Making the decision to go PreMed

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Ahh I'm super tired right now but am desperate for some sort of advice or objective input from total strangers.
I'm a Freshman in college, almost a Sophomore, and I have no idea what I want to do with my life. What else is new. But to speak frankly, I am not by any means an inept person. I was an Honors/AP student in high school, in the top 10% of my class, and am currently going to a ranked university that offered me about 75% scholarship money off the usual tuition.
I think I have great potential to do well in SOMETHING, some sort of field...I just don't know what! Business or Medicine is basically what I've narrowed it down to. I've tried to list out the pros and cons, and there is a long list for both of them.
In short, what's stopping me from pursuing a Business major/career is that I'm a girl--outdated thought, perhaps, but in reality, the most successful business execs are usually men. Plus, there is less stability job-wise also.
In medicine, I think it's pretty obvious. Being a doctor is extremely hard and stressing; one has to really enjoy and love what he/she does in that sort of field in order to reap benefits. You've got to be committed since it takes years of studying after all.
Both fields are competitive, and for the most part, only few actually become successful (whether or not you get that lucky business job, or accepted into a Med school).</p>

<p>I'm just at lost right now; maybe I'm just lacking confidence. I'm that the type of person that once my mind is made up, I'll follow through entirely, EXCEPT making up my mind is a fickle process :/ I know the rigors of Medicine, and what the job entails-- the long hours, the many sleepless nights, the stress, malpractice, etc. but I'm still very much fascinated and still have the desire to go in that direction. It's kind of the same for Business. What was your mind process in making your decision and sticking with it?</p>

<p>Perhaps I'm just very intimidated by it all...I really don't want to change my mind mid-way through whatever path I choose. But I'd have to choose one first. </p>

<p>In any case, aside from evaluating and analyzing Pro&Con charts, what I really want to know is, how does one find out what their passion in life is? Some people just seem to know that they have an inclination toward a certain subject, and pursue it regardless of salary. For me though, yes, I take future income and stability into account, but what would reassure me the most, is if I actually LIKE or LOVE what I'm doing career-wise. Feeling a little dejected and unfocused right now.</p>

<p>Let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you for reading!</p>

<p>Oh side note: I already volunteer at a Children's Hospital, and really enjoy my time there. I did it to observe the atmosphere of a hospital and to see if I fit in. Idk how I'm suppose to sort of do the same for Business. There are so many branches in Business, and its not like I have a degree yet to even intern. Ahh what to do :(
Sometimes I'm like "oh to hell with it all, I'll just marry someone" .... but even marriage is an unstable job in its own right nowadays.</p>

<p>AHHH one more thing (as if I haven't written enough):
Sort of a dumb and even naive question, but maybe not:::: How do you know if you love medicine and the medical field or not? I've posted this question in other places, and the usually response is "You have to love it." Well yes, of course, BUT HOW DO I KNOW IF I LOVE IT?! Really. I have no sense of direction with that since I've got zero experience in..well obviously, knowing what I like. What is it that intrigues you and brings you satisfaction in medicine?</p>

2

<p>Couldn’t you take the pre-med courses alongside your business major courses?</p>

3

<p>LOL. ahh that was a bitter laugh. That was my initial and brilliant plan during second semester: major in business, take PreMed courses. The reason why I’m sort of freaking out now is because I went to see the PreMed Adviser at my University today, and apparently, within the College of Business at my uni, you’re not allowed to have minors in other subjects. Also, because I live in Texas, there’s some law that dictates that for State Universities, you cannot have more than 150+ credit hours, or else you have to pay out-of-state tuition. The only way to bypass this is to finish my degree first, then take PreMed courses, but that messes with my desired timeline of going into Med school, assuming I go that route. I was considering majoring in something else, maybe a Liberal Art, but I haven’t even begun to consider what just yet.</p>

4

<p>OP, I think you are like DS when he was a freshman/sophomore. He even could not decide his major around that time. He ended up taking premed classes “on the side” and completed them very soon anyway. (It is quite another story if we are talking about fulfilling the requirements of his major. Who would take almost like 3 labs in one semester in senior year!)</p>

<p>I think he has made up his mind by now. Somebody just needs more time to make a decision and it is completely normal.</p>

<p>BTW, since you are from Texas: on the second look day at UTSW, some perspective student asked about how she could apply to an affiliated MBA program (I am not very sure about what it is though). The presenter from the medical school said: Anybody who is an MS student here is already qualified to be an MBA student and there is no need to apply. You are already in if you want to pursue that. Wow…they are so proud! (The real question is how these MS students can find time doing that at the same time.)</p>

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<p>Who is DS? Lol ah sorry! I’m kind of new to College Confidential, though I’ve read some articles and posts here and there :wink:
After a LONG discussion with my parents and some other people I trust, I think I may just continue taking the PreMed courses and not think about it too much. Apparently, I have the tendency to overthink situations, create problems and resolutions that never come to fruition anyway. I’m still as lost as ever as to what to major in though, because Business is no longer an option. But perhaps that is for a whole other thread, whether to major in Biology or something else I like and enjoy…</p>

