<p>I've harbored a vague interest in med school for a long time, but I sort gave up on it when I realized I wasn't much of a math/science person. In high school, I've been extremely strong in history/English/languages, but I was never great at science and I'm in pre-calc as a senior. However, recently I've started to think about it again.</p>
<p>I think a lot of my disappointment with science came from lack of interest/effort; it's not well taught at my school, and I never bothered to put the time in. I think with better teachers and more effort on my part I could actually do pretty well (for now, I'm just a B or B+ student). Math, though, I'm just lousy at. My SAT is a pretty good indicator of that; 800 reading and writing, 630 math. I'm fairly certain calculus is a prerequisite for med school (?) so would I have any chance in that?</p>
<p>I guess my overall question is how math and science oriented is med school, really? I think I have other traits that would make me a reasonably good doctor/hopefully make up for academic shortcomings. I have good people skills, I don't panic in emergencies or freak out from blood/injuries, I want a career with helping people, and I work hard for things I'm interested in. Should I give up on med school now (currently a senior in high school) or perhaps think about it more when I'm in undergrad? Any advice is appreciated :)</p>
<p>Calc is only required at xx med schools. Others will accept Stats. But the issue that you will face is that Gen Chem and Physics, two required subjects, do have a lot of math, particularly physics. Sign up for Gen Chem and see how it goes.</p>
<p>I’d suggest that you look at what’s required for the MCAT, and then look at a few medical schools to see what they specifically require, as it varies-a bit-from school to school. The MCAT website will give you a sense of what they test, and the schools will let you know what they require-and you can then decide whether it is the type of stuff you’re interested in studying. While you can major in almost anything, there are certain core courses-e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and their labs-which are pretty much required everywhere.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, guys-- I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>@bluebayou-- I didn’t know that stats was acceptable, thanks. I’ll try gen chem and maybe calculus and see how it goes. I think part of the reason I’m a little self conscious about my math/sci skills is that I go to arguably the most competitive math/sci HS in the state. I’m not anything special here, but I think in a less competitive (read: insane) environment I’d actually be alright.</p>
<p>@crankyoldman-- I will definitely check out the MCAT’s site, thanks for the tip. I know you mentioned that you could major in most things, which is what I’ve heard from other people, so do you think it would work if I majored in IR/African studies? That’s what I applied as and what I’m planning on majoring in. Is that acceptable provided I take the necessary classes (calculus, organic chemistry, whatever) in addition to my major’s classes?</p>
<p>Med school requirement science courses at many undergrad schools can be very cut throat and are often graded on very strict curves. They often act as “weed out” classes. I think you’re mistaken if you think that college math and science classes will be less competitive than your high school.</p>
<p>As long as you take the required courses, medical schools don’t particularly care what you major in; HOWEVER there is disagreement about whether a science major is better than a humanities major, as it may be viewed as more difficult(I don’t sit on an admissions committee, so can’t say if this is accurate or not). That said, there are core required courses which have to be taken no matter what your major. A suggestion: take a look at at Mt. Sinai Medical School’s Humanities and Medicine program.</p>
<p>Only by STEM premeds who can’t stand the competition from those slackin’ hume majors. :D</p>
<p>A case could be made that the top med schools favor science types bcos top med schools tend to look extremely favorably on research in admissions (and ‘research’ ain’t that easy to do in Russian Lit). Med schools lower in the food chain don’t care.</p>
<p>* how math and science oriented is med school, really?*</p>
<p>none at all…it’s really a 4 year pottery-making class…but don’t tell anyone.</p>
<p>Seriously? Of course med school is a lot of science…that’s its most basic foundation. </p>
<p>Of course you don’t have to have a science major to get accepted to med school, but if you “suck at sciences”, how will you do well in the pre-reqs and how will you be able to stand med school?</p>
<p>I don’t understand how anyone who “sucks at sciences” can be a good med school applicant or med school student.</p>
<p>* I’m a little self conscious about my math/sci skills is that I go to arguably the most competitive math/sci HS in the state. I’m not anything special here, but I think in a less competitive (read: insane) environment I’d actually be alright. *</p>
<p>The pre-reqs will be worse in college…even at a “good, but not top school”. The people who have to take those classes are generally the best on campus because of what their majors/career goals are.</p>
<p>I think I have other traits that would make me a reasonably good doctor/hopefully make up for academic shortcomings.</p>
<p>Your other traits won’t matter if you don’t have the academics. Med schools get so many applications, they can’t possibly read them all–so they use a screening rubric (done by a computer) based on your GPA, sGPA and MCAT score. Your application won 't even get looked at unless you have good science grades.</p>
<p>*I’m a little self conscious about my math/sci skills is that I go to arguably the most competitive math/sci HS in the state. I’m not anything special here, but I think in a less competitive (read: insane) environment I’d actually be alright. *</p>
<p>Please realize that ALL pre med classes are pretty much the epitome of “insane” according your definition. They’re incredibly competitive even at non-top schools. Hundreds of student all vying to be in the top 10% of the class since those are ones who will get the A’s. You’re going to end up competing against exactly the same kind of students you’re going to high school with…</p>
<p>BTW, the content of the MCAT will change in 2015 (right about when you’ll be taking it…). It will have more science and more math than the current MCAT, as well a whole new section on human behavior. (The new science content will include calc, stats, experimental methodology, biochem, genetics, cellular & molecular bio. The human behavior section will cover ethics, sociology and human psychology.) </p>
<p>If you really, really don’t like science and math, think hard about why you think you want to be doctor. There are so many other careers out in the world–most of which you’ve never heard of. High schools (and many colleges) do a really lousy job of educating students about careers.</p>
<p>…on the other had, most science (all?) in Med. School is not conceptual, it is memorization. You might be good at it, despite not being very good at Gen. Chem and Physics which require strong math background.</p>
<p>You sound so much like myself when I just started college! I also was extremely worried how I would do in my pre-med years because I struggled all throughout highschool in math and sciences while breezed through History, English, and Art with A’s. </p>
<p>In high school, I got B-s in Chemistry and Biology. B’s in Physics and a C+ in Geometry. However, medicine is what I want and I made the decision to work my butt off in college and guess what? It’s paid off! </p>
<p>I just finished up the first part of Bio and Chem without a single AP science class in high school and made an A- in Bio and a B+ in Chem. My chem class (at a top 25 university) is undeniably a weed out class and many of my friends with 4’s and 5’s on the AP test dropped out of the class or getting B’s. How did I make it through? </p>
<p>I went to every single office hours (that’s 4 hours a week outside of studying!), studied chemistry 13 hours a week (my professor only recommended 8), did much more homework than was assigned and got a tutor. In short, I went above and beyond to get that B+. For Bio, I reviewed the material constantly between classes and during the weekends (Which is much more than I can say the other freshman did). After that semester, my confidence shot up. BELIEVE in yourself and be willing to SACRIFICE to get into medical school (especially since you know you are weak in science and math, just like me).</p>
<p>PS: I went to a super competitive high school girl! I feel you! College will be about the same level of difficulty unfortunately. In my experience, science at college wasn’t easier than science at my high school. It was the same :/</p>