For my first year friends I come with a thread of 10 tips to help you build a great reputation in medical school:

1) On your first day ask a lot of questions. Professors love getting asked a lot of questions. Bonus points if you repeat what the professor just said back to him using different words.

2) Your classmates like people with confidence. When someone is struggling with a subject go up to them tell them “oh! this is super easy.” and then just leave. Your confidence will inspire them to do better.

3) Some of your classmates have no idea what things they need to do to be competitive. Talk about your own experiences like your multiple researches, your pre-med shadowings, and your parent’s connections. It will give them an idea of what to do to improve.

4) After tests some of your classmates may be nervous about their performance. Reassure them by telling them how easy you found the exam and how you’d be surprised if anyone was dumb enough to fail such an easy test.

5) Past experiences are fantastic. Talk to your classmates about all the procedures or diseases you’ve seen during all of your pre-med shadowings. If they also have experience, try to share even more impactful experiences to continue the conversation.

6) Current events are important and medical school is a great place to share your political views. If you ever hear a conversation that might be about politics be sure to participate and share all of your thoughts; and I mean all of them.

7) A lot of the times professors are confused and by openly disagreeing with them during the lecture you can make them see clearly when they’re wrong.

8) A lot of your classmates don’t have the best equipment for classes, such as old computers or cell phones. By telling them the make, model, color, and cost of your devices, you can facilitate their purchase of the best materials for their studies.

9) A lot of professors enjoy making jokes which, for some reason, students don’t find funny. Make sure you support your professors by laughing at all of their jokes. This will ensure that the whole class knows when to laugh. Also laugh loudly so your classmates know to join in.

10) Finally a lot of points are brought up during private class chats. If you’re included in these chats, make sure to share some of those points with the administration. It is better if you include a screenshot of the conversation.