Warning: This is not a typical article about what pre-health students should take during their undergraduate years. This article will primarily focus on classes that will take some stress off while allowing you to learn about other cultures and yourself.

1. Global Health

If you're truly interested in caring for others, a class in global health will help expand your view of health care nationally and internationally. Within this class, you'll talk about cultural anthropology, clinical medicine, and public policy in efforts to understand health problems around the world. From biopower to cultural competency, global health is a great class that will give deeper insight into various aspects of health. There is a fair amount of reading, but taking the reading and turning it into dialogue will prove critical as you progress through school.

2. Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

WGSS provides students an introduction to concepts in the interdisciplinary field of women, gender, and sexuality. You examine the meanings attached to terms such as "man", "woman", and "sex", as well as other labels that prove to be problematic within our society. Topics that will be discussed include the history of feminist movements, masculinity, intimate violence, and sexual identities.

3. African/ African-American Literature

Things Fall Apart and Native Son are a just a few of the works you'll read within a class that falls under this category. These classes are meaningful because you'll be able to appreciate (not appropriate) culture. Without these classes, you won't be able to understand (or at least be cognizant of) how certain influences shape the lives of many generations. In my experience, being a doctor becomes more enjoyable when you are aware of the person, not just the record that you're holding in your hand.

During the registration process, remember to always choose classes that open your mind to other cultures and identities. It's extremely important to be aware of the differences that exist within our communities. We could easily mistake susto for having anxiety or depression. We could even accidentally label someone, making caring for them hard because of preconceived notions. Differences in culture and overall heritage makes being a doctor an exciting challenge, as long as you're aware of some challenges that you might face.