The 4 Entrepreneurial Secrets All Premed Students Need to Know
Just because you don’t have an M.D. after your name (yet) doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start in the medical field. National healthcare expenditure is expected to grow by about 5.4% per year through 2028. That means the best time for you to get in on the action is right now!
Your dreams of becoming a doctor, nurse, or medical technician mean you are likely already taking plenty of A.P. science classes, including chemistry and biology. We’re guessing, too, that you already volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, or another care-related facility. And while your friends are catching up on the latest episodes of “Gossip Girl,” you are diagnosing every patient that shows up on “Grey’s Anatomy.”
In other words, you are ready for that pre-med life when you get to college. You’re also a young entrepreneur with a passion for innovation.
Ready to merge your dreams of medicine and business? Let’s go!
1. CREATE A MEDICAL APP
Let’s be honest here: the medical industry is enormous and complex. Seasoned professionals have trouble navigating all the ins and outs of things like insurance, finding care, or billing issues. And while we’re being honest, let’s admit that not everyone with the ability to heal others has the know-how to keep records and appointments on track.
That’s where a tech-savvy, Gen-Z young entrepreneur like you comes in.
Two ideas for medical apps you can create:
- Personal care reminders. Allows customers to set daily reminders for everything from drinking water to going for a walk. Patients who take multiple meds a day may need help remembering when to take what. Others need to be reminded to schedule routine checkups. And not everyone wants to (or can) use complicated calendar apps. Make it easy and intuitive for paying customers to use your app for all their self-care needs.
- Medical records. For patients who see several doctors for a variety of medical needs, repeating their health history and list of medications can be just one more annoying chore. It’s also easy to forget important details such as dosages or procedure dates. Remember, young entrepreneurs see a problem and fix it. By creating an app specifically for keeping track of a patient’s medical history, you can help patients all over the world avoid repeating themselves or forgetting vital information.
2. CARE FOR CAREGIVERS
Becoming a doctor, nurse, technician, or another health worker is a noble calling. Right now, especially, we all recognize the hard work and sacrifice our medical professionals must make every single day. But who takes care of the caregivers? Why not you?
There are plenty of things a young entrepreneur like you can do to help those who have just come off a 36-hour shift or been on their feet all day long.
- Free or low-cost babysitting or childcare
- Deliver delicious hot meals to ER workers
- Ask local stores to donate gift cards
- If you have your driver’s license and access to a car, give rides to and from work
- Start a tutoring business for kids with special needs, whose parents might need a break
3. WEARABLE ACCESSORIES
Nearly every medical professional wears an ID badge and security fob on a lanyard around their neck. If you’re a little bit creative, you can design and create some stylish options for the staff at your local hospital! Who wouldn’t rather wear something unique and hand-made rather than just another piece of mass-produced polyester?
While you’re there, consider all the different specialties in the medical field. Why not make stickers or pins for them? Pediatric nurses would probably love to buy colorful pins with happy animal faces on them!
The sky’s the limit with this idea. Best of all, you can use your products to get to know the local professionals in whatever medical field you’re planning to enter.
4. HATS AND BLANKETS FOR PREMIES AND CANCER PATIENTS
Do you know anyone who likes to knit or crochet? Are you good at collecting things to donate? This might be the start of a great enterprise for you!
Young entrepreneurs with hearts of gold and the drive to help can start a business that addresses an often-overlooked need. Premature babies need to stay warm in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which helps them thrive and grow. And cancer patients often lose their hair during chemotherapy; they also often need blankets during the chemo process.
For knitters and crocheters, organizations such as Knots of Love collect homemade hats and blankets to distribute to cancer patients and NICU preemies. They have a page for guidelines, as using any old yarn won’t do when it comes to the tiniest and most fragile premature babies.
Even if you don’t knit or crochet, you can start a collection on your own or with friends and donate to any of the charities listed here, here, or here. Or simply contact your local hospital, hospice care center, VA, or animal shelter and ask what they need.
While this option won’t make you rich, it will fill your heart and give you a tremendous sense of purpose. You might also meet some wonderful people and make helpful contacts in a place you could work someday. The fact that this particular startup looks really good on college applications is a bonus.
So many of our past recipients have used our scholarship to pursue a college program that will lead to a fulfilling career in the medical field. There’s no single way to become a young entrepreneur. If your dream involves wearing scrubs, working in a lab, or guiding vulnerable patients through the toughest times of their lives, then there are ways to get started right now. We’re truly in awe of you and your desire to help others!
Find out more about the Kantner Foundation, including our college scholarships for young entrepreneurs in Florida, by clicking here. We look forward to your application!
