<p>Hey, I’m a freshman at Bama currently majoring in Nursing but I am interested in changing my major. However, I dont know to what exactly. I am interested in going to the medical field, but I would like to talk with an advisor first to get advice. Right now my advisor is with the Nursing College so I don’t know if she will be able to help. I am in the Honors College, but I’m not really involved with it. So I was wondering if y’all knew anybody that can help me look at my options? Thanks!</p>
<p>Hey Crimson32…Welcome to talking with us </p>
<p>I think that you need to ask yourself a few questions:
What were the reasons that you wanted to major in nursing?
Where do you see yourself in the next ten years as a medical professional?</p>
<p>Well honestly before I choose nursing, I had my mind set on going into a medical profession. I talked to my high school counselor and she went on and on about how difficult it would be, which planted the seeds of doubt and worry in my mind. So I switched to nursing. I just feel like I settled with nursing. I am really interested in orthopedics and sports medicine.</p>
<p>Crimson32, here is my full message, sorry that the editing got cut off. Hope this helps…</p>
<p>Hey Crimson32…Welcome, I hope that the info below will help you.</p>
<p>I think that you need to ask yourself a few questions:
What were the initial reasons that you wanted to major in nursing?
Where do you see yourself in the next ten years as a medical professional?
Have you taken any science courses yet, do you find them interesting?
Have you taken other classes that you find fascinating, like history or economics?
What is your current passion?</p>
<p>I am trying to determine if you have a true desire to work in medicine or perhaps someone thought that nursing would be a good career for you. If you excel in the sciences you might want to consider becoming a doctor (more years of education) or a medical researcher. Does the idea of being a nurse seem routine? You could consider a career as a nursing specialist; such as a Nurse Anesthetist. Perhaps if you like psychology, you might consider becoming a therapist. What I am saying is that there are many careers that involve medicine and helping people.</p>
<p>I am posing these questions so that when you speak to an advisor, you will be prepared and get the most out of your session.</p>
<p>That said, I think you should first speak with your nursing advisor because I am sure that many students have asked these same questions. Second, I would make an appointment with UA’s pre med advising. Here is the link: [The</a> University of Alabama Health Professions Advising Website](<a href=“http://premed.ua.edu/]The”>http://premed.ua.edu/) and again ask the very same questions. </p>
<p>Be open to the possibilities. There are many different medical career opportunities out there.</p>
<p>I have a niece who is an exceptionally caring individual who came to nursing after an initially different career path. I saw her this Thanksgiving holiday after finishing a 12 hour shift. The whole family had left but I stayed to have a late dinner with her, and I was so moved by the way she spoke about her patients and how much she cared for them. Even after a long, hard day at the ICU she reflected on their pain and their families sorrows (she was working with terminally ill patients). Being a nurse is certainly different than being a doctor but nurses nonetheless have an extremely vital and important role in the medical community. </p>
<p>I am not trying to influence you in any way, but if you have not had any first hand experience with patients (volunteering at a hospital), you may not fully understand what nurses do and how important they really are. </p>
<p>There is certainly a lot to think about when switching career paths. I hope I gave you some food for thought.</p>
<p>So is your goal now pre-med or similar?</p>
<p>If so, contact…
[The</a> University of Alabama Health Professions Advising Website](<a href=“http://premed.ua.edu/]The”>http://premed.ua.edu/)</p>
<p>you will need to change your spring schedule. The pre-nursing chem and bio classes aren’t the right ones for med school.</p>
<p>What classes are you taking this semester? What are you signed up for next semester?</p>
<p>You can major in whatever you want as a pre-med student. What do you like?</p>
<p>If pre-med, you need to take…</p>
<p>Principals of Bio I and II
Gen Chem I and II
Ochem I and II (the ones for science majors)
Physics I and II (or the ones that include Cal) must be the ones for science majors.</p>
<p>Cal I
and maybe Stats, BioChem, etc.</p>