From College to Career: Dr. Julia Agee talks Med school & Modern Medicine Part I
SaveThis is the first article in what will be a series of interviews with some of my friends about their career trajectories. In this article, Dr. Julia provides insight for any pre-med students out there or folks interested in medicine but still undecided.
Please remember this interview is a reflection of solely Dr. Julia Agee’s personal opinions and insights; this interview does not reflect the thoughts, feelings, opinions of any past, present or future client, employer or any other entity affiliated with Manhattan Veteran Affairs Hospital or the New York Harbor Healthcare System.
This is the first article in what will be a series of interviews with some of my friends about their career trajectories. Interviews will cover an overview of the individual's current position, their reflections on how their college experiences prepared them (or didn't!) for their current position and other career related advice. I hope Julia's insight proves helpful for any pre-med students out there or folks interested in medicine but still undecided.
Dr. Julia Agee is a general neurologist at the Manhattan Veteran Affairs Hospital which is part of the New York Harbor Healthcare System. Neurologists are doctors who specialize in neurological diseases related to the brain and spinal cord as well as nerves and muscles. Dr. Agee graduated from New York University's (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine in 2018 followed by a medical internship and neurology residency at NYU's Langone Medical Center which she completed in July 2022. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 2013 from the State University of New York's Binghamton University. In this first part we'll cover a broad medical professional timeline, Julia's decision to become a neurologist and anything she would have done differently.
Let's start with medical school outline:
Pre Med:
- Take Prerequisite course
- You take the MCAT
Med School:
- 4 years (roughly 2 years preclinical and 2-2.5 years clinical time). During this time you'll take Step 1 and Step 2 in the U.S. Medical Licensing
Examination (USMLE or also known as boards)
- Step 1 covers pre-clinical material like anatomy physiology. It's more medicine based then the MCAT.
- Step 2 has more clinical oriented questions.
- Shelf Exams: During your third year of medical school you will take this exam which is created by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)
- Medical internship/Residency: 3-7 years depending on specialty.
- Step 3: Usually taken after graduation or after the first year of residency you will take the USMLE. Step 3 covers the application of clinical knowledge as well as patient management.
- After completing internship & Step 3 you can do licensing.
Dr. Norrell Edwards:
Whew, becoming a medical doctor is definitely a LONG HAUL that I always knew I wasn't cut out for. I honestly had no real understanding of how long a PhD took and that 5 years was really the minimum amount of time it could take rather than the maximum.N:
Ok so like me, you went straight to graduate school (in this case med school instead of a doctorate) after college. Is there anything you wish you had done differently in college to prepare for med school? Did you always know you wanted to be a neurologist?J:
No, I didn't know I wanted to be in medicine. I fell into neurology because I really liked the people I rotated with. I would have taken an anatomy course. It's not required for pre-med but if you come with it, it's really an advantage. They recommend you take it and for good reason really. Also, I'll say an advantage of going straight through from undergrad is that any undergraduate loans you have remain in a grace period while you're in school.N:
Do you wish you would have gotten a master's or done anything else differently?J:
I would have liked to travel. I was lucky enough to have AP credits that Binghamton accepted. I took a full semester and a summer of research that was considered an internship. I did that research at Weill-Cornell. It was a really great experience. At the time I was unsure whether I wanted to do bench research versus teaching versus medicine versus a combo. I liked the bench research, but I missed interacting with people all the time. I missed that part of clinical work.N:
So maybe it's a good idea to study abroad in college before embarking on the long medical professional timeline. I swear it seems like med students and residents receive like 0 vacation time.J:
I really recommend you spend dedicated time testing out how you feel in the day-to-day of the things you're interested in. Some of my coolest friends took a gap year or went to school for engineering then taught high school then finally came back to medicine. So, there are all kinds of pathways to get there, and you should really explore what aligns best for you.I ended up at NYU because the funding package made sense so that I could live at home and commute.
Major Takeaways:
It can be helpful to be open minded in your medical school journey and really explore your different options from research to teaching, etc. It's helpful to think about what exactly you like doing. Do you enjoy interacting with people as a clinician or do you want more time by yourself with less interaction? If you love to travel, you might want to travel before committing to medical school. Check out my other article on considerations for studying abroad.
Norrell Edwards
Norrell Edwards is a scholar, educator, and communications consultant for non-profit organizations. Her employment experience and research interests place her work at the nexus of global Black identity, cultural memory, and social justice. Norrell graduated with a BA in English Literature from Hunter’s College followed by a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park in 20th and 21st Century Black Diaspora Literature.Articles & Advice
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