So I have always wanted to go to med school, but now that I’ve grown up a bit, I recognize its hard to get into, and I only have a 2150sat and 4.0 wgpa so I’m not certain whether or not I have what it takes. So I am looking for a major/s in which I will be prepared for med school, or able to make $400k+ at half career point. Sounds shallow I know, but financial success and independence is very important to me. Im great at math and physics and to a lesser extent chem and biological sciences. I was wondering if i should major in math and try to become like a hedge fund guy or something??? Or maybe Math + chemical engineering or Math+biomedical engineering? I figure many classes overlap, so the double major would be to crazy. I can enjoy any of the sciences or basically all STEM things, but I really want to be a neurosurgeon. I also want to make atleast $400k at the half career point. Any help is appreciated.
A 400k salary would put you in the 98th percentile for income. The chances of making that in any job are extremely small. Your best chances for that will also not be in a STEM field. I’m a STEM major. But you don’t pick it for that kind of money. You also don’t go into medicine with the primary goal of money, either. If that is a primary reason for picking medicine, it won’t get you into medical school. And most doctors don’t make that kind of money. The average salary for a doctor is 170k, and 200k for a neurologist. It’s also unrealistic to pick a medical specialty before you’ve even started college.
But if your goal is independence, you don’t need that kind of income. So why do you want to be a doctor? Or why do you want that high of an income? I’m sorry if I’m coming off harsh, but I think its important to understand your reasoning to figure out what the best route is to get there.
Dude 400k a year! Really? I would forget your premed ideas cause 99% of doctors don’t make that type of Money! I would do something buisness related and try to be an ibsnker cause those are the only people that kind of money
I’ve been in the Operating room to shadow, i really love the science and anatomy, as well as the hospital encironment and dynamic. I don’t have the opportunity to see what it’s like to be those other things, both my parents are in the medical field.
Also, at the local hospital conglomerate, UPMC, my mom works with orthopedic surgeons making 1-2 million a year, with the average being well over 600k, my dad knows an average UPMC neurosurgeon, he makes like 700k, with his colleagues reaching up to as far as 3 million a year. I think if I stay in this area and go for a surgical specialty, 400k is on the far low end of what to expect.
It takes a significant amount of training to reach the point where you’d be in a position to earn anything like that. Surgical residents tend to work 80-100 hours a week while making relatively little money for a period of at least 5 years after medical school, and 6-7 years for orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery (and longer if you subspecialize in a fellowship). After that, you’d still be working 50-60 hour weeks, and much more if you want the kind of incomes you’ve just mentioned. Keep in mind lifestyle, too–surgeons often take call.
Moreover, don’t choose a career based on some anecdotal data. Just because your parents know a few people, doesn’t mean that is typical. Furthermore, are those incomes net or pre-tax? Do they account for the significant amount of malpractice insurance surgeons have to pay, which can run from tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year depending on specialty and location? Do they account for the significant amount that goes to overhead if they’re in private practice?
If your only goal is money, you will likely be miserable as a doctor.
My goal is not only money, but also a science career, a nice environment to work in, being around smart people that wold make me better. I’ve always liked the hospital environment, and my dad’s job just seems so cool to me. I see it that it may be easier to go into another field, but it probably won’t have the interesting work environment or the good compensation.
From your last sentence, it does sound like compensation is the most (or one of the most) important consideration. That’s OK if you realize that all the issues described by @AuraObscura are absolutley correct plus you will have significant debt to pay off as well.
That being said, your initial question was what major is good for medical school. The answer is that you can enter medical school with just about any Bachelor’s degree as long as you have the prerequisite courses (you can look them up on Medical School web sites). Many students choose Biochemistry as a major since it pretty much includes all the prerequisites for medical school. The big problem is that the jobs for those with a B.S. in biochemistry are not terribly plentiful. Engineering is better (not Biomedical Engineering though) but your GPA might not be as high and you will have to take extra courses to make the pre-requisites. however, there are jobs for Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineers with B.S. degrees.
Thanks so much @xraymancs , I see what you mean about the undergrad degrees. My parents are, fortunately, paying may way through both college and medical school, since I have a hefty college savings account. To put my feelings another way, theres no reason to do something you like if you won’t be able to live comfortably, pay your kids way through school, and have financial security through life.
Of course, I can assure you I do not make anywhere near that much on a university professor’s salary (nor will I ever) but I have been able to do all those things and love my work…
@xraymancs, I get that, but I honestly feel like I would love being a surgeon. I get to help people, be the leader of a team, apply knowledge, teamwork, and logic in an interesting way. The money is a big draw, but I do not see an issue if the career in itself interests me as well.
I’m just going to say this now: if your parents have enough money to pay for college and all of med school you live an EXTREMELY privileged life. That said I recommend you definitely get out there with some work and internship experience before going out to the real world whatever you decide. It will give you valuable skills but may also help you appreciate how much an average American makes. 400k is an incredibly large number and I think you should be realistic as well as appreciative of the opportunities you have
To answer your original question you can major in anything and get into med school. It doesn’t have to overlap with the sciences but many students find it easier to do so
@shawnspencer I actually do not live a privileged life, my parents just had the foresight to start an account for me years before I was born, I don’t drive a nice car of have them buy me expensive stuff. Anyone’s parents could afford college and medical school (400k) if they invest smart and let things accrue for 25 years.
You live an extremely privileged life.
“Anyone’s parents could afford college and medical school (400k) if they invest smart and let things accrue for 25 years.”
Err… Nope. Sure, letting money accrue interest for 25 years makes it easier, but most people don’t have that kind of money in the first place, let alone before their kids are born, while trying to save for retirement, etc. I don’t think you realize just how lucky you are, financially.
I understand I am lucky, I am lucky that my parent’s sacrificed lifestyle for a long time to save for my future, I am even more lucky that they are both financially smart and that they care enough to not just blow money. To say privileged sounds as if they have me set for a cushy life, but honestly they just fought so I wouldn’t have to, and I couldn’t be more appreciative. I know kids who’s parents are much more wealthy that won’t pay a dime for school, and I know people who’s parents make less that are also paying for everything. I think it comes down to how much the parents think ahead, their generosity towards their children, and their financial intelligence and foresight.
There’s only so much your parents can contribute, though, when they earn a tenth of what your parents do. My parents were very frugal and big savers, so I was happy that they could contribute $10,000 a year to college for me. But there’s only so much money you can earn as pastor and public school teacher.
Basically engineering. Look, you can’t expect to make $400k per year at any point in your career. You can’t expect to talk about how your parents are going to pay for ALL your education and not get called privileged. I’m a biochem major though not premed. If you love science then major in that. But it really sounds like you just want a cushy life with a lot of money and no science major is ever going to give you that.
And by the way, it is abnormal that people’s parents pay for their medical school. Just so you don’t run around talking condescendingly about your parents’ “foresight” to other premeds. You’ll embarrass yourself by doing that. Because even if people’s parents COULD help them with $400k, most consider the children adults and their postgraduate plans their own responsibility.
If you want big money, you don’t want to go into medicine as a physician or go into academia for medical research. You sound like the perfect person to work for a big pharma company where all they care about is dollar signs. Perhaps a dual degree in science (biochem, chem, etc) and business would be best if you insist on a career in science.
Orthopedists average about $400,000 a year. They do not make as much as you are claiming here.