2016 Graduate
MD, SUNY Downstate
Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, Emergency Medicine Resident
Why did you choose to attend the SF State Post-Bac program?
A friend from my high school in Alabama somehow ended up at the SF State Post-Bac, and he told me about his experience. He ended up at a good medical school. Many of his classmates had done well, too. What I read on online forums corroborated the program’s track record of placing students in competitive medical schools. I also wanted to move back to the Bay Area, where I was born.
What is/was your favorite spot on the SF State campus, and why?
The Student Center, which had a pub and sometimes live music. But honestly, I spent most of my time studying in the library.
Which SF State Post-Bac class was your favorite and why?
Organic chemistry. The course was difficult, but I remember how hard my classmates and I studied. Somehow, we were really captivated by the material. I remember lively theoretical debates early in the morning before class started. This wasn't something I'd experienced during my undergrad years. My classmates and teachers really fed my curiosity.
What is/was your favorite thing to do in SF?
I don't live in SF anymore, but the things I miss the most are natural beauty of the city and Marin County. I often left the City for hikes on days off, and I commuted by bike every day in the City itself. I didn't fully appreciate the background scenery until I left.
What advice would you give to incoming post-bac students?
Treat it like a job. Your goal should be to ace your coursework. Utilize the faculty, your classmates, and the alumni to find experiences to help boost your CV and gain experience in areas that interest you. I was able to find a research position at UCSF through a friend of a friend in the program, and this definitely helped make me a more attractive applicant to medical schools.
What resources have you used while a post-bac to help you reach your goals?
Reddit, the alumni network and the post-bac advising services all helped me get the most out of the program.
Did you make meaningful friendships in the program? If so, tell us about them.
Yes! The people in the program were the best part. I lived with one of my classmates during my first year, and I still see him regularly (even though he lives in Portugal now). We had a good group of friends that studied and hung out together almost daily, and a couple of them even came to my wedding last year.