I don't know what major to choose

College Majors Science Majors
1

<p>Next year, I will be enrolling in college.</p>

<p>I know I have some time to decide on my major, but this is my problem.</p>

<p>Over the past two years, I've wanted to major in physics and maybe mathematics.</p>

<p>But, there's come a time when I'll start thinking of medicine and how interesting that field must be.</p>

<p>So, how can I choose? </p>

<p>Pros Medicine: Great salary, interesting field, save lives
Cons: Med school is expensive</p>

<p>Pros Physics: I'd love to learn physics, astrophysics.
Cons: Medium salary, hard to find job (?)</p>

<p>Maybe you guys can guide me in right direction.</p>

2

<p>Is Biomedical Engineering an option?</p>

3

<p>dude everybody and their little brother wants to be a doctor. do physics.</p>

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</p>

<p>This kind of thinking is short sighted. Advances in technology enabled by physics research has saved more lives than any old doctor.</p>

4

<p>You know that medicine is not a major? Medical training is a postgraduate endeavor. First you need an undergraduate degree in any field of your choice - physics, for example. Along the way you would have to take a set of classes commonly knows as “pre-med requirements”: 2 years of chemistry, 1 year each of biology and physics, and a calculus class. Pre-med requirements combine really well with any science major! </p>

<p>You have plenty of time to study physics and explore your interest in medicine before you need to decide whether or not to apply to medical school in your senior year in college.</p>

5

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<p>Pretty much says it all. Biomedical engineering and medical mathematics (this is an actual major at a lot of premed schools) would be good choices.</p>

6

<p>Go ahead and major in physics or math and do your premed requirements. It will be a major you’re interested in and can get a related job should you decide not to go to (or not even get into for that matter) medical school after college.</p>

7

<p>I want to reiterate that medicine is not a major. Most pre-med students are biology majors but you can major in pretty much anything as long as you satisfy the course requirements. </p>

<p>Since you’re a junior in high school, you still have time. My advice is to go to college and take some pre-med courses (biology, chemistry, etc.) and some physics courses and see which one you like.</p>

<p>Biomedical engineering or something similar might be a nice way to reconcile your interests.</p>

8

<p>I don’t understand why you assumed I was a junior. I’m actually a senior.</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone for helping me. I just don’t know yet :/</p>

9

<p>Follow your heart, not your wallet, and you’ll be happy.</p>

10

<p>If you’re in it for the money…you shouldn’t major in Physics because the average salary isn’t close to that of a doctor. You should major in Physics because you love it.</p>

11

<p>If you like math…
actuarial science?
statistics applied to epidemiology?</p>

12

<p>I am not sure that pricing insurance policies would appeal to an aspiring physicist or physician.</p>

13

<p>Speaking of insurance policies, I heard that certain car insurance companies reduce their rates for clients that have an engineering or science degree. I thought that was sort of amusing.</p>

14

<p>They do it for a number of degrees, but your degree has to be in exactly in one of the fields they accept. For example, I’m a Materials Science & Engineering major and while Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering are all listed for discounts, my relatively small field isn’t included so I don’t get the discount. :mad:</p>

15

<p>Ouch, that’s a shame. Maybe you could convince them of its rigor, but, eh, that probably won’t work.</p>