I Want to Be a Doctor!
What Now?
STEPS TO Becoming a DOCTOR
What courses should I take in High School?
Medical schools do not require specific high school courses, but it’s an important time to develop analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. To prepare for a future in medicine, students should focus on:
What major should I have in college?
You can choose any major when preparing for medical school, as there is no specific major required by medical schools. Regardless of your major, you must complete the prerequisite courses needed for medical school admission, such as biology, chemistry, and physics.
It’s also important to avoid majors specifically designed for other healthcare professions, like Physical Therapy or Nursing, as these programs prepare students for careers other than becoming a physician. Choose a major that aligns with your interests; while ensuring you meet medical school course requirements.
What can I do now to prepare for medical school?
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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UAG?
Discover your future at UAG and let us guide you through every step of your medical journey.
HEAR FROM OUR GRADUATES
Dr. Gamez received a BA in Psychology from Rutgers College and his medical education at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. He then went on to complete an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. His interests led him to pursue a fellowship in foot and ankle reconstruction at Union Memorial Hospital/Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. Before joining OALI, Dr. Gamez served as an Assistant Professor and Co-director of Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgery at UMASS Medical School.
Dr. Gamez specializes in all aspects of foot and ankle care. He is a fellowship trained in foot and ankle reconstructive surgery and provides the latest treatment options for all aspects of foot and ankle trauma, reconstruction, and sports injuries. He is well versed in the latest technology including total ankle replacements, cartilage salvage techniques, and ankle arthroscopy.
Dr. Gamez has written several chapters and authored numerous studies presented at national and international meetings. He has been an invited speaker at several foot and ankle meetings. He is one of only a handful of orthopedic surgeons specializing in foot and ankle surgery who currently practice on Long Island.
Dr. Carmen Elena Cervantes is a dedicated nephrologist and faculty member in the Division of Nephrology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She plays a vital role at the Johns Hopkins Amyloid Center, contributing her expertise to the field of renal health.
With a passion for medical education, Dr. Cervantes co-directs the Genes to Society Renal Physiology Course for medical students, fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals. Additionally, she serves as the Assistant Program Director for the Nephrology Fellowship, where she focuses on career pathway development for aspiring nephrologists.
Dr. Cervantes’s clinical and research interests encompass quality improvement, amyloidosis, paraproteinemias, hypertension, and diabetic kidney disease. Her commitment to enhancing patient care is evident through her participation in initiatives to improve quality and safety in healthcare.
In recognition of her dedication to advocacy and global health, Dr. Cervantes was accepted into the Armstrong Institute Patient Safety and Quality Leadership Academy’s 14th cohort in 2024, as well as the 3rd cohort of the International Society of Nephrology Emerging Leaders Program in 2024.
Dr. Gonzalez is a board-certified psychiatrist with a special interest in mood disorders and women’s mental health. He has extensive experience in the treatment of mental health conditions in emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings.
Dr. Gonzalez was born and raised in the Coachella Valley and attended the University of San Diego after graduating from CVHS. He attended the Autonomous University of Guadalajara and completed his medical education at New York Medical College. During his residency at the University of Arizona, he was awarded Junior Resident of the Year, served as Chief Resident, and participated in the very first Psychiatry Integrative Medicine in Residency Program. He has additional training in women’s mental health and is a member of Postpartum Support International, Marcé of North America, and the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists.
Prior to starting private practice, he was a member of the teaching faculty at Kaiser Permanente’s first psychiatry residency program. During his time at Kaiser Permanente, he received his favorite awards, “PGY2 Lecturer of the Year, PGY3 Lecturer of the Year, and Outpatient Teaching Faculty of the Year.”. Most recently, he has trained medical students and psychiatry residents from Loma Linda University, Western University, and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Gonzalez is married with three children and welcomed his latest child in 2019. He spends most of his free time with his 3 daughters, wife, and family. After the kids finally go to bed, he works on a series of children’s books where wellness concepts are introduced to both children and parents.
David B Brecher, MD had the honor of completing his medical education at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (UAG) School of Medicine in 1978. Following graduation, he completed a Family Practice Residency and was Chief Resident at Kings County Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Following residency, he started a Family Practice career in solo practice in Bay Shore, New York, joined a medical group in Clearwater, Florida, started a 17-member Florida medical group, and spent time in concierge medicine before transitioning to Hospice and Palliative Medicine 11 years ago. For the last six years Dr. Brecher has worked as a Hospice and Palliative Medicine physician for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tacoma, Washington.
