So, my future goal is to have a career in medicine. (I am a junior by the way)
However, people have been telling me I need chemistry to pursue such a career.
I don’t take chemistry, but I do take HL Math, Biology, and Psychology. I am also involved in a Health and Medicine pathway at my school as well.
So my question is this: is it better to go after a pre-medical program since I take Biology and Math, or a neuroscience program because I take psychology and biology? I only ask this because I do not take chemistry as a course, though I did take it for one year my sophmore year.
So thoughts?
your classes now don’t have to dictate your future career path… if you like medicine, then go for it you can take chemistry in college if you don’t get to it in high school
If you plan to pursue a medical career, you will be taking several years of Chemistry for most science related majors (General Chem/Biochem and Organic). You are not required to take Chemistry in HS, but having that background prior to college will help you in your college chemistry classes. Something to think about since many colleges use the General chemistry courses as “weed out” classes for potential Pre-Med students.
Med school admission requires 5 semesters of chemistry. (gen chem 1 & 2, ochem 1 & 2, biochem)
You can take chemistry for the first time in college, but it probably isn’t the wisest course.
Your GPA is critical for admission to med school. Chemistry (along with bio, physics and math) grades get looked at twice as part of the admissions process. Once as part of your overall GPA and again as your part of science GPA.
You need to earn those critical As in your science classes and your competition for those As will have taken have taken AP or HL chem in high school.
Can you still do well without taking chem in high school? Potentially yes, but it’ll be harder without a strong foundation from high school.
As far your college major---
Med school admissions committee don't care what you major in; only that you've completed the pre-reqs and have great grades in them.
BTW, there is no such thing as a major in "Pre-med" (except at Penn State)
Med school pre-reqs:
2 semesters gen chem w/ labs
2 semesters ochem w/ labs
2 semester bio w/labs
2 semesters physics w/labs
1 semester biochem
2 semesters of college level math, including 1 semester of statistics
2 semesters of English
1 semester intro psych
1 semester intro sociology
I’m confused. What did you do sophomore year that you did a year of chemistry but didn’t take chemistry as a course?