👑 What do international beauty pageants and medical school have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode of Med School Minutes, Monica Aguilar shares her remarkable journey from competing on some of the world's biggest pageant stages to becoming one of the top students in her medical school class.

Monica discusses what it really takes to compete internationally, the misconceptions surrounding pageantry, and how years of discipline, resilience, and hard work prepared her for the demands of medical school. She also reflects on balancing ambition with purpose, breaking stereotypes, and why she ultimately chose a career in medicine.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• What international pageants are really like behind the scenes
• The biggest misconceptions about beauty queens
• How pageantry helped prepare Monica for medical school
• Why discipline matters more than talent
• Advice for aspiring medical students
• Why there is no single path to becoming a physician

Whether you're considering medical school, curious about the world of international pageantry, or looking for inspiration to pursue an unconventional path, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine: https://www.sjsm.org

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00:00 Introduction
00:30 Meet Monica Aguilar
02:20 Breaking Beauty Queen Stereotypes
06:18 The Reality of International Pageants
13:08 Choosing Medicine
14:23 How Pageantry Prepared Her for Medical School
18:14 Monica's Future in Medicine
23:07 Changing the Image of Beauty Queens
26:23 Does Medicine Have an Image Problem?
33:49 Rapid Fire Questions
36:20 Final Thoughts

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