Dr. Brecher is honored to be board certified in both Family Medicine as well as Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and to have been elected as a Fellow of both the American Academy of Family Medicine and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He has had multiple clinical articles and case studies published, mostly related to end-of-life care. Much of his teaching relates to providing physicians, ARNPs, PAs, and nurses education regarding goals-of care conversations, Advance Care planning, and symptom management for Hospice patients.
When not working, much time is spent with his wonderful wife of 37 years, three adult children, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Spending down time doing lawn and gardening, as well as having two great rescue dogs, makes his day! After being a physician for over 40 years, the great joy in helping patients, serving our Veterans, and educating colleagues about palliative and end-of-life care is a true reward. Dr. Brecher has the deepest gratitude to the UAG medical school professors, his residency attendings, and physician colleagues for all their valuable teaching. Having the opportunity to speak on the phone with his best friend, a UAG classmate, is something that he also looks forward to each week.
Fellowship-trained Trauma Surgeon Gonzalo Ausqui, MD, has joined the North Oaks Medical Center Shock Trauma team. The hospital is a level II trauma center serving Region 9 of Louisiana, which is made up of Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany and Washington parishes.
Dr. Ausqui joins a team of eleven trauma surgeons and three advanced practitioners who work together to ensure the provision of 24/7 in-house, coordinated care for victims suddenly stricken by serious traumatic injuries.
Dr. Ausqui comes to North Oaks from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University having recently completed a fellowship in trauma critical care with advanced training in robotic trauma/acute care surgery. The Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University operates the region’s only level I adult trauma and level II pediatric trauma centers.
Originally from Uruguay in South America, Dr. Ausqui is a U.S. citizen and fluent in English and Spanish. From an early age, he knew that a career in healthcare was for him. He explains, “Growing up, I volunteered after school helping my grandparents, who were nurses, at their nursing home. I would bring patients their medicine and food trays and help them with their basic needs. This experience cultivated my desire to help others and eventually led me to pursue a career in healthcare.”
Dr. Ausqui graduated from the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas with associate degrees in biological science and paramedic medicine while also working as a first responder with American Medical Response. He also volunteered more than 500 hours at facilities within the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada system based in Las Vegas. The emergency rooms, intensive care units, neonatal intensive care units, trauma centers, operating rooms and pediatric units of Valley Hospital, Sunrise Hospital, North Vista Hospital and Spring Valley Hospital benefited from his service as a volunteer during this time.
He went on to earn his medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine in Mexico before conducting a residency in general surgery with rotations at Easton Hospital in Pennsylvania, and The Brooklyn Hospital Center and Harlem Hospital in New York. While in residency at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, he was honored as the recipient of the 2018 Best Bedside Manner Award. With a self-described approach to patient care that values compassion, honesty and evidence-based medicine, Dr. Ausqui notes that he finds it most gratifying when he can repair a patient’s injury that would have had severe or fatal consequences otherwise. Professionally, Dr. Ausqui belongs to the American College of Surgeons.
Other North Oaks Shock Trauma providers include Drs. Lauren Baumgarten, Marquinn D. Duke (medical director of the trauma program), Michael Fahr, Patrick Greiffenstein, Chrissy Guidry, Derek Palmer, Robert Reily, Jonathan Schoen, Alison Smith and Shahrzad Talebinejad; Nurse Practitioners Aaron Bateman and Ellen Wilson; and Physician Assistant Jennifer Rhodes. North Oaks Shock Trauma Center is verified and designated a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons and Louisiana Department of Health. In addition, North Oaks Shock Trauma Center is part of the Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN), an agency of state government created to develop and maintain a statewide system of care coordination for trauma patients.
For more information about the North Oaks Shock Trauma program at North Oaks Medical Center, located at 15790 Paul Vega, MD, Dr. in Hammond, visit northoaks.org/trauma or call North Oaks Public Relations at 985-230-6647.
