<p>(using smileys because I don’t know how to insert bullets)</p>
<p>My situation: </p>
<pre><code> I know for sure that I want to be a surgeon. It is the ONLY thing that will give me a happy and fulfilling life because there is no other career I would rather pursue. I will never say “I hate my job” if I become a surgeon. Some may ask, “How are you sure if you’re only 17?” I have a very personal reason (which is the topic for my Common App essay).
I will major in art no matter what. Even if I end up double majoring, one of them would be fine arts. I have a long list of prestigious art awards, my portfolio is great, and getting into RISD itself won’t be a problem. My private art teacher sends several students to RISD every year; he says my techniques are better.
Brown only lets you apply to PLME OR the RISD Dual, not both
I am applying ED to Brown
I can’t decide which program to apply to. I can’t afford making the wrong choice because both are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
</code></pre>
<p>:( :(</p>
<p>Question:</p>
<p>Which program is a better fit for me? </p>
<p>I know the “deal” for each program.</p>
<p>PLME= guarantee spot in med school, choose any major you want (for me, art)</p>
<p>Dual= RISD art degree, another Brown degree, but must apply to med school later on</p>
<p>If you are a current Brown student, alum, or parent with experience with these programs, please give me advice. </p>
<p>Don’t major in something simply because you are good at it… Make it a hobby… Unless you’re extremely smart or know the basics of medicine, I would highly recommend that you stay away from art… You will regret it later… Especially when you want to be a surgeon… It’s no walk in the park even if you had a premed major. Major in something like physiology… Biology… Chemistry… Something along the lines… But ultimately it’s your choice. As for your dilemma… I would go for the school that guaranteed you a spot</p>
<p>Here is an example of one of my earliest works. It was my first oil painting ever (from 2.5 years ago). My skills have improved since then, but I don’t want to publicly post my new paintings here because I entered them in a national competition. </p>
<p>I paint because I am passionate about it. If it wasn’t my hobby, I wouldn’t spend 5+ hours on on the activity everyday! :)</p>
<p>I’ve heard that med schools are looking for diversity instead of filling their classes with Bio majors. I will never game the system by choosing my major based on what I think they want. I want to major in art because I can’t imagine myself giving up on it.</p>
<p>Your scenario is very unique. I can understand why the PLME people don’t have an option for RISD dual folks. I suggest you speak directly with Brown representatives and discuss your unique situation.</p>
<p>PLME is extremely exclusive, unless you have a 4.0 UW and a 2400 sat along with countless awards and maybe a nobel prize thrown in there then PLME is a crapshoot.</p>
<p>The RISD dual art degree sounds much more realistic and what I would do is apply to the dual art program and just take pre-med classes at Brown. If you really do want to become a surgeon asap it wouldn’t hurt but you’d lose out on the art degree.</p>
<p>Would it be better to email thebruinclub@ gmail .com , where a student knowledgeable in the field of the question will answer, or the Admissions Office directly? I’m sad that their site doesn’t say anything about adcoms in my region.</p>
<p>Apply to RISD you can always apply to med school from there. But if you go to PLME then you will have to do surgical residency immediately after and you will not have time to pursue your art degree.</p>
<p>Either the RISD dual degree program, or PLME fit with your goals. RISD dual: art at RISD, and Bio or similar concentration at Brown to do your premed requirements. PLME: accepted to med school, can “major”/concentrate in Art. (and take some courses at RISD, more difficult but possible). Agree it would fit your purpose best if you could combine both, doesn’t hurt to ask. Another question would be if since Brown does let some PLMEs defer the med school portion a year (usually to get an MPH, or do more research, not a “non-med field”) to ask now if that would be an option if you got into PLME to do say an MFA at RISD or other for a year?
Now thoughts: it is difficult to get into med school (and more difficult to get into PLME) so my guess is that if you can get into PLME you have better odds of ending up the way you envision yourself than trying to get the grades in orgo etc to get into med school while doing dualRISD. (Although if you are qualified to get into PLME then you are studious enough to likely do well as a standard PreMed. )
Another thought /to ask admissions is if you are ED applicant to PLME, and rejected/ deferred, can you change your regular admissions part to RISD dual? (my guess is not, but as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.)
I think you are going to likely have to decide what kind of student / experience you will fit best with and love better. You (and maybe others who know you well) are really the only place for answering that.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would do the Brown-RISD Dual Degree. It’s selective (of course), but based off the link you sent me, you would be a great fit. Always stay passionate about the arts!</p>
<p>I’m putting down 5 yr Dual because people say there is no way I will get into PLME. I will completely resent being older than everyone in med school though. :(</p>
<p>“I will completely resent being older than everyone in med school though.”</p>
<p>Mistaken assumptions in two areas. 1) Many first years are beyond the 22-23 age bracket in most medical schools. I knew people who were at med school as a 2nd career, with full families. Med school isn’t solely the next waystation after college for many people.</p>
<p>2) the difference btwn a 22 y.o. and a 28 y.o. is negligible. Once out of college, things meld together. really.</p>
<p>And Brown really encourages the “gap” year etc. Except for the PLMEs, about 2/3- 3/4 of Brown’s premeds take 1-2 years between graduation to medical school start, so you will be right in with your other premed classmates.</p>
<p>Someone else on another thread said, “Address your passions while they are still passions. Later in life, passions get smothered by needs and exigencies of life.”</p>
<p>I will take that advice to heart and apply without regrets. CC is so useful <3</p>
I know for sure that I want to be a surgeon. It is the ONLY thing that will give me a happy and fulfilling life because there is no other career I would rather pursue. I will never say “I hate my job” if I become a surgeon. Some may ask, “How are you sure if you’re only 17?” I have a very personal reason (which is the topic for my Common App essay).