<p>Hi guys. I'm a sophomore Aerospace Engineering major at a good university. After two years, I've decided that I would much rather go into medicine than stay in engineering. I've noticed that every time I read a magazine article about a disease or certain medicine, etc, I'm completely consumed in the article. I constantly catch myself googling certain diseases and other medical related things that interest me. I have never even taken a college-level bio class, but I'm ready to switch into pre-med. My major would be Chemistry but I would also get to take Bio/Micro/A&P. If I switch to Chem I CAN still graduate in 4 years if I take a few summer classes. </p>
<p>I've done very well in engineering with a 3.96 GPA and I've taken all the math/physics classes that I would need. I've also taken the basic chemistry classes. The problem is that when I switch to chemistry, I probably won't finish all the bio classes that are required for the DCAT or MCAT until the summer after my junior year at the earliest. That would put me taking the test in August after my junior year at the absolute earliest. Would that put me at a disadvantage?</p>
<p>To put it concisely, I can graduate in two more years, but I'll have to cram all the bio classses into this next year (Although it's entirely doable), but that would have me taking the MCAT late. Would it just be better to take the MCAT during my senior year? I trying not to be put at a huge disadvantage because I'm starting pre-med a bit late. I've also heard that you can't start med school in the spring, and I surely don't want to finish my four-year degree and then have to wait a full year to start school.</p>
<p>Yes, medical schools use rolling admissions, and as a result it would put you at a disadvantage if you applied in August. You need to get apps out by June after your junior year. You could do a gap year.</p>
<p>I think you’re going to have to take an extra year. Taking the MCAT in Aug is pretty late. June is probably the latest test to take if you want to apply in the next cycle. Dont rush into things.</p>
<p>or you can stick with engineering, and just take the premed prereqs. that might actually help with the timeline, and you’re doing well in engineering anyways</p>
<p>If your engineering program includes sufficient free elective space, why not continue and use the free elective space for any remaining pre-med course requirements? Though if aerospace no longer interests you, you may want to consider switching to a more general mechanical engineering major – it may be helpful if you do something involving prosthetic devices or other medical devices.</p>
<p>That may be less likely to delay graduation compared to switching to a different major. Also, chemistry and biology majors who do not go to medical or other graduate school do not have very good job and career prospects compared to most engineering majors.</p>
<p>I agree with the above…continue in engineering and take the pre-med req’ts. My son is pre-med and he’s a ChemEngineering major. Actually, many ChemE majors at his school are pre-med.</p>
<p>For pre-med, you’ll need</p>
<p>2 semesters of Bio
2 semesters of Gen Chem (which you have already taken, right?)
2 semesters of OChem plus lab
2 semesters of Physics (have you taken your physics?)
1-2 semesters of Calculus (which you’ve taken, right?)</p>
<p>Does your school offer any engineering classes in the summer?</p>
<p>I know this may sound crazy, but even if I switch to Chemistry, I will still graduate BEFORE I would have graduated in Aerospace Engr. The Aerospace Engr. curriculum is insane and has almost 140 hours, while the Chemistry curriculum is the standard 120 hours. Not only that, but the Aerospace curriculum allows NO free electives. So it would take about 160 hours to graduate with the required bio classes. In fact, none of the engineering curriculums here have many free electives at all. </p>
<p>If I switch to chemistry, I could take 13 hours per semester and graduate in just two more years because I’ve already completed the freshman and sophomore year curriculum for the Chemistry major. (except for O-chem)</p>
<p>And yes. Fortunately I have a very strong background in math and physics. All A’s in Calc 1-3, Differential Equations, calc-based Physics 1 and 2, basic chemistry 1 & 2, and many more physics-based engineering classes. When I switch to chemistry, I will just have to take:</p>
<p>Intro Bio 1
Intro Bio 2
O-chem 1
O-chem 2
Microbio
Anatomy & Physiology
Genetics
Biochem 1
Biochem 2
Linear Algebra (to finish out the Math minor)
12 other Chemistry hours</p>
<p>So I could probably do those in two years especially if I take a few summer classes. If I tooks a light load each semester, it would still only take 2.5 more years. </p>