It was an absolute pleasure to visit the UAG campus nine years after my graduation. The UAG main campus, ICB, and Hospital Angel Leano all brought back fond memories. The new organ-based curriculum is an impressive step forward in the development of clinical and critical thinking skills, the electronic journal access puts the UAG digital library on par with any US institution, and the 4-year ECMG certification option is a much-improved pathway to obtain residency in the United States. It is clear that UAG cares about the success of their graduates and the faculty have made large strides to become a solid option for international students looking to practice medicine in the US.
Dr. Gamez received a BA in Psychology from Rutgers College and his medical education at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. He then went on to complete an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. His interests led him to pursue a fellowship in foot and ankle reconstruction at Union Memorial Hospital/Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. Before joining OALI, Dr. Gamez served as an Assistant Professor and Co-director of Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgery at UMASS Medical School.
Dr. Gamez specializes in all aspects of foot and ankle care. He is a fellowship trained in foot and ankle reconstructive surgery and provides the latest treatment options for all aspects of foot and ankle trauma, reconstruction, and sports injuries. He is well versed in the latest technology including total ankle replacements, cartilage salvage techniques, and ankle arthroscopy.
Dr. Gamez has written several chapters and authored numerous studies presented at national and international meetings. He has been an invited speaker at several foot and ankle meetings. He is one of only a handful of orthopedic surgeons specializing in foot and ankle surgery who currently practice on Long Island.
Dr. Carmen Elena Cervantes is a dedicated nephrologist and faculty member in the Division of Nephrology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She plays a vital role at the Johns Hopkins Amyloid Center, contributing her expertise to the field of renal health.
With a passion for medical education, Dr. Cervantes co-directs the Genes to Society Renal Physiology Course for medical students, fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals. Additionally, she serves as the Assistant Program Director for the Nephrology Fellowship, where she focuses on career pathway development for aspiring nephrologists.
Dr. Cervantes’s clinical and research interests encompass quality improvement, amyloidosis, paraproteinemias, hypertension, and diabetic kidney disease. Her commitment to enhancing patient care is evident through her participation in initiatives to improve quality and safety in healthcare.
In recognition of her dedication to advocacy and global health, Dr. Cervantes was accepted into the Armstrong Institute Patient Safety and Quality Leadership Academy’s 14th cohort in 2024, as well as the 3rd cohort of the International Society of Nephrology Emerging Leaders Program in 2024.
Dr. Gonzalez is a board-certified psychiatrist with a special interest in mood disorders and women’s mental health. He has extensive experience in the treatment of mental health conditions in emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings.
Dr. Gonzalez was born and raised in the Coachella Valley and attended the University of San Diego after graduating from CVHS. He attended the Autonomous University of Guadalajara and completed his medical education at New York Medical College. During his residency at the University of Arizona, he was awarded Junior Resident of the Year, served as Chief Resident, and participated in the very first Psychiatry Integrative Medicine in Residency Program. He has additional training in women’s mental health and is a member of Postpartum Support International, Marcé of North America, and the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists.
Prior to starting private practice, he was a member of the teaching faculty at Kaiser Permanente’s first psychiatry residency program. During his time at Kaiser Permanente, he received his favorite awards, “PGY2 Lecturer of the Year, PGY3 Lecturer of the Year, and Outpatient Teaching Faculty of the Year.”. Most recently, he has trained medical students and psychiatry residents from Loma Linda University, Western University, and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Gonzalez is married with three children and welcomed his latest child in 2019. He spends most of his free time with his 3 daughters, wife, and family. After the kids finally go to bed, he works on a series of children’s books where wellness concepts are introduced to both children and parents.
David B Brecher, MD had the honor of completing his medical education at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (UAG) School of Medicine in 1978. Following graduation, he completed a Family Practice Residency and was Chief Resident at Kings County Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Following residency, he started a Family Practice career in solo practice in Bay Shore, New York, joined a medical group in Clearwater, Florida, started a 17-member Florida medical group, and spent time in concierge medicine before transitioning to Hospice and Palliative Medicine 11 years ago. For the last six years Dr. Brecher has worked as a Hospice and Palliative Medicine physician for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tacoma, Washington.
