When Doubt Sets In: Persevering as a Pre-Health Student

Most Pre-Health students encounter moments during their academic journey when they doubt their decision to pursue professional school, for a variety of reasons. Before you drop your pre-health designation, we encourage you to reflect on a few questions:

Are there barriers that are preventing me from accomplishing my goals?

For example: Are you the first in your family to pursue a health career and looking for mentors and information to help you learn how to achieve your goals? Are finances a barrier to pursuing professional school? Is there an aspect of your identity that is underrepresented in your career field of interest?

Barriers such as these can add additional challenges to the already-difficult pre-health pathway. If you are facing barriers to achieving your goals, please talk with your Pre-Health Advisor!

Am I struggling with perfectionism, feelings of inadequacy, or comparison?

Not all thoughts or emotions that enter our head are true, reliable sources of information. If your brain is telling you that you are not good enough or smart enough to accomplish your goals, then we encourage you to flip that narrative around and consider what it would be like if you believed in yourself. If you were to believe in your ability to succeed in your goals, would you start doing anything differently?

Every person’s story is different—we encourage you to set your own goals and timelines without comparing yourself to others (easier said than done!). Many Pre-Health students struggle with feelings of inadequacy, comparison, and perfectionism. We encourage you to talk with your advisor, your peers, and/or Lafene Counseling and Psychological Services when those thoughts or feelings emerge.

Is there part of me that believes the pre-health pathway should be easier than it is?

End of semester grades can be a tough reality to face as you think about future professional school applications, and for some students, can be a source of doubt as they consider whether to continue on their pre-health pathway.

The reality is that the pre-health pathway is not meant to be easy for anyone. A rough test score is bound to happen at times. If you have to work incredibly hard to succeed in your pre-health classes, then you are in the majority. What could happen if you reframed the difficulty of the pathway as an opportunity to prepare you for the challenge of professional school? Or, perhaps, an opportunity to learn new study skills that will benefit you later? Working through difficult undergraduate coursework is also an opportunity to display perseverance and adaptability to application committees.

If you are struggling with your classes, don’t struggle in silence. Talk to your professors and utilize KSU’s free tutoring and academic coaching resources to help you get back on track.

Is anxiety driving this decision, or am I making a decision to change my career pathway based on facts and thorough consideration?

It is common for students to worry about career decisions at times when anxiety is naturally high—during finals week, when you are sleep deprived, or when an exam did not go as you hoped, for example. When deciding whether to change your career path, talk through your reasoning with someone you trust.

Have I talked to my pre-health advisor about this?

Pre-Health Advisors have extensive knowledge on application requirements and how to become a competitive applicant for your pre-health designation. They can provide insight on how schools view improvement in your academics, connect you with resources to help you improve your grades, or help you consider alternative paths.

Moments of doubt are natural when you are pursuing a challenging career path. When those moments happen, take a pause to analyze your thoughts and reasoning behind the doubt, and schedule an appointment with your pre-health advisor so they can act as a sounding board as you make a decision.