<p>I can graduate on time, but I probably won’t be taking Microbiology, Biochemistry, or Genetics until senior year…and I have a hunch that it would reflect on my MCAT score as well if I took it during my junior year. lol</p>
<p>Also, will it look bad on my transcript if I drop a couple of the engineering classes I’m taking right now? I will have absolutely no need for them in a medical career, but I don’t want it to look like I just dropped them because they were too hard. I’m taking 14 hours right now of Aerospace classes, and it would really help me out to drop about 6 hours so that I can focus on doing some volunteer work and stuff like that for the rest of the semester.</p>
<p>so you only need to take bio I and 2 and ochem 1 and 2 for the mcat. you could do bio 1 over the summer, take bio 2 and ochem 1 next fall. then take ochem 2 in the spring along with studying for the mcat for the may test.</p>
<p>and well, i guess you should switch to chem after reading what you posted</p>
<p>I’m taking 14 hours right now of Aerospace classes, and it would really help me out to drop about 6 hours so that I can focus on doing some volunteer work and stuff like that for the rest of the semester</p>
<p>hmmmm…are you taking 14 hours TOTAL this semester? or more? If you drop 6 hours, will you be too low for financial aid (if you get FA). </p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a good idea to drop both classes. Maybe someone here will think it’s ok to drop one, but probably not two.</p>
<p>*If I switch to chemistry, I could take 13 hours per semester and graduate in just two more years because I’ve already completed the freshman and sophomore year curriculum for the Chemistry major. (except for O-chem)</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Are you sure? Are you sure that you only need 52 more credits of required Chem and pre-med classes for your degree if you change to chem? </p>
<p>BTW…don’t do “light loads” …it doesn’t look good. It will look like you can handle much at one time.</p>
<p>Can you please list what you’ve taken so far?</p>
<p>But doesn’t the MCAT have microbiology and biochem on it? I won’t get to take those until my senior year. </p>
<p>I’ll be taking:</p>
<p>Bio 1 and Bio 2 this summer. (8 hours total)</p>
<p>Ochem 1 with lab, A&P 1 with lab, genetics and linear algebra in the fall. (15 hours)</p>
<p>Ochem 2, organic synthesis & analysis, A&P 2, government 2, and a kinesiology in the spring. (14 hours) </p>
<p>I need 64 more credits to graduate with Chem, but I can get 12 of those out of the way during the summers. So yeah, 52 more hours during the regular school year.</p>
<p>I’m taking 14 total hours this semester. 12 of those hours are difficult engineering classes, so it would be great if I could drop a couple of classes to focus on other things. </p>
<p>As for the classes that I have taken so far:</p>
<p>Calc 1, 2, 3
Differential Equations
Calc-based Physics 1, 2
Foundations of engineering 1,2
General Chem 1, 2
Materials Science and Engineering
Statics
C++ Programming
Introductory Aerodynamics
Government
Microeconomics
History of the USA
Theatre History
The Process of creative thinking
English literature
English composition</p>
<p>Before rushing into any decision, consider the following questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Can you switch to some other engineering like general mechanical or electrical?</p></li>
<li><p>What if you do not go to medical school? Some types of engineering (e.g. general mechanical, electrical) are likely to be better for job and career than chemistry or biology.</p></li>
<li><p>Realize that being a biology or chemistry major will probably not be of any advantage among the hordes of other medical applicants who have the same major.</p></li>
<li><p>Can an engineering background help you in the medical profession, such as if you do something with prosthetics?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Is being a chemistry major a disadvantage though? I would hope that with a high GPA and high MCAT score (which can be achieved with hard work) coupled with good volunteer work and extra-curricular involvement would at least give me some chance of getting into med school (or even dental school)? I really don’t have any passion at all for engineering. I’m good at math and physics, but I just don’t having any passion for applying them to engineering.</p>
<p>I did not apply to medical school until I already had my degree in Astrophysics and I also took the MCAT in August and still got into medical school so it can be done. However, I do think I was disadvantaged. I applied to twenty medical schools and although I had a 3.6 GPA and a 31 on the MCAT I was invited to only three interviews which yielded a single acceptance. Fortunately, one acceptance is all you need.</p>
