<p>I am having a really hard time choosing between law and medicine. They both have so many pros and cons. I have tried being pragmatic about it, but I always end up apprehensive with either decision. I feel like I like social science a little bit more than natural science, hence I would enjoy the curriculum for law moreso than medicine. However, I do still love a lot of science and might enjoy a career in medicine over law. I will not have had AP Chem or Physics prior to college. So I have this theory. If I end up leaning more towards law, then I will attend really prestigious schools such as Cornell or Northwestern. I know I could hack a social science major there, mainly because I have more of a knack for it. (hack, knack. haha) If I feel more like medicine then I will go to stellar schools but maybe not as rigorous (Emory, Tulane, Rhodes). I know I could pursue either direction with any of my schools; however, I fear I would die in organic chem and physics at the realllly difficult schools. Does this plan sound idiotic??</p>
<p>I would go to the best school that fits you. You can specialize in the legal side of medicine, as a way to combine the two.</p>
<p>bumpity bump</p>
<p>I think you’ll find that organic chemistry and certain other science courses will be difficult wherever you attend. Attempting to select “less rigorous” colleges for pre-med seems very chancy and not particularly advisable.</p>
<p>I understand that, but I think Organic Chem at Tulane would be quite a bit easier than at Northwestern. I have heard horror stories about Northwestern’s chemistry department. I’m afraid that I will get accepted to a top tier school and utterly fail in my pre reqs for med school. Is my fear well founded? I believe so. lol</p>
<p>I would recommend going to the most rigorous program as possible. Going to an easier program will definitely reflect itself as a lower score on the organic chemistry section on the MCAT. Do your best at this moment to get into the best program possible (Cornell, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, etc…) and you will place yourself in the best place to get accepted into the best medical schools…</p>
<p>Medical schools consider your grades as well as the average/mean MCAT score of students applying from your institution. Sure it will be easy to get an A at Tulane… but if the average MCAT score of a Tulane applicant is a 32 compared to a 35 or 36 score at Northwestern, Cornell, or Johns Hopkins… then a B would look more impressive at higher tier schools consider you are competing against a tough crowd of ppl…</p>
<p>Med schools want to know if you can handle drinking out of a firehose… because that is what medical school will be like… rote memorization of tons of information and examination of stuff that are very fine and detailed…</p>
<p>Go to a tougher school. There is no such thing as an “easier” medical school lol. So it’s not like you have the luxury of choosing the school that is right for you once you graduate. Standards and rigor across all medical schools should be at least 10 times harder than your average organic chemistry class… I guarantee you.</p>
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Enjoyment of science is just the starting point. Doctors do not stand around debating the finer points of quantum theory; they deal with sick and sometimes dying people. To get into med school, you have to have significant exposure to a medical environment. People get rejected for just this reason and invited to reapply after they get some experience, according to bigredmed (a frequent poster here who is a senior in med school). If your college decision hinges on whether you’d be a doctor, then you need to start getting this exposure now to help you decide. Volunteer work, paid job of some sort in a hospital, whatever.</p>
<p>Here<em>to</em>Help definitely said something that would might interest you. There are a few schools that offer joint programs (J.D./M.D.). I would suggest that if you do find love for both subjects.</p>
<p>If you’re not absolutely dedicated to medicine and excellent in all sciences (and I mean EXCELLENT), don’t hinge on going pre-med. Do you know what the attrition rate of freshman pre-meds are? The 1000 freshmen premeds are whittled down to 200 at most by senior year. It would be a bad idea to assume you will stay pre-med i nthe future, especially since you say you prefer the social sciences.</p>