Choosing LECOM’s Directed Study Pathway Let Me Learn My Way

You can be smart, motivated, and genuinely called to medicine and still feel crushed by standardized testing. That tension sits at the center of our conversation with Anuya Akala, a LECOM student who found a path that finally matched how she learns. From South Brunswick, New Jersey to training in Missouri, Anuya walks us through how she discovered LECOM early, why an early acceptance medical program felt safer than the traditional pre-med grind, and how test anxiety shaped her decisions long before medical school started.

We get specific about LECOM learning pathways, including the Directed Study Pathway (DSP) for students who don’t thrive in a lecture hall. Anuya explains what it’s like to learn by reading textbooks, meeting with professors to troubleshoot questions, and proving mastery through regular quizzes. We also touch on problem-based learning and lecture-based formats, and why the ability to choose a medical school learning style can be a game-changer for confidence, consistency, and mental health.

Anuya also shares the practical side of the journey: how Thomas Jefferson University kept expectations crystal clear with course maps and check-ins, and what she did with the time she didn’t spend studying for the MCAT. Finally, she breaks down third-year clinical rotations at Mercy Jefferson, including typical hours, studying after shifts, and the surprising benefit of having some weekends to explore and reset.

If you’re researching LECOM, BS/DO programs, early acceptance medical school options, or you’re a student trying to figure out whether medicine is “doable,” this conversation offers an honest, grounded look at what the pathway can feel like. Subscribe for more student stories, share this with a future doctor, and leave a review with the biggest question you still have about getting into medical school.

Transcript

Welcome And Quick Introductions

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I'm joined by Anuya Akala from the great state of New Jersey. And here you are in the great state of Missouri. Welcome. Tell us about your background and how you got it got connected into LeeCom.

Test Anxiety And Learning Styles

Understanding LECOM Learning Pathways

SPEAKER_01 0:14

So I'm from South Brunswick, New Jersey. And as a high school senior, my friend told me about the LeeCom program, and that's how I applied. And then I went to undergrad in Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. And then I went to the Erie campus. And now I'm here in Missouri. I applied originally because I had wanted to be in a seven-year or eight-year program because I wanted to reduce the stress of undergrad and applying to medical school. I had a lot of testing anxiety and I didn't want that to alter my chances of getting into medical school. And I also have a different type of learning style. I do not do well in a lecture hall. I like to read textbooks and learn. And I found it really unique that LeeCom had different learning pathways. So there's I was in the direct study pathway where you don't sit in the lecture hall from a certain amount of time. You'd rather just read a textbook and have meetings, and that's how you learn. And I thought it was really unique that LeeCom offered this pathway. And I applied to multiple programs, and LeeCom was the only one that had that pathway.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

So did LeeCom identify that for you, or did you recall like how did that work?

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Yeah, um, I believe it was on their website. They had three different learning pathways that had the lecture-based. Um most of my peers were in that because they retained information from hearing someone speak information. Um, there was the problem-based pathway, um, problem-based learning where you meet as a group, I believe. And then I was in the directed study pathway, which is called DSP. DSP. And that's where you read textbooks and have an hour meeting with the professors to answer questions and take a quiz.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Is that common? Is that common like for medical schools to try to match the learning style to the learner? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 1:56

Um, out of the programs that I I applied to from um in high school, LeeCon was the only one that was really accommodating of students' different ways of learning. And that really stood out to me.

Why Thomas Jefferson University Works

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Yeah. So I mean, test anxiety as an educator is a real thing. I mean, I you see you see very talented students that are very comfortable in the setting, working with staff, uh, perform very well, uh, but then you get to those standardized tests. Um, and so um the rigor of the LeeCom program is still there. It's just kind of a different matrix. So you you you you get the early entry in high school. And then why Thomas Jefferson? Is it Thomas Jefferson University?

SPEAKER_01 2:33

Yes, Thomas Jefferson University. Um, I chose it mainly because it was close to home. It was an hour away from home. So the perfect distance of not being right at home, but a little bit farther. So I could come home whenever I wanted. Um, and also they had they have they're connected with LeeCom and they're really organized in the way that LeeCom reaches out to make sure you're fulfilling your requirements to remain in the program, as well as um Thomas Jefferson. They have a pre-medical studies and a licom director or um personnel there that is also making sure that you're meeting all your requirements.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

So was that, I guess when you enter into that university setting at Thomas Jefferson, was that path clear up front? And was it as smooth as it sounds, like as far as what the expectations were?

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Oh yes, it was extremely clear. We actually had a document that outlined every single class you had to take every single year based on what lecom pathway you were in. And we met every semester to make sure we were on track, and we met at the end to make sure we had our letters of recommendation in to get our recommendation letter for LeeCom, and it was really smooth. And yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

Uh, one of your peers mentioned earlier that they felt like they were kind of just really focused and and not have to worry about that standardized test score. How do you think that impacted you in your undergrad uh getting into that not having that pressure? But did you take a risk and take courses maybe you wouldn't have otherwise?

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Um yeah, so in high school, I actually ended up taking the SAT three times and the ACT three times. So that just took up a huge chunk of my time. And I didn't want that in undergrad if I was going to apply to medical school traditionally. Um, so that allowed me to just engage in like research, volunteering, um, student organizations, um, in order to just like explore and see what are my what are my hobbies are, what I like and what I don't like. Yeah. And I'm really um, I started a dance club in school, so I probably wouldn't have done that if undergrad.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_01 4:28

So yeah. So I probably would have not been able to do that if I was studying for the MCAT, just how much time it would have taken me to study for the exam.

Third-Year Rotations And Real Life Schedule

SPEAKER_00 4:36

Very good. And uh one of the other things we talked about is the cost you save. I guess the test is a certain price, but all the supportive services. So I really am very fascinated as I keep getting deeper into this about the different learning paths and different styles that go along there. So uh kind of tell us about what you're going through too. We've already kind of mentioned it was, but uh, you're currently in your third year, so that means you're placed into a residency, not a residency, I keep misusing that term, but you're kind of getting the hands-on experience here at Mercy Jefferson. So um what is that? What does your week look like? What does your month look like? What does the semester look like?

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Um, right now I usually am working from eight to four or eight to five um in rotations. And then after that, I usually come back and I study a little bit, get as much as I can done for the day. And then um, that's typically how my day goes. And on the weekend, it's really nice because we have an exam once a month typically now. So there's some downtime to just relax, explore the area, explore new restaurants.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Oh, good, very good.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

You venture out of Jefferson County or yes, so we've been a little bit up in St. Louis. Yeah.

unknown 5:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Maybe Chicago too. I've never been because I'm from the northeast.

Advice For High School Students

SPEAKER_00 5:44

So gotcha Chicago. Very good. Um, I guess if you had just one piece of advice for a junior in high school, if you look back, I mean, what was the do you feel like you made the great choice? And what recommendations do you have?

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Yeah, I feel like I definitely made the right choice for me. And the biggest advice I have is that it's doable, just don't be scared. And I neither one of my parents are physicians, so I was scared of just applying and choosing the path. And I'm here, made it through my first two years, so it's definitely doable.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

Very good. Thank you for joining us.