Biochem and Italian w/ Study Abroad

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>(Let me preface this by saying that I hope this thread is specific enough to be a standalone and that I'm not grating on anyone's nerves. My apologies if this is not so; I'm not well-versed in forum etiquette.)</p>

<p>Hello everyone, </p>

<p>I'm just wrapping up my first semester at SUNY at Buffalo, and it's my plan to go on to Med School (specializing in anesthesiology later on). Possibly here, possibly elsewhere - it all depends on where I can get in. Anyway, I have been reading a lot of the threads on here about which major to choose, and how you should go with the one that most fires your passions.</p>

<p>One of my passions is science, especially things like physiology, but it has also been a goal of mine to become fluent in Italian. In fact, while I came here with Biochemistry in mind, I'm becoming more passionate about Italian with every class I attend - and I hope to take a semester to study abroad in Italy as well.</p>

<p>I've been considering a dual major in both it and my original goal - Biochem. Is that a good idea?</p>

<p>I know a lot of students change their minds when they get to college about going to med school, but it's still quite high on my list. I think I'm doing well in all of my science classes. Granted, they're only introductory courses - which makes me worry about the future. My major is sending me along the track to take not only things like organic, but also physical chemistry (which apparently is a nightmare) and adv. org. It also includes undergrad research, so it's pretty full. Unfortunately, going with ITA will also take up a lot of time. I would be reading Dante while also trying to focus on pre-med and BCH.</p>

<p>Is that just plain unfeasible? We did a "Degree Program Assignment" to map out our future courses and it looks like I'd be able to do that while taking fewer than 20 credits (or exactly 20 credits) every semester, although I didn't factor in all of my Honors requirements. I'm taking 20 now, but again they're only introductory, so I tried to lessen the coursework every semester (down to about 15 credit hours in senior year and with one of those semesters planned for studying abroad). I took a lot of college courses and APs in high school, so I'm just a little ahead of the game. I even got out of Calc 141 and 142 - which was awesome...unless it's a disadvantage with Med School Apps?</p>

<p>And there's another complication - my SAT score exempted me from the Eng requirements of the Gen Ed program, but I believe I'll still need a year of English for Pre-Med. Is that true? If so, I'm going to have to work it in somewhere, which will further crowd my schedule. I don't have a lot of time for extracurriculars, either, because I'm pretty much spending my life studying. Should I prioritize ECs at this point? (I haven't participated in any thus far.)</p>

<p>One final question, which is a little off-topic: is it better to major in Biochem or just normal Chem as a fallback if I can't get into Med School (taking into account another major in Italian)?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance! (And I apologize for the length of this.)</p>

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<p>It depends. There are plenty of successful med school applicants with double majors who never took less than 20 credits/semester. (D2 managed it.) Not terribly unusual. </p>

<p>However, some practical considerations: Will you be able to avoid any summer courses and still graduate on time? Will you be able to complete all your required science coursework around your study abroad? You, hopefully, will be interviewing your senior year–which will require alot of travel time away from campus. Will you be able to be complete all your coursework successfully with frequent absences during your senior year? Will you have sufficient free time to devote to studying for your MCAT when you’re also carrying 20 credits? And most important, will you be able to maintain a 3.65+ GPA and sGPA while carrying that courseload? If the answer to any one of those is no, then you need: 1) to reconsider your double major; 2) plan on taking an extra year/semester to graduate; or 3) only apply to med school after graduation.</p>

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<p>Not a disadvantage for med school so long as AP credit is recorded on your transcript as equivalent to Calc 141-142. Are you planning on taking more math? (You’ll find PChem easier if you have more math. BTW, don’t dis PChem, D1 loved it and thought it was both “beautiful” and pretty easy. Of course she’d had 2 semesters of quantum mechanics before she took it. But seriously when she was TAing PChem, she said the students who had the worse time were the ones with the most limited math skill sets.)</p>

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<p>Sort of. You’ll need a year of “writing intensive” credits on your transcript. Writing intensive does not necessarily mean English classes. You will need to check with your college’s Academic Advising Office to see which courses are designated as writing intensive at your school. (For example, D1 took an upper level philosophy as her second “writing intensive” and D2 got one writing credit for a math research class which required 3 major papers (40 pp. ea.) and another writing credit for her senior thesis in neuroscience.) </p>

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<p>While academics (strong GPA + good MCAT) are important for med school, unless you have meaningful medically related ECs, you won’t get accepted. Academics only gets your application past the first round of screening; it’s your ECs that get you invited to interview. You’ll need a record of community service, clinical volunteering and physician shadowing. If you’re planning on going abroad, you won’t be able to do these things abroad. When exactly were you planning on getting around to doing your ECs? </p>

<p>I also have to comment that if you’re spending your entire life studying–you’re doing it wrong. Successful med school applicants learn how to study efficiently and to find a healthy work-life balance. The old saying applies: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. And med schools are looking for smart, interesting people who have a life outside the classroom.</p>

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<p>Really doesn’t matter whether you choose chem or biochem–job prospects for both are equally bleak.</p>

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<p>Thanks, that was very informative! </p>

<p>I will definitely have to consider all of this…Maybe I should just forget about med school entirely and start studying to be an interpreter. I’ve always wanted to learn Arabic, too.</p>

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<p>While Arabic is in demand for law enforcement/national security fields, Italian really isn’t a language with a high need for interpreters.</p>

<p>If you really are interested being an interpreter, consider adding more languages. One of D1’s former roomies is making a successful career as interpreter, but she is fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, Slovenian (her native language), Czech, English and Hungarian. (She may also have German or Greek, but it’s been awhile since I asked about her and all I can remember is she spoke a crazy number of languages and was always learning a new one.) </p>

<p>She’s also certifed as a legal document translator in all of those languages.</p>