<p>So so confused. I always thought I was above this transition thing, since I made elaborate plans for my future, but I’m just now (well more so for several months) realizing that I’m human, and stuff happens that is beyond my control. It’s right, what everyone says, trite as it may be; when you’re 18, you think you’re ‘on top of the world.’ Then reality kicks in. </p>

<p>…I’m so painfully young, aren’t I? </p>

<p>Ah. Maybe I’ll try and be optimistic and simply revel in this obscured state. Maybe.</p>

<p>But mcat2, how did you come to your decision, since you must have experienced something similar to the apprehensions I am currently having now? Was it something you always had an intuition about, or did you eventually come to love medicine, after pursuing it?</p>

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<p>DS is “Dear Son.” So I am a parent whose child was a premed and is going to a medical school this summer. I have been lurking here for some years, in order to learn what a life a premed may have, mostly for my own sake rather than for his – As you know, at some age, the child would rather learn everything from anybody but his/her parent :frowning: Wait…you may be an exception because you wrote “after a LONG discussion with my parents…”</p>

<p>Since I am not the person who has actually been through the process, I really do not know his experience/feeling at different stages. What I have done (or have been trying to do) is to be patient so that he could have enough time to make his own decision and find his destiny. He has been gone from the stage “being a premed ruins my college life” (when he was at a low point during his journey) to the stage “I think my life has been set.”</p>

7

<p>Taking pre-med classes isn’t a “minor”. </p>

<p>Don’t you have to take some science classes as General Ed?</p>

<p>And…150 credit hours…isn’t a Business degree about 120 hours? </p>

<p>Do they count AP credits in that 150 credits? (I don’t think so). </p>

<p>Anyway…you should be able to complete a business degree and take pre-med classes (again, it’s not a minor).</p>

<p>What classes have you taken so far?</p>

<p>If for some reason the school still won’t allow you to take pre-med with business, does your school offer Econ outside of the business dept? Some schools offer Econ in BOTH the b-school and also in Arts & Sciences (or whatever your school calls that college).</p>

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<p>OMG your like my twin or something. Except i have gone back and forth between public health and being a doctor. Try searching through my old threads for answers, it might help. Im a freshman also. </p>

<p>PS im still undecided. I have decided (for now) to just take my prereqs next year (sophmore year) and make a choice then.</p>

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<p>@mom2collegekids – The business degree I was looking at (information systems) is 122 credit hours. Adding on the extra science classes I would be taking that don’t count towards that major would be 40+ hours, which goes over the 150 cred. hour limit. This is what the PreMed advisor told me. Apparently, the whole reason TX has this law is because some students just stay in college forever, taking random classes, and never really get their degree. So now I have to suffer the consequence of that :frowning:
Anyway, he said that this law still wouldn’t be a problem if the College of BA allowed for minors, because then I could take all the necessary science classes, and make those my electives, and have a science minor. Rather than have a section for minors, the COBA just makes one take even more business classes in that field. A little confusing to explain, but thats the best I could do in a succinct manner. I’ll talk to my Business Advisor again though, just to make sure, that there aren’t any loop holes or something. It does seem a little ridiculous that I can’t major in Business and go PreMed. :/</p>

<p>@Pinkstuffz LOL I think I may just do the same. If things don’t work out in the Business section, I’ll probably just label myself as a Bio major and take the prereqs, then figure something else out. I’ve thought about this so much, and haven’t found any sort of resolution, that at this point, rather than lose my sanity, I’ll just take it easy and see what happens. Maybe I’m just being too dramatic and hasty right now.</p>

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<p>Oh! And if this info would help anyone possibly help me out? Lol, the classes I’ve taken so far are:</p>

<p>First Semester:<br>
Calculus I - 4hrs<br>
Microeconomics - 3hrs<br>
Communications - 3hrs<br>
History - 3 hrs </p>

<p>Second Semester:
Calculus II - 4 hrs (OMG never again)
Macroeconomics - 3 hrs
Biology I - 4 hrs
History II - 3 hrs
Music Appreciation - 3 hrs</p>

<p>So technically, I haven’t taken any unnecessary classes yet and can still switch my major easily. Its after this summer that I’ll find myself in some trouble.</p>

<p>Summer Semester:
Physics I - 4 hrs
Chemistry I - 4 hrs.</p>

<p>So…if that helps. Thank you so very much for all the replies so far; they really help me clear my mind :)</p>

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<p>

Just an observation here: It is generally true that if a major could possibly give you a job with your BA (or BS) degree only, e.g., engineering, finance/business/accounting, pre-pharmacy/pharmacy, nursing (in other words, “in trade” as the educated class several centuries ago would refer to), the departments have the power to force their students to take more of the classes in their department because of supply-and-demand.</p>

<p>However, if you major in one of these majors, you may have an extra burden of proving to medical school adcoms why you do not go into that career path that may be readily available to you after you are graduate with that major.</p>

