1. Addressing mental health decreases the stigma

It is important to address the issues in regards to mental health that students face while applying to medical school to decrease the stigma around it. The more people are willing to talk about their feelings and thoughts while they are pursuing this career, the more people can be aware and possibly make a change to help medical school applicants. People tend to hide their difficulties in front of others, especially if it’s related to their mental health such as being anxious, depressed, and stressed.​​ Often, medical students feel embarrassed to talk about their challenges, thinking it makes them appear weak. I personally feel anxious when thinking about the possibility of not getting into medical school or struggling to meet the application requirements. Raising awareness is significant and will help with finding solutions to decrease poor mental health.

2. Helps determine if it is worth it

Oftentimes, many students dream of becoming health professionals without realizing the difficulties associated with the career. Researching about applicants' mental health while applying to medical school helps students know in advance of what challenges they may face. This will allow them to be more prepared and find ways to take care of their mental health instead of being overwhelmed with the process. If they realize that the career pathway is too exhausting, they might consider choosing a similar career that is not as competitive. However, if they conclude that they are passionate about the career, they will know that the challenges they may face will be worth it. For example, after I became more aware of the challenges people face when applying to medical school, I made changes in my career by attaining a medical assistant and pharmacy technician certification to gain my experience in the field.

3. Improves education

Medical school is a high level of education. The acceptance rates are low due to the need for the fittest people for the career. However, this rate of low acceptance can be traumatizing for students. By being aware of what students experience mentally when applying to medical school, colleges and universities can improve the accessibility of information to students. That includes making the requirements to get accepted clear, so students are not overwhelmed. Not only will this improve education in regards to medical students' mental health, but it will improve the entire education system by implementing ways to make learning less stressful.

4. Protect people’s health

Health and well-being are the most important aspects of life. No matter how successful you are, if you aren’t taking care of your health, the quality of your life will decrease. By addressing the health issues related to applying to medical school, we will guide students to find ways to prevent these issues. Instead of waiting for students to suffer mentally in this process, it will be beneficial to teach them ways of taking care of themselves. Preventative care is crucial in all aspects of health, which can be done by seeing what seems to help students most. That can include exercising, eating a well-balanced diet, or even meditating.

5. Guides students to meet their goals

As students are applying to medical school, they need assistance with what can be done to meet their goals. I have some friends and family that have applied to medical school or are seeking to apply in the future. They have informed me that the admission team looks at things such as your overall science GPA, clinical experience, performing well on the MCAT, and having good interviewing skills. They also have shared that the process exhausted their mental health and shared that at first they were not familiar with some of the requirements. Being aware of these things guides me into implementing them in my studies and lessens the worries about applying. By knowing that mental health issues exist amongst medical students, we can share more knowledge that will benefit students.

6. Recognizes ways to perform better

It is necessary to consider the health of students after getting rejected from medical schools. These students need advice on ways to perform better and not be desperate. Without receiving advice from instructors and counselors on ways to improve, students will feel as if they are not enough. Being aware of what opportunities are still available to them while they wait and apply again for the next semester will be very helpful. Some things may include finding a part-time job related to their career goal while waiting to get accepted. The main goal is to continue striving and not give up.

7. Leads to the development of helpful resources

The overall goal is to improve the health of medical school applicants. That is important because the mental state of students matters and we should always find ways to help them. By becoming more familiar with the mentality of students applying to medical school, we can find ways to make changes. That could lead to the creation of helpful resources for students such as educational apps and programs. Also, creating a place for students to talk about their experiences could benefit others. When people become more aware of what the medical school admission process is like, they can contribute by creating ways to decrease the burden on students.