To be a successful doctor, you need to immerse yourself in medical literature. I recommend making a habit of reading them. Having background knowledge on many different topics within medicine can only help you and will also make the MCAT that much easier for you.

Here are my five picks for journals you should read more often.

#1 – The Scientific American

An American popular science magazine, the Scientific American is a trusted monthly source of information on scientific developments worldwide. It has been around for over a century and a half — since 1845! — and continues to provide news, essays, and illustrations on all things science-related.

Incredibly useful, following the Scientific American will immerse you in a whole new world of medical science and technology, so I highly recommend habitually reading it.

#2 – The New England Journal of Medicine

This journal is published by the Massachusetts Medical Society and is one of the most renowned peer-reviewed medical journal worldwide.

Its website is filled with research studies — all the newest ones on review. You can view cutting-edge work easily, and perhaps even feel inspired to make your own research proposal. If you’re interested in new developments within medicine, especially if you love research, this is an excellent source of information.

#3 – Nature

Nature is an interdisciplinary science journal and among the most cited in the world. It is also one of the few journals that covers such a broad range of scientific fields. Its primary audience is research scientists, but it is also accessible for others through summaries and accompanying articles. There are also editorials with debate and conversation on contemporary topics within the scientific community and the society at large.

Nature is a very diverse source of scientific knowledge and you should start reading it.

#4 – PLOS ONE

PLOS ONE is the largest journal in the world by number of papers published. It is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal, and over 70 percent of submissions are published — which is very uncommon. This is because PLOS ONE is built on a different model than other scientific journals. Their stated goal is challenge academia’s obsession with status. PLOS ONE only makes sure data was collected rigorously when reviewing submissions — the conclusions are not judged, but instead left for the scientific community to decide if it is worthwhile.

It is because of PLOS ONE’s unique methods, the fact that is publishes much more content than a print journal, that any serious premed should be familiar with it.

#5 – JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)

Published 48 times a year, JAMA is a biomedical peer-reviewed medical journal. The topics cover range from academic essays, to statistics, global health trends, etc.

JAMA is a highly-influential publication, and one of the most popular out of all medical journals. As a premed, this is a necessary read.

Know of Any Other Medical Literature for Premeds?

If you have any suggestions, please share them below! These are some of the better-known medical/science publications, but there are plenty more out there. Try to seek them out yourself.