From Rural Minnesota to the U of M Medical School: Mikayla Bartelt’s Pre-Health Journey

Medical student Mikayla Bartelt grew up on a farm in Kilkenny, Minnesota, near Mankato and Faribault. Coming from a small, rural community, she wanted a different experience for college, which led her to the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She chose U of M for undergrad because she wanted to attend a big school, meet more people, join clubs, and have opportunities that she didn’t have access to in high school.

Bartelt graduated from the U of M in 2019 with a Bachelor of Individualized Studies, combining psychology, public health, and life sciences. At the time, she knew she wanted to work in healthcare but wasn’t sure exactly what career she wanted to pursue.

An introductory public health class helped point her in a direction. She loved the class and thought, “This is for me.” Her plan was to pursue a Master of Public Health in epidemiology.

But an experience teaching a public health workshop in Nicaragua through Global Medical Brigades changed her perspective.

While there, Bartelt saw physicians working directly with patients and realized that she wanted that experience, too. She had always been interested in healthcare, but she began to see medicine as a way to combine her interest in public health with her desire to work directly with people.

She started completing the prerequisites for medical school and began working as a scribe after graduating from the U of M in 2019. In 2020, she applied for a post-baccalaureate program with the CDC and considered pursuing a dual degree in public health and medicine.

She was later hired by the University of North Dakota and continued working while applying to medical school. The first time Bartelt applied, in spring 2021, she didn’t get in.

“It takes a lot to put yourself through the process of reapplying,” Bartelt says. “It’s a big hit to your confidence.”

At the same time, she wanted to be absolutely sure that medicine was the right path for her.

Bartelt applied to the U of M Master of Public Health program in epidemiology in 2021 and graduated in 2023. During that time, she continued working for UND and worked in pediatric research at Hennepin Healthcare. Her experiences gave her the opportunity to work in both public health and clinical settings.

Those experiences ultimately affirmed that medicine was where she wanted to be.

While applying to medical school again, Bartelt worked in clinical research at the University of Minnesota. She began medical school in fall 2024 and is now a third-year medical student.

Exploring the possibilities

Looking back on her journey, one of the biggest lessons Bartelt hopes other pre-health students take away is the importance of exploring different opportunities.

“You don’t know what you like until you try,” she says.

Her own path included public health, clinical work, research, graduate school and experiences in different healthcare settings. Those opportunities helped clarify what she wanted out of her career.

There are so many paths within healthcare and public health, Bartelt says, and students don’t need to have everything figured out right away.

It’s okay to change your mind. It’s okay to take a different path. And it’s okay if your timeline doesn’t look like someone else’s. “Everyone is different, and I’m more comfortable with that over time,” she says. “My dream doesn’t look like everybody’s, and that’s okay.”

Why medicine?

Ultimately, it was the opportunity to connect directly with people that drew Bartelt to medicine. While she enjoyed public health, she sometimes felt disconnected from the people she was trying to impact. Clinical work offered something different.

“I love connecting to people and getting to know them,” she says.

Her public health background is still an important part of the physician she hopes to become. She plans to incorporate public health into her future clinical work, particularly through advocacy.

Navigating the application process without a roadmap

As a first-generation college student from a rural area and an economically disadvantaged background, the medical school application process came with an additional challenge: Bartelt didn’t know where to start.There were no physicians in her family or close circle of friends who could explain the process. She didn’t always know what questions to ask.

The application itself has many moving pieces, from letters of recommendation and the MCAT, to application requirements and the financial cost of preparing for and taking the exam. For students who are navigating the process without a built-in network of physicians or other pre-health professionals, she emphasizes that asking questions and finding support can make a difference.

As a pre-health student, Bartelt used the Pre-Health Student Resource Center (PHSRC), including meeting with Career Counselor Scott Simpson and attending reapplication workshops when she was preparing to apply again. She also used PHSRC resources when applying to graduate school for Public Health.

Reapplying doesn’t mean you’re behind

For students considering reapplying to medical school, Bartelt’s biggest message is reassurance. “The process is difficult and competitive, and rejection is part of the experience for many applicants. Reapplying is common, and students don’t have to navigate it alone,” she said.

Bartelt’s own experience showed her the value of taking additional time to strengthen her application, gain experience and make sure medicine was truly what she wanted.

She also wants students to know that taking a gap year, or multiple, is completely normal.

“If it’s what you need to get a competitive application, you’re not behind,” she says.

Bartelt’s journey from a rural Minnesota farm to the University of Minnesota, through public health and clinical research, and ultimately to medical school took a few more turns than she originally expected. But those experiences helped her find a path that feels right for her.

For current pre-health students who aren’t sure exactly where they’re headed: you don’t have to have it all figured out. There are options, there are people who can help, and your path doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.

Written by Whitney Oachs