From Small Border Town to M4: Owning Your Path | The Premed Years | Ep 613

Kaylah, a fourth-year medical student, traces her path from a small border town in Del Rio, Texas to medical school by leaning into curiosity, community, and smarter studying. In high school, a career and technical education program let her earn healthcare certifications that sparked real clinical interest. As an undergrad at Texas A&M, she sought academic rigor and built-in research while learning to ask for help sooner—through office hours, professional advising, and a premed society that brought advisors and medical schools to campus. She shares the toughest moments too: a rocky transition to college, being humbled by General Chemistry (but loving visual organic chemistry), and navigating a competitive premed culture by staying in her own lane. Inside medical school, she talks imposter syndrome, the fire‑hydrant pace of learning, and how Pomodoro, Anki, and visual tools on her iPad kept her grounded. She opens up about the stress of MMIs and virtual glitches, the relief of a Texas pre‑match call after three interviews, and the power of friends and family when things get heavy. If you’re weighing how hard to push versus how smart to study, or how to keep your “why” front and center, Kaylah’s candid reflections will help you recalibrate. What You'll Learn: How to plug into advising and support even at large schools Ways to manage competition by staying in your lane Smarter study methods: Pomodoro, Anki, and visual learning Handling MMIs when there’s no feedback or affirmation Keeping your why alive through setbacks and intensity Want to apply to be the next guest on my podcast? https://medicalschoolhq.net/apply/