<p>Why would being a chem major be a disadvantage? I’m a bio major and got into med school. You’re not going to be penalized for your major and you’re not going to gain a big advantage for it either. As long as you do great in your premed prereqs, you’ll be golden.</p>
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</p>
<p>Not directly. They claim you only need 2 sems of bio, chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics to take it. I took biochem 1 during fall junior year (and MCAT after junior year) and thought it was helpful but not necessary. (Eg: We learned a TON about sugars and their chemistry in biochem, and there was a passage about sugars on the MCAT. Could have done it purely with bio and orgo knowledge, but having had biochem made it more manageable). Same idea with micro. In the end, adequate preparation (either self-study (talk to ChemFreak about this) or through a class (I chose Kaplan) will help you maximize your MCAT score.</p>
<p>Just a general question on your future classes: </p>
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</p>
<p>Seems like a TON of science, and likely some pretty hard sciences too. Keep in mind that it’s perfectly normal (and even advisable) to take non-science classes and classes in other disciplines (humanities, behavioral sciences, arts, etc) rather than strictly science classes. Don’t worry about taking A&P 2, synthesis, kinesiology, etc for med school/MCAT. You really just need the prereqs plus perhaps an upper level or two to round it out.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the help guys. What about shadowing? Is shadowing any sort of medical professional acceptable, or do they prefer that you shadow a physician, specialist, etc?</p>
<p>What subjects do you have passion for (other than the goal of becoming a physician)? If it happens to be chemistry and biology, then majoring in those can make sense, but if you have other academic or professional interests, you may want to take a major to satisfy those interests while taking the pre-med courses (most non-engineering majors have plenty of breadth / free elective space to take pre-med courses and more).</p>
<p>Regardless of major, you may want to include a statistics course, since many medical journal papers that physicians may want to read do statistical analyses.</p>
<p>NCG’s totally right, shadow physicians if you want to get into med school. Seems like a solid number to aim for is 80h–100 might be a little more ideal, 60 seems like about the minimum. You don’t necessarily have to limit yourself to 100 though; I personally found some great docs to shadow and logged hundreds of hours just because I liked it.</p>
<p>As for shadowing other health professions goes, you might want to just to see what it’s like and compare notes. Maybe check out a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physical therapist just to see what they’re like. In addition to providing you with some great experience, it might come up later one too. (Eg, while I was interviewing I mentioned my penchant for service, and the asked me “If you like helping people so much, why not social work or something like that?” Since I’d worked with a social worker, I had a great answer. Similarly, if they asked “why medicine? Why not PA or NP or PT?” having shadowed them might give you a better answer. Small benefit, sure, but a potential benefit nonetheless.)</p>
<p>I have a passion for math, some parts of physics, chemistry and biology. I just wrote everything out, and I could finish with the Aerospace Degree and the required bio/chem courses in 3 more years, but it would be very tough. That would be the ideal situation (because I’m also interested in joining the FBI, and they love engineers), but it would surely be very risky to my GPA.</p>
<p>Hmmm, if your greatest passion is for math, have you considered majoring in math or applied math or statistics? Such majors leave plenty of free elective space to take pre-med courses and other courses that you may be interested in (or may be useful in a medical career).</p>
<p>In terms of jobs and careers if you do not go to medical school, applied math and statistics (and physics) may be a bit better than biology or chemistry, although the [url=<a href=“http://www.fbijobs.gov/college/positions.asp]FBI[/url”>http://www.fbijobs.gov/college/positions.asp]FBI[/url</a>] specifically recruits biology, chemistry, and physics graduates for forensics (other majors they are specifically looking for include electrical engineering, computer science or engineering, accounting, and finance).</p>