Dr. Brecher is honored to be board certified in both Family Medicine as well as Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and to have been elected as a Fellow of both the American Academy of Family Medicine and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He has had multiple clinical articles and case studies published, mostly related to end-of-life care. Much of his teaching relates to providing physicians, ARNPs, PAs, and nurses education regarding goals-of care conversations, Advance Care planning, and symptom management for Hospice patients.
When not working, much time is spent with his wonderful wife of 37 years, three adult children, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Spending down time doing lawn and gardening, as well as having two great rescue dogs, makes his day! After being a physician for over 40 years, the great joy in helping patients, serving our Veterans, and educating colleagues about palliative and end-of-life care is a true reward. Dr. Brecher has the deepest gratitude to the UAG medical school professors, his residency attendings, and physician colleagues for all their valuable teaching. Having the opportunity to speak on the phone with his best friend, a UAG classmate, is something that he also looks forward to each week.
Fellowship-trained Trauma Surgeon Gonzalo Ausqui, MD, has joined the North Oaks Medical Center Shock Trauma team. The hospital is a level II trauma center serving Region 9 of Louisiana, which is made up of Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany and Washington parishes.
Dr. Ausqui joins a team of eleven trauma surgeons and three advanced practitioners who work together to ensure the provision of 24/7 in-house, coordinated care for victims suddenly stricken by serious traumatic injuries.
Dr. Ausqui comes to North Oaks from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University having recently completed a fellowship in trauma critical care with advanced training in robotic trauma/acute care surgery. The Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University operates the region’s only level I adult trauma and level II pediatric trauma centers.
Originally from Uruguay in South America, Dr. Ausqui is a U.S. citizen and fluent in English and Spanish. From an early age, he knew that a career in healthcare was for him. He explains, “Growing up, I volunteered after school helping my grandparents, who were nurses, at their nursing home. I would bring patients their medicine and food trays and help them with their basic needs. This experience cultivated my desire to help others and eventually led me to pursue a career in healthcare.”
Dr. Ausqui graduated from the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas with associate degrees in biological science and paramedic medicine while also working as a first responder with American Medical Response. He also volunteered more than 500 hours at facilities within the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada system based in Las Vegas. The emergency rooms, intensive care units, neonatal intensive care units, trauma centers, operating rooms and pediatric units of Valley Hospital, Sunrise Hospital, North Vista Hospital and Spring Valley Hospital benefited from his service as a volunteer during this time.
He went on to earn his medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine in Mexico before conducting a residency in general surgery with rotations at Easton Hospital in Pennsylvania, and The Brooklyn Hospital Center and Harlem Hospital in New York. While in residency at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, he was honored as the recipient of the 2018 Best Bedside Manner Award. With a self-described approach to patient care that values compassion, honesty and evidence-based medicine, Dr. Ausqui notes that he finds it most gratifying when he can repair a patient’s injury that would have had severe or fatal consequences otherwise. Professionally, Dr. Ausqui belongs to the American College of Surgeons.
Other North Oaks Shock Trauma providers include Drs. Lauren Baumgarten, Marquinn D. Duke (medical director of the trauma program), Michael Fahr, Patrick Greiffenstein, Chrissy Guidry, Derek Palmer, Robert Reily, Jonathan Schoen, Alison Smith and Shahrzad Talebinejad; Nurse Practitioners Aaron Bateman and Ellen Wilson; and Physician Assistant Jennifer Rhodes. North Oaks Shock Trauma Center is verified and designated a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons and Louisiana Department of Health. In addition, North Oaks Shock Trauma Center is part of the Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN), an agency of state government created to develop and maintain a statewide system of care coordination for trauma patients.
For more information about the North Oaks Shock Trauma program at North Oaks Medical Center, located at 15790 Paul Vega, MD, Dr. in Hammond, visit northoaks.org/trauma or call North Oaks Public Relations at 985-230-6647.
It was an absolute pleasure to visit the UAG campus nine years after my graduation. The UAG main campus, ICB, and Hospital Angel Leano all brought back fond memories. The new organ-based curriculum is an impressive step forward in the development of clinical and critical thinking skills, the electronic journal access puts the UAG digital library on par with any US institution, and the 4-year ECMG certification option is a much-improved pathway to obtain residency in the United States. It is clear that UAG cares about the success of their graduates and the faculty have made large strides to become a solid option for international students looking to practice medicine in the US.
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