Student Spotlight: Kate Dickinson

There is a thriving community of pre-health students here at SDSM&T. Today, we are shining a spotlight on Kaitlyn Dickinson. Kate is an Applied Biological Science major within the Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences Department. Her emphasis is in Pre-Health and Biomedical Engineering and she is minoring in Chemistry. She is currently pursing a pre-medical pathway and plans to become a doctor after she leaves SDSM&T. We caught up with Kate to ask her about her pre-health journey and how she is preparing for a career in healthcare.

Have you done any shadowing yet? What did you learn from those experiences? 

I have done shadowing! I shadowed family medicine, where I got to listen to my very first heart murmur and what wheezing lungs sounded like. Also, as a medical scribe in the ED department I got to see my first elevated ICP procedure at bedside, which was amazing! From both experiences, I've found that you benefit more when you start to place yourself into the mindset of how doctors think. Familiarize yourself with basic medical terminology and take advantage of every opportunity you have to watch procedures. 

What kinds of volunteering do you do?

Currently I am volunteering as a Textline Crisis Counselor at the National Crisis Textline, along with volunteering with Volunteers of America to offer free HIV testing. I'm was also a translator for City of Lafayette, CO. I've been working to create a volunteer collegiate EMS here on campus.

When will you be taking your entrance exam and how are you preparing for your exam?

I will be taking my entrance exam about a year and 4 months from now. I do at least an MCAT question a day. I made a medical binder, which I hope to place all my notes into so that I know the basis of where I should begin studying. I also bought flashcards from Barron, which I try to go through once a week. AnkiDeck is also a really useful resource that is essentially "smart flashcards", which help me to continue to remember basic knowledge. 

What do you do when you aren’t studying?

I really enjoy hiking, hammocking, and rollerblading. I really love reading as well. I am currently reading classics along with some books about genes and the medical field. I also do drawings for people online as well as watch a bundle of Netflix and movies, especially ones in Spanish or Chinese.

How do you manage stress?

When I start to become stressed, I write down everything I have to do and start with what's a priority to get done. That definitely helps to break things up when it gets too overwhelming. I also allow myself to spend time with friends and make sure I have time to myself to unwind.

What advice do you have for our freshman pre-health students?

The best advice I can give is start early and be organized.  It's to your benefit to know what's expected of you so you can spread those commitments out across a couple of years rather than try to cram it into just one. It's almost important to make yourself as well rounded as possible, and then show that you have looked into medicine in depth and that you really know what it's all about.