Kamini Doraivelu is a
recent Rollins grad and medical school applicant. She is currently working on a women's reproductive health research
study at Grady Hospital.
We had a chance to sit down with Kamini
and ask her a few questions and talk about her pre-health journey.
What have been impactful events that have lead you to this pre-health track?
What have been impactful events that have lead you to this pre-health track?
I think my first memory of healthcare was probably when I was 6 or 7. My
grandfather was battling lung cancer, and I visited him during the summer and
spent most of that summer in and out of hospitals/doctors offices. If it hadn't
been for the providers taking their time to explain things to me while I was
visiting him (especially when I looked terrified), my memories from that summer
would be significantly different and I would probably have only negative
associations with hospitals/doctors. Instead that summer was when I first
realized that I had an interest in medicine.
What was the most difficult part of your pre-health career?
I think the most difficult part of my pre-health career was and still is not comparing myself to other pre-health students. I think it gets so easy to compare yourself to your peers, and feel like you're not as competitive of a student. It's so important to stay true to yourself and to your own passion for medicine through your pre-health career, but it's easy to lose sight of that when you compare yourself to others.
What helped guide you to where you are now?
I think all of my mentors along the way helped guide me to where I am. They helped make me refine my interests, and find opportunities to do that.
What do you wish you knew 5 years ago?
I wish I knew that I could have studied abroad and still completed all of the pre-med recs/ECs/research/etc. I think there's a major misconception among pre-med students that this isn't feasible with the schedule you need to keep, but if its something you want to do you should totally do it. Probably my biggest regret from undergrad.
If you could start over, what would you change?
I don't know that I would change anything honestly. Everything that led to me to where I am now was important in helping me refine my interests, and truly understand why I want a career in medicine. I wouldn't change taking 5 years to graduate from undergrad, or completing my MPH.
What is the best advice you could give someone pursuing the same track as you?
Live in the moment, and stop looking forward to the next thing you need to accomplish on the way to your ultimate career. If you spend today worrying about a looming MCAT/DAT/GRE (whatever exam), then you miss out on all of the really great opportunities that are happening right now. Plus, when you're finally done with all of your schooling you're going to be bummed that you didn't enjoy things in the moment.
What was the most difficult part of your pre-health career?
I think the most difficult part of my pre-health career was and still is not comparing myself to other pre-health students. I think it gets so easy to compare yourself to your peers, and feel like you're not as competitive of a student. It's so important to stay true to yourself and to your own passion for medicine through your pre-health career, but it's easy to lose sight of that when you compare yourself to others.
What helped guide you to where you are now?
I think all of my mentors along the way helped guide me to where I am. They helped make me refine my interests, and find opportunities to do that.
What do you wish you knew 5 years ago?
I wish I knew that I could have studied abroad and still completed all of the pre-med recs/ECs/research/etc. I think there's a major misconception among pre-med students that this isn't feasible with the schedule you need to keep, but if its something you want to do you should totally do it. Probably my biggest regret from undergrad.
If you could start over, what would you change?
I don't know that I would change anything honestly. Everything that led to me to where I am now was important in helping me refine my interests, and truly understand why I want a career in medicine. I wouldn't change taking 5 years to graduate from undergrad, or completing my MPH.
What is the best advice you could give someone pursuing the same track as you?
Live in the moment, and stop looking forward to the next thing you need to accomplish on the way to your ultimate career. If you spend today worrying about a looming MCAT/DAT/GRE (whatever exam), then you miss out on all of the really great opportunities that are happening right now. Plus, when you're finally done with all of your schooling you're going to be bummed that you didn't enjoy things in the moment.