The Power of Social Media for Premedical and Medical Mentorship

By Ashley Cianchini

In Medicine, mentors become the most important asset to thrive. The mentors we make along the way provide the most powerful insight on experiences they lived to keep us focused and motivated. Students without mentors often feel lost and have difficulty persevering through the biggest challenges in Medicine. Sadly, the traditional mentorship experience through shadowing, physician family members, or undergraduate experiences may often be inaccessible for some students, specifically underrepresented minorities and first-generation students. These students often become the first in their families to graduate high school or college. The dream of becoming a physician can feel extremely unachievable. Only 5.8% of the physicians in the United States are Latino, and only 5% are Black. This creates barriers for students with similar backgrounds, who struggle to identify with other physicians.

Coming from a small school in the middle of Puerto Rico, it was difficult for me to find guidance. I had always dreamt of becoming a doctor, but it was hard to find information about how to prepare, what classes to take, when to take the MCAT, and all of the costs related to applying to medical school. As I struggled to organize my path, I searched for other ways to receive mentorship and feedback. This mentorship came faster than I had hoped, as I stumbled upon an Instagram post by an alumni from my high school sharing news of her medical school acceptance. She had done it. She had gotten into medical school. I quickly messaged her, asking her for guidance through this process. I’m unsure if she knows the great effect her words had on me, but she has been the reason I have continued in Medicine. My inner thoughts transformed from “Can I really do this?” to “If she can do it, so can I”.

Why Social Media Works

Social media provides increased accessibility to these mentorship relationships. We can see how students study for their exams, apply to research programs and match  into residency. Thus, social media becomes an endless source of information and guidance for premedical and medical students. It also provides physicians from different backgrounds a platform to share their stories, helping students on the other side of the screen to identify with their message.

When I posted my own medical school acceptance letter, I did not expect so many students to reach out. The connections I made with other students during college gave them the confidence to message me, asking me to guide them. This motivated me to create my own mentorship platform: CianchiniMed. CianchiniMed started as a space for students from all sorts of backgrounds to receive mentorship and guidance, after not being able to receive it myself. My main message stood as “If I can do it, so can you”. In the past 4 years, I have provided mentorship to thousands of students, free workshops for their medical school preparation, and redefined the traditional mentorship relationship.

Most students message me with easy questions, such as how do I study for the MCAT or what prerequisites are needed, but others have much deeper dilemmas. One of my mentees asked me for advice regarding taking the MCAT as a mother and full-time nurse. We spoke about the pros and cons of applying as an older candidate, organized accessible resources for her, and made a year-long plan to prepare her for her MCAT. I cannot deny that the path was difficult for her. She struggled with studying for an exam in English as a Hispanic and re-learning material she took in college more than 10 years ago. The day she received her 515+ MCAT score, we were ecstatic. Her win felt as much as hers as mine. Through this entire process, I have never met her in person, but I have had the privilege of being a part of her journey.

Another student wrote to me because they couldn’t afford medical school applications. They lived with their parents and worked part-time to pay for college. Nevertheless, they didn’t want to give up on their dream of becoming a doctor. We coordinated a Zoom call, and I guided them through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, along with free resources to study for the MCAT. They didn’t know this program existed, but quickly applied and got approved. This student is currently in medical school, making their dreams come true. I have hundreds of stories like theirs to go around, all because I decided to make an Instagram page.

Benefits vs. Challenges of Social Media

It may sound very Gen Z to think that Social Media is this pivotal part of our lives, but for many students, it is! I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Social Media. Though, as good as it may be, Social Media may also bring challenges. People post fake content all the time or edit themselves to fit a certain social standard. This can affect the way students visualize themselves, thinking they aren’t fit for this career. Other people may only post happy parts of their journey, which I believe has both positive and negative effects. Seeing happy moments may motivate students to continue their path, but ONLY seeing happy moments may give the idea that it is ALL happy moments (which we know isn’t the truth). This content may romanticize a career in Medicine with unachievable standards. Students who don’t have straight, happy paths like the ones they see may be triggered to believe they are doing something wrong. Social Media creates another environment for competition and comparison, a much bigger one.

As a content creator myself, I have tried with CianchiniMed to reflect the most honest and real content. I want students to know the ups and downs of Medicine, how to persevere through the toughest times, and learn from my mistakes. Sharing stories of rejection and failure through social media is incredibly difficult. I often feel I will receive backlash or hate for not having a straight path. Nonetheless, I think of myself 5 or 6 years ago…what would I have liked to see from the creators I follow? I would have liked to see how they retook the MCAT and got into medical school, how they had to take a gap year, or how they balanced their social life and their career. I would have liked to see genuine content of perseverance and determination. It would have made me feel much less alone throughout the process of becoming a physician.

I cannot deny that I have certainly received hate regarding how I talk, where I am from, and the decisions I have made, but I also have received hundreds of messages from students going through the same situations as me. Students who needed someone to listen to them and motivate them. Those are the messages that matter; the rest becomes noise. Additionally, other students needed to see this real content to decide against a career in Medicine. It may sound counterproductive for my initial mission with my platform, but I have had students who have seen my content and decided on a different career path. Some students cannot visualize themselves dedicating 24/7 to studying, others didn’t love the idea of so many board examinations, and others had a different idea for their future lifestyle. I do believe that this helped them decide early in their career instead of quitting halfway through medical school.

Other medical creators

Other physicians have taken their role in sharing genuine content, too. On MATCH Day 2025, dozens of physicians and attendings shared their stories on TikTok about how they didn’t match to residency the first time they applied. After 4 years of medical school, receiving a letter saying you didn’t match to the specialty you applied to has to feel like the most heartbreaking moment of a medical student’s career. All of your training and studying have been for this moment, which can make this experience very difficult. In support, physicians shared their stories on how they coped through their experience of not matching and how this drove them to become the physicians they are today. In return, students felt identified with their stories, feeling much less alone in their journey. Without social media, this would not have been possible.

I believe that this honest content is what will change the competitive culture seen in Medicine. It normalizes obstacles and creates a cooperative environment for students. Medicine does need this cultural shift. With a physician shortage, we should be motivating each other to get into the career rather than pushing others down.

What YOU can do

To physicians, attendings, and residents, thank you for mentoring the future generation of doctors. Whenever you can, be honest with them and answer their questions when you can. Your words guide us every morning we wake up. Many of us don’t have anyone else to rely on through this journey. To students, don’t fear reaching out because your mentor may be one DM away. These relationships will take you very far in the search for your dreams.

Ashley Cianchini is a fourth-year medical student from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and is pursuing a career in general surgery. She founded CianchiniMed to expand mentorship opportunities for premedical and medical students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Her research centers on surgical oncology and disparities in pediatric surgical care for Hispanic populations, reflecting her commitment to equity and advocacy in medicine.