This post is really exciting for me. I get to share the experience of another Melanated and Meducated future physician! So without further ado, here is Ja’Neil Humphrey and her Road to Medical School:
If someone were to tell me last year that I would be going to medical school in California, go to protest after protest with a mask on, have to move across the country in the middle of a pandemic, and not be able to walk across the stage to receive a diploma that I slaved four years for, I would immediately start laughing and tell them that they (and the devil) are a liar.
But here I am, one week away from starting med school with so much craziness going on around me. At first, this stressed me out. Especially because my senior year in undergrad was not unfolding as I imagined. But then I realized that this year did not define the growth gained and lessons learned as a premed.
Let me tell you a bit about why there was still stuff worth celebrating amidst the chaos:
As a freshman in college, I had NO idea what it took to be a doctor. I said that I wanted to be one. But I had no reference or direction when it came to the steps I would need to take. A pipeline program even selected me to have a spot. This would have secured my admissions to an ivy med school. I wouldn’t even have to take the MCAT, but I messed that up too.
I rocked the interview, the program selected me. But I bombed the opportunity because I lacked some basic professional skills. For example, I would constantly call my advisor Mr. instead of Dr. Rightfully so, the program released me, which tore and broke me. That was a major wakeup call to be more serious about professionalism, and not just my grades.
Within a year, I brushed up on those skills and reached out to upperclassmen and advisors. I wanted to understand what I would need to do to get into a great med school. Once I did, I was very intentional about every interaction, every clinical experience, and every research opportunity. This strategy served me well all the way through my sophomore year.
Then junior year came.
Whew, chile. Junior year is usually the most difficult year for any premed who is planning on going to medical school right out of college. I faced a lot of challenges at this point in undergrad. Prepping for the MCAT, taking more difficult courses, and completing the application were some. Plus, still having time for self-care and actual fun. I know others can attest to this too.
Also, to be transparent, I reached the tipping point with some personal issues in my life that I had not yet healed from. So, I was an emotional wreck that year.
Imposter syndrome set in, and no matter how much I remembered how much I grew the first two years of undergrad, I still did not feel like I was doing enough. I questioned if I was really meant to be a doctor. I was really ready to call it quits.
But, with the help of the advisors I developed a relationship with over the years, my mentors, and my prayin’ mama, I took active steps to not be so hard on myself. I recognized that no matter how much I grew in my career, I would never have all the answers. I began telling people about my story and encouraging others to take the advice that I was trying to take myself.
This time of growth began to change my mindset and the process seemed easier.
When my practice MCAT scores weren’t what I wanted them to be, I wasn’t as hard on myself. I had more grace for myself when I didn’t do well on a test or fumbled another connection. I learned to understand that this was all par for the course. Also, I rediscovered why I was on this journey in the first place.
By the beginning of my senior year, I took the MCAT and got a solid score. I also completed and sent in my application, and had invested more time in self-care. However, this does NOT mean that senior year was not stressful (because it still was). But my reaction to it all was wayyyy less damaging to my confidence and self-esteem.
I got my first interview around December and I cried like a baby. All of the hard work, stress, self-work, and professional development was paying off. Then, after the excitement wore off, I realized that interview season was almost over. Only one out of the ten schools I applied to offered me an interview. And I refused to go to the interview for my safety school because the school was too far away from home.
Every time I say this, I realize how stupid I was to think this.
This stressed me out again. But this time I had more confidence and had more faith that it would all work out. Fast forward to February of this year, when my advisor told me that my safety school kept calling to see if they interested me. They also said that they had an offer for me (even before the interview). So, I accepted the invite to the Zoom interview and rocked it! It went so well. The next week, they called to offer me a FULL SCHOLARSHIP! Months later in May, my school conferred my Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with (Summa Cum Laude) honors.
The moral of the story is, even though so many good things happened to me and for my career during undergrad, the only thing that held me back from accepting these things was ME. I am beyond thankful and blessed for the guidance, encouragement, and prayers that saved me from myself on this journey. Even though crazy, sick, racist, selfish, and dangerous people and things fill the world we live in, we have the choice to focus on the good things that can still happen every day. Through my premed journey alone, I have learned that there is always something amidst the chaos that is worth celebrating.Â
About Ja’Neil Humphrey:
Ja’Neil Humphrey is a first-year medical student at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Southern California. She is a proud native of Teaneck, New Jersey, and a proud HBCU alumna who has just received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology this May from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama.
During her time at Oakwood and her years as a student in her hometown, Ja’Neil Humphrey has always prided herself in being self-rounded and connected to those following in her footsteps. She loves to sing, dance, teach dance, and enjoys telling people about how note-taking can be fun. During her undergraduate experience, she has also served as a mentor, tutor, choir member, and as Miss United Negro College Fund of Oakwood University 2020.
Most recently, Ja’Neil joined the Greater Influence as the Blog Content Director to highlight the experiences of underrepresented minorities like herself who are pursuing a career in medicine. Ja’Neil hopes to blend all of her experiences to be a surgeon who can relate to and care for patients from various backgrounds and lifestyles.
Social Media links
Want to continue following Ja’Neil Humphrey and her journey through medical school? Here are her social media links below!
Instagram: @_jgmh YouTube Channel (Coming Soon): @janeilgracemarie