Preparing for medical school: A BSPS student’s journey
College of Pharmacy Student Spotlight: Ethan Richlak, BSPS Class of 2023
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy is shining a spotlight on students throughout the year. Meet Ethan Richlak, a third-year Bachelor of Science of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSPS) student from Concord, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.
Richlak’s academic and research experiences—combined with extracurricular activities—are creating the foundation for a successful move to study medicine after graduation.
Why did you choose the BSPS program?
I knew that I wanted to go to medical school after getting my bachelor’s degree. Having a cleft palate, I’ve been no stranger to hospitals and clinical care so naturally, I developed a curiosity around medicine and patient care. I also grew up loving science.
Originally, I was a neuroscience major, but after taking and enjoying an organic chemistry class my sophomore year, I realized I wanted a major that combined chemistry with medicine and patient care. This is when I found the BSPS program and decided to make the switch. I knew that the BSPS program would fit my goals better and so far, it has.
Are you involved in any extracurriculars?
I started research in the fall 2021 semester with Dr. James Cray at the College of Medicine. It’s been interesting and I’ve learned a lot from it. For the research project that I am assisting with, we are looking at the effects that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – a form of antidepressants – have on bone cells.
Additionally, I am president of Ohio State’s Operation Smile club. This club is part of a larger, internationally run non-profit that works to help children in low- and middle-income countries receive much-needed cleft palate surgeries. For the Ohio State chapter, I lead the club in fundraising and other philanthropic efforts.
Last semester we made bracelets for kids staying at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and for this upcoming semester, we are planning a dog show fundraising event. We are all really excited about it.
I’m also a BSPS ambassador. I appreciate having the opportunity to tell future students what makes the BSPS program so great and why it’s the right program for anyone wanting to go into health care or research.
How do you see the BSPS curriculum and your extracurriculars shaping your future?
The BSPS program is a great mix of health care and chemistry/science. I’m learning things that are crucial to build a foundation for med school.
For extracurriculars, I think that there are two aspects to it. My research opportunities have taught me how to think scientifically and apply the knowledge, and my involvement with Operation Smile has helped me develop leadership skills.
What advice would you give to incoming students with similar goals?
- Learn how to study properly and efficiently.
Taking the time to do this will help your academic career very much. Coming into college, I felt that I could continue to study the same way I did in high school but now that I’ve been here a while, I know that the way I studied in high school is not sustainable in college. You want to start off right in terms of grades or else you will be chasing a higher GPA your whole college career.
- Outline your goals and come up with a plan to accomplish them.
The application and interview process to get into med school can be challenging but there are things you can do now to prepare. Participating in extracurriculars will set you apart from other candidates. I would recommend finding causes that interest you and that you are passionate about. Good grades aren’t enough, so engage in activities that will benefit you in your career and help to build a story about yourself. I believe starting to think about this and trying to plan these goals out in advance will ease the process of building your application later. The application is really a story about what your academic and extracurricular career was about.