Webinar: From Pre-Med to Practice: Admissions Insights from Doctors by CollegeAdvisor.com

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Join Pamela Ng (Ph.D., former Stanford Medical School Admissions Committee member), Darlene Carter (M.D., pediatric neurology researcher), Robert Pena (M.D., former physician turned counselor), and Sidra Ali (D.O., second-year OB/GYN resident) for a can't-miss insider's look at the pre-med journey.

About this Webinar

The path to medical school is notoriously rigorous, requiring much more than just a high GPA and test scores. To stand out in today's highly competitive applicant pool, students need a strategic curriculum, meaningful clinical experiences, and a compelling "Why Medicine?" narrative.

Join our powerhouse panel of medical professionals, researchers, and former elite admissions officers for a comprehensive dive into the pre-med journey. Whether you are a high school student considering BS/MD programs or an undergraduate navigating the traditional pre-health track, our experts will share insider strategies to help you build a competitive, authentic profile from the ground up.

In this panel, you will learn:

- How elite undergraduate and medical school admissions committees (at institutions like Stanford and Harvard) actually evaluate candidates.
- The pros, cons, and realities of BS/MD programs versus traditional pre-med tracks.
- How to translate personal passions into impactful extracurriculars, research, and service-oriented leadership.
- Strategies to master the "Why Medicine?" essay and bridge the gap between your written application and the interview.
- Expert advice on strategic curriculum planning and conquering high-stakes standardized testing (ACT Science, MCAT, GRE).

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Meet Our Expert Panelists:

Sidra Ali, D.O.
A second-year OB/GYN resident who navigated the pre-med journey independently from the ground up. An expert in extracurricular strengthening and nonprofit leadership, Sidra helps students translate their passions into impactful community service and clinical experiences.

Robert Pena, M.D.
A former physician turned high school counselor who offers a rare "insider-outsider" perspective on the medical journey. Robert specializes in strategic career mapping, helping students weigh BS/MD programs against traditional tracks while mastering their authentic "Why Medicine?" narrative.

Darlene Carter, M.D.
A medical school graduate and pediatric neurology researcher who excels at turning rigorous academic requirements into a cohesive personal narrative. Darlene leverages her clinical background to coach students through high-stakes standardized testing, curriculum planning, and interview preparation for top-tier admissions.

Pamela Ng, Ph.D.
A former Admissions Committee member for Stanford University (Undergraduate, Summer Programs, and Stanford Medical School). Holding a BA from Harvard, an MS from Georgetown, and a PhD in Neuroscience and Psychiatry from Stanford, Dr. Ng brings over a decade of elite mentoring and admissions experience across STEM and the humanities.

Agenda

From Pre-Med to Practice: Admissions Insights from Doctors Presentation
Live Q&A

Dr. Pamela Ng

Former Admissions Officer

Dr. Pamela Ng brings over a decade of experience in admissions and mentoring, having served on admissions committees for Stanford's undergraduate, medical, and graduate programs.

Pam obtained her BA at Harvard, M.S at Georgetown and PhD in Neuroscience and Psychiatry at Stanford. She also completed her Postdoctoral work in the Dept of Anesthesia and Pain Management at Stanford and taught as Clinical Faculty in the Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences as well.

With expertise in medicine, STEM, and humanities, she is passionate about guiding students through the admissions process and helping them excel in their academic journeys.
Sidra Ali

Resident Physician of OBGYN

Hello, my name is Sidra! I am a Second Year OB/GYN Resident in New Jersey. In high school, I decided I wanted to pursue medicine. Since I am from New Mexico and did not have a lot of resources or others to give me advice, I had to really start from the ground up when it came to building strong extracurricular experiences and prepare to apply to college. I went to University of California: Davis, to embark on my Pre-Med Journey and graduated in 2017. After that I went to medical school and started a nonprofit to provide and create PPE to hospitals, clinics, and Native American Reservations. From all the organizations I have worked in, I can tell you that whatever extracurriculars you choose to do, choose the ones that you are most passionate about as that will shine through! I am excited to share my passion for medicine with you but also show you other ways you can help people outside of medicine.
Darlene Carter

Pediatric Neurology Researcher

Darlene is a medical researcher specializing in pediatric neurology and a medical school graduate with deep expertise in BS/MD program coaching and pre-med advising. She has spent years guiding students through every stage of the path to medicine from college admissions and curriculum planning to standardized test preparation for the ACT, MCAT, and GRE. Her coaching combines strategic admissions guidance with personalized academic support, helping students build the profiles and tell the stories that get them into top-tier universities and graduate programs. Darlene's approach is rooted in a simple belief: that the best applications don't just list achievements, they bring the person behind them to life.
Robert Pena

Senior Advisor, Former Physician

As a former physician turned high school counselor, Robert offers a rare insider perspective on what it actually takes to become a doctor, combining firsthand clinical experience with five years of guiding students through the college application process. He specializes in helping pre-med students navigate one of the most consequential decisions in their academic journey: whether to pursue a BS/MD program or the traditional route, and how to build the profile and craft the narrative that gives them the best shot at either. Where most advisors can tell students what looks good on paper, Robert can tell them what medicine actually looks like in practice — and help them answer the "why medicine" question with the depth and authenticity that admissions committees are looking for. His students have earned full rides to Notre Dame, UCLA, Texas A&M, and the University of Texas at Austin.