pediatrics is 3 years. Ophthalmology is 4. Plastic surgery is about 6. Neurosurgery can be 7–9.
If you go straight through like I did, you’ll probably be around 30 or 31 when you finish. Most people start med school at 26 because they take gap years.
It’s a long road.
What about PA, PT, or nursing?
PA: 4 years undergrad + about 2.5–3 years PA school.
PT: 4 years undergrad + around 3 years PT school.
Nursing: 4 years undergrad.
Nurse practitioner: 4 years undergrad + additional graduate school.
If I’m being honest, PAs have one of the best training-to-income ratios. You’re in school for less time and can make strong money.
Doctors train the longest.
Is medicine worth it financially?
Not for the reason people think.
By the time physicians start earning, they’ve spent years paying for school and often carry large debt. When you factor in loan interest, delayed income, and taxes, other careers, even skilled trades like plumbing or electrical work, can match or beat lifetime earnings if invested well.
If money is your main motivator, medicine is probably not the best path.
If impact, intellectual challenge, and responsibility motivate you, then it makes sense.
What financial advice would you give us now?
Learn about Roth IRAs and compound interest.
If you start investing at 18, even small amounts, the compounding over decades is powerful. It doesn’t matter what career you choose, starting early changes everything.
How competitive is medical school really?
It’s competitive.
My GPA was around a 3.9. I scored a 520 on the MCAT. That’s strong, but not strictly required everywhere.
At McGovern Medical School, the average MCAT is around 513. At Baylor College of Medicine, it’s typically higher, around 518–519.
Numbers matter, but strategy matters too. You can play the game smart, choose classes wisely, protect your science GPA, and prepare intentionally.
When should you start studying for the MCAT?
Most people study 3–6 months.
More than six months usually isn’t necessary. Focused studying is better than long, unfocused studying. Practice questions are critical.
I studied seriously for about three weeks at the end, but that only worked because I had built a strong foundation from my classes.
Does being from Texas help?
Yes.
Texas medical schools heavily favor Texas residents. The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world. The training here is exceptional.
Some people move to Texas for a year just to qualify as residents before applying.
You already have that advantage.
What major should pre-med students choose?
It honestly doesn’t matter.
You can major in music, philosophy, business, math, anything, as long as you complete the required science courses.
In hindsight, I might have chosen philosophy. It would’ve been fun and different.
Pick something you enjoy and can do well in.
How stressful is medical school?
It’s hard. There’s no way around that.
Your stress levels will be higher. Some doctors say they barely remember med school because it was so intense.
But it’s doable. And if you manage your time well, you can still have balance.
How did you maintain balance?
Google Calendar helps a lot. Structure prevents procrastination.
Also: sleep, gym, friendships. Those matter.
Some students study nonstop. That works for some people. I think having balance is healthier long term.
When do you choose your specialty?
You think about it all four years.
Clinical rotations in third year give you exposure. I currently like ophthalmology and hand surgery because they combine clinic and operating room time.
Ask yourself:
Do you like surgery?
Do you like clinic?
Do you like both?
That narrows things down quickly and help you decide.
Is shadowing or volunteering better?
If you can only do one early on, shadowing might help you decide whether medicine is even right for you.
For applications, both are valuable equally.
When should you start research in college?
Sophomore year is ideal.
Freshman year is ahead of the curve. Junior year is behind.
Earlier is better!
Does high school GPA matter later?
No. College resets everything.
When do you start deciding what specialty you want to go into?
Honestly, you’re thinking about it all four years.
Even as a first-year, you start getting exposure to different fields and thinking, “Do I like clinic? Do I like the OR? Do I like both?” That’s kind of the big question.
If you love being in the operating room and don’t care much about clinic, that narrows things down. If you love clinic but don’t want surgery, that narrows it down too. If you like both, there are a few specialties that combine them — like ophthalmology, ENT, or hand surgery.
Right now, I’m really interested in ophthalmology. I like that you get surgery and clinic. It’s detailed, technical, and still very patient-focused.
Is medical school as stressful as people say?
Yes. It’s hard.
There’s no point sugarcoating that. Your stress levels are going to go up. You’re going to feel pressure. Some doctors later say, “Oh, it wasn’t that bad,” but that’s usually because they’re done and they’ve mentally blocked it out.
It’s intense. You study a lot. There’s always something you could be doing. But it’s manageable if you’re disciplined.
And it’s not miserable. It’s hard but it’s meaningful.
How do you manage procrastination?
I still procrastinate sometimes.
The biggest thing that’s helped me is scheduling everything. I use Google Calendar and I block out my day, classes, study time, workouts, everything.
Also, this sounds simple, but it works: make your bed in the morning. Clean your space. Starting the day with small wins builds momentum.
If you just let the day happen to you, you’ll waste time. College especially gives you a lot of freedom, and that can hurt you if you’re not structured.
How does college compare to high school?
College gives you way more freedom.
You actually have more free time, but more responsibility too. No one forces you to go to class in some cases. A lot of your grade depends on just a few exams.
So you can either use your time really well, sleep well, work out, build relationships, or you can waste it.
High school is structured. College is self-directed.
Should you shadow a doctor or volunteer in a hospital?
If you’re trying to figure out whether you actually want to do medicine, shadowing is really helpful.
It lets you see what a normal day looks like. Some people think they want medicine, then shadow and realize they don’t like it.
For applications, both shadowing and volunteering look good. If you can do both, great. If you can only do one, do whatever is more accessible to you.
When should you start research in college?
Freshman year, start looking.
Sophomore year, you should really try to be in a lab.
If you wait until junior year, you’re behind.
Research is competitive to get into, that’s the hardest part. Once you’re in, it’s easier to continue. And it builds year after year.
The earlier you start, the more momentum you build.
Does being from Texas actually help?
Yes, a lot.
Texas medical schools favor Texas residents. And because of the Texas Medical Center, you’re already in one of the best medical hubs in the world.
We have massive patient volume, insane resources, and some of the best training available.
If your goal is simply to get into medical school, Texas is a great place to be.
Does your major matter?
Not as much as people think.
You just need to complete the required pre-med courses. Your major can be anything.
In hindsight, I might have majored in philosophy. I was a biology major, and I liked it, but you don’t have to major in science to go to medical school.
Pick something you’re interested in and can do well in.
Also — be realistic. A lot of people start college thinking they’re 100% pre-med. Some change their minds. If you choose a super specialized science major and then switch, it can make things harder. Diversifying isn’t a bad idea.
How do you answer “Why MD instead of PA or nursing?”
You need to understand the differences first.
Doctors take ultimate responsibility for diagnosis and management. You handle the complexity, the decision-making, the big picture.
Nurses spend much more direct time with patients and are the backbone of hospital care.
PAs have flexibility and can switch specialties more easily.
So your answer should reflect what actually draws you. For me, I really like the intellectual side of medicine. I like problem-solving. I like thinking through complex cases.
It’s not that one is better, they’re just different roles.
Is medicine worth it?
If you’re doing it for money, probably not.
If you’re doing it because you genuinely love learning, problem-solving, and helping people in a high-impact way, then yes, absolutely.
There are very few careers where you can walk into underserved communities anywhere in the world and immediately be useful. An MD opens doors globally.
Final advice?
Start early. Be strategic. But don’t lose balance.
Take care of:
Your health
Your friendships
Your character
Your finances
You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. But you should start building good habits now.
And ask questions. Keep mentors around you. Reach out when you need guidance.
You’re not supposed to do this alone.
