By: Bora Cecia (Loyola Sophomore)
A letter arrives in the mailbox, the anticipation builds as the sweaty hands prevent the envelope from opening. Finally, as the paper unfolds from its original size, the first line reads, “Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you have been accepted to Loyola Stritch School of Medicine!” However, getting into medical school is only completing a mile of a long road ahead.
In 2022, Loyola Stritch School of Medicine the official medical school of Loyola University Chicago received over 13,000 applications where only 170 were granted admission and joined the class of 2026. The small number of the new physicians in training included my older sister, currently a second-year student, Arba Cecia.
Loyola Stritch School of Medicine is highly selective with a 3.8% acceptance rate. Candidates must have a strong grade point average (GPA), list full of
volunteer/extracurriculars, essays/personal statement, high MCAT (medical college admission test) score, and if selected for the final round excel in the interview. This process takes time and hard work as only the best applicants can begin their journey in medicine.
In the first and second year of medical school the physicians in training focus on gaining textbook knowledge also known as pre-clinicals. Then, in the third and fourth-year they use what they learned by engaging in clinical rotations; a process where students explore medical specialties with established doctors.
I decided to fully immerse myself into the medical student life and follow my sister’s footsteps for an entire day.
6 a.m. is the usual morning wake up and the time to get some exercise for the day. The first stop was the gym as “To succeed in medical school you need to have a balance. Taking care of yourself is always a priority,” said Arba Cecia. After an hour of working out it was time to get cleaned up and ready for school to officially begin.
After a nice shower and some breakfast, medical students are required to listen to lectures every day and fire up their brain.
8 a.m. marked the start of online lectures on the mechanisms of human diseases and neurological blocks. The first lesson covered disorders of the pulmonary nervous system and the second central nervous systems diseases.
“Through our online lectures we learn important content that shows up in our future exams,” said Cecia. To a non-medical person, the concepts presented in these videos sound foreign, but complexity is what makes medicine unique.
Upon completing the online lectures, the clock marked 12 p.m. and it was time to attend in-person school. On our way to the Maywood campus (location of Loyola Stritch School of Medicine) we grabbed some lunch and were ready for the rest of the day.
1 p.m. was the time for my sister to attend her Patient Centered Medicine class (also known as “PCM” among students and faculty) where they were studying neurological examinations on patients. All the knowledge gained is practiced by having students assigned in small groups to collaborate until 4:30 p.m.
“Small groups are a great way for us to work with classmates and ask questions,” said Cecia.
Throughout the day, students take a few breaks and enjoy different food shops around the beautiful Maywood campus.
At 5 p.m. we headed to the school’s library to meet with some of my sister’s friends and get some studying done. Second year students have exams usually every two weeks and staying on top of your work is a necessity. The upcoming test focuses on pharmacology and students describe it as “challenging but important” to learn as future doctors.
During my time in the library I met some of my sister’s classmates and asked them why they chose to study one of the most difficult professions in the world, medicine.
“It has been my childhood dream. I find this field fascinating and being able to make a difference in people’s lives is the most rewarding feeling,” said second year medical student Oleksandr Strelko.
After three hours of intense studying, my sister and I headed home but the day was not over yet.
8:30 p.m. was our arrival time back home where we took a few minutes to relax. At 9:00 p.m. my sister began studying for the exam some more and I watched her as she reviewed the material. As the clock reached 11 p.m. it was time to get some much-needed rest.
Every day is different in medical school. On exam days students stay up later and wake up earlier to get extra preparation in beforehand. Some days, like the one my sister and I had, are more structured and calmer. Students must be flexible to adapt and manage their time to their advantage.
“Medical School is challenging but those who get in love to study medicine and are grateful to be here” said Cecia.
To learn more about Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, visit the official website here.
