“The help I received from Southwestern throughout the four years of my undergraduate studies was invaluable,” he states. “From the first day, I told my first-year advisor that I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but didn’t know how to get there. From there, several different departments and people played a huge role in guiding me.”

Ariyo’s advisor referred him to Alexandra Anderson, Senior Associate Director in the Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD), and he scheduled several appointments with her.

“While I started my freshman year without understanding what was required to develop a pre-med path,” Ariyo remembers, “I walked out of my last appointment with Ms. Anderson with a rock-solid multi-year plan! Despite the fact I missed the application deadlines for most summer internships at the end of my freshman year, she advised me to focus on volunteering and shadowing that upcoming summer and suggested looking into a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course. She explained this would allow me to gain early hands-on clinical experience, while setting me apart as an applicant.”

Ariyo took the advice, focusing on volunteer work, shadowing a few doctors, and became a nationally registered EMT. Two years later, while getting ready to apply to take the MCAT exam and start medical school applications, he reached out to the CCPD for further guidance and was referred to Dr. Maria Cuevas, professor of biology and head of Southwestern’s pre-health committee.

“Dr. Cuevas played an enormous role in my application process,” Ariyo says. “Prior to the application cycle, she provided me with excellent MCAT prep material on campus that I had no idea was available to me. And she also provided me with an excellent recommendation for an outside resource for the MCAT.”

After completing the MCAT and committing to the application cycle, Ariyo again reached out to Dr. Cuevas.

“She walked me through the process of the application,” he describes, “going over everything to ensure all was in place for my primary application, including my grades and MCAT score, personal statement, my extracurriculars and activities, as well as my letters of recommendation. Once my applications were submitted, medical schools responded to the primary application by sending secondary applications. These applications typically contain three to six essay questions specific to each school’s program and mission. If a school is interested in your secondary essays, they will invite you for an interview. Dr. Cuevas helped me with every single step!”

Ariyo notes that Cuevas reviewed and re-reviewed essays “without complaining,” even responding after business hours, despite Ariyo’s mother telling him he’d likely have to wait for a response the next day. When the interview season began, Cuevas conducted mock interviews for Ariyo before each medical school interview and helped him review key points for different schools. She also made available the pre-med suite in the Fondren-Jones Science Center for each of Ariyo’s virtual interviews, providing a formal but comfortable environment for them.

“I am so grateful not only for the advice given by the CCPD, but also for introducing me to Ms. Anderson and Dr. Cuevas,” Ariyo concludes. “Without their help, I would have been lost in this complicated application process.”

He also offers the following suggestions to his fellow Pirates:

• “Reach out to CCPD! I cannot stress enough how helpful they are.
• Do not be scared to ask as many questions as you need to. The professors and advisors at SU are so excited to help you.
• Share ideas with professors and advisors and ensure you have a good plan built.
• BE INTENTIONAL! It’s important to make sure that you are not only gaining the experiences that will help you develop as a future physician, but also that you are creating a compelling application that presents yourself in the best light.
• For interviews: practice, practice, practice (CCPD is a great resource.).
• Do things you enjoy! That goes for everything in life. But whether it’s volunteering for a cause that is important to you, or doing research in a topic or field that you’re truly interested in, make sure you’re having fun throughout it all.”