Hospitals are extremely expensive places to run. Not only does a hospital need to be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, administrators also need to pay for round-the-clock specialized personnel and the cost of the extremely-high monthly energy bills. It is no wonder that some hospitals and clinics simply cannot pay for those high costs month after month. If it is not a busy hospital, it is common for administrators to close down a wing or the hospital altogether. There are still many pieces of medical equipment, however, that are in working condition when this happens. In most cases, these machines and extra supplies are refurbished and sold to another hospital or clinic as used medical equipment. However, other places decide to donate this equipment to medical schools.

It is incredibly important that there is medical school equipment available for the future doctors of this country to use! As potential patients of these future PhDs, we need to make sure that these individuals are trained property in school so that they are ready to practice once they receive their degrees. Used medical equipment is the perfect tool on which medical students can practice their developing skills.  

Medical equipment includes everything from wrap bandages to electrocardiogram machines (EKG machines). Doctors need to know everything from how to apply bandages to stop bleeding to knowing how to interpret basic machines. Most medical doctors start out in the emergency rooms of hospitals where they are on call three nights a week. These individuals need to know how to make decisions in a split second, no matter how tired they feel. Therefore, when their nerves and focus have almost run out, they need to know how to do the most essential basics without even thinking. All the practice they have in medical school will help them become the best doctors they can be before they even make it into the work force.

If you have access to used medical equipment and supplies and would like to help the future doctors of America, or any country worldwide, you should look into donating them to a medical school. The gift of education is one of the best gifts you can ever give! 

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The study of medicine is an extremely prestigious and important field. Many children dream of being doctors while they are growing up because they like the idea of being able to help people feel better. As you grow older, you realize all the hard work (and high cost) medical school actually is. The few who can weather the competition in their biology classes during undergraduate studies and survive the medical school application process have proven themselves ready for the grueling eight years of medical study.

Medical school is definitely not for the faint hearted. It is much more than learning what types of medical supplies you need for each type of injury. Depending on what specialty you decide to pursue, you can expect long hours during and after medical school, trying to function with a limited amount of sleep, and needing to remember volumes worth of knowledge. It is a challenge but if you are passionate about medicine and medical equipment in addition to helping people lead longer, healthier lives, then medical school is the place for you!

The application for medical school actually starts long before you are even eligible to study medicine. You need to make sure you spend all four years of college focused. Do not slack off in your academics, even in your non-science courses; you need to have a strong academic record if you want a chance at a top medical school!

Volunteer work and lab experience are the next important factors.  Try to volunteer at a hospital or a health clinic. The first benefit of working in a hospital early on is that you have a first hand account of the lives and practices of full time hospital staff. It allows you the chance to not only interact with patients and learn how to read EKG machines, it also affords you the opportunity to talk to different doctors and learn about their medical school experiences.

If you have a strong academic record and can demonstrate your interest in medicine by volunteering at a health clinic, then you are 75% there. The last two important factors are MCAT scores and recommendation letters. As long as you work hard, you will earn yourself a spot in the next year’s medical school class!

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