<p>In short, the kids from a lower/middle class who are concerned about self-sufficient (just in case his medical school plan is dropped) are skrewed. (BTW, do you notice that the famous couple who just got married this Friday were geography and art history majors. – But their ECs and personal quality are beyond most common people could possibly achieve in their life time! Members from royal families do not study in the same way/style like the rest of us do. They really study for the study’s sake. At some “high-end” private colleges, you may see the similar, but not as extreme, kind of divide – those from the more moderate means as compared to those from “the other world.”)</p>

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<p>mcat2 – haha yes, I have noticed that. But for them, regardless of what they study, they’re pretty much predestined to take over the duties of the Queen, and possibly other government positions etc, later on. Their major doesn’t matter too much because they will have the opportunity first hand to be “trained” in a sense for those positions. Plus, they know they’ll be financially stable, so they just study what they like. Though I can’t claim its an easier lifestyle though. I think that within each person’s own life, it is never easy. Sometime I find myself wishing for someone else’s life, but ultimately life is unfair for everyone to a certain degree, and I am well aware of how lucky I am.
Which is kind of why I don’t want to screw it up by making the wrong decision :wink: But I guess I can’t really know whether or not something is “wrong” until I make it, huh?</p>

<p>OH and thank you for that clarification about the Business department minor issue! I wasn’t aware of their reasoning for have a more in depth business core. </p>

<p>Also, if you don’t mind my asking, what did your son ultimately decide to major in after taking his pre-reqs?</p>

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<p>^ A major which is often referred to as a “boring” major here: biology! However, his college is more flexible in what classes the students should take and in what order though – maybe with the exception of the “general education” classes. There are more strict rules about when you should take what in that area (e.g., AP/IB does not count, no classes can be taken at other college.) I think he had taken only two biology classes before he declared his major.</p>

<p>If you end up applying to medical schools in Texas, you do know that the number of required biology credits is “doubled” as compared to most other medical schools in the country, right?!</p>

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<p>Really? I didn’t know that! I haven’t looked at any other med schools besides those in Texas, which generally require 16 hours of Biology and/or 16 hours of Chemistry, along with many other courses.</p>

<p>Lol, and I understand what you mean when you say it’s considered “boring.” More so, I think majoring in Biology is what is typical for Health professions, which is why people say that to distinguish yourself, try majoring in a liberal art. But it is difficult to do, depending on what your university allows. I may very well major in Biology too, with perhaps a minor in something else (since the College of Science here lets me do that). I still have more thinking to do now that I’ve discovered that I can’t major in Business entirely.
But your son is going to med school in the summer? That is so amazing! Congrats to him :)</p>

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<p>Since you will need to apply to some/all Texas med schools and they have those extra req’ts, you probably should major in bio or chem…then you can minor in econ or something else.</p>

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<p>I posted this on your other thread, under the business major heading. I’ll repeat it here. Pre-med is not a major. You can major in whatever you want to major in. Medical Schools do not care what you major in as long as you take the required pre-requisite classes (and do very well in them) for Med School admission. In fact, it is looked as as an advantage to expand into something beyond the usual biology/chemistry majors. And, most physicians would be well served by having a business background. After years of extreme focus on math and science, they enter the world as new physicians woefully unprepared for the business side of their practices. (I’m saying this as someone from 3 generations of physicians in the family, from both my side and my husband’s side.)</p>

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<p>“The reason why I’m sort of freaking out now is because I went to see the PreMed Adviser at my University today, and apparently, within the College of Business at my uni, you’re not allowed to have minors in other subjects.”</p>

<p>-So, do not have minor. Just go for Business major and take pre-med requirements without delaring minor. I have noticed that you have taken some pre-med classes already. Medical schools do not care about your major or minor. They want to see high college GPA, decent MCAT score and you need to take pre-med required classes. Also, as a warning, do not take any pre-med requirements in a summer or at different school.</p>

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<p>No, I understand that. Initially, I wasn’t going to declare a minor at all. I just met with the PreMed advisor, to make certain that I was on the right track. All along I had planned to major in Business and take the additional premed science classes. But I figure, I may as well get acquainted with my PreMed advisor. When I met with him, he stated that there’s a law in Texas that says if I have more than 150+ credit hours at a state university, I have to pay out-of-state tuition. This was created to prevent students from staying in college for years and years. So, with my Business major, 122 credit hours, added to my premed requisites, 40+ hours, I would have exceeded that 150 hour limit. With other majors aside from Business, although still 120 some hours, there’s a section for minors, 27 hours or so, so this law doesn’t affect them at all. However, because the COBA at my university does not allow Minors, I can’t major in Business and take premed courses, unless I want to pay a larger tuition. </p>

<p>Which my parents said if I needed to, they’re willing to pay. Though it seems like a waste, since I’m paying very little right now.</p>

<p>It’s okay though. I just started the thread after long hours of thinking, but I’m taking it easier now. I’ll eventually figure out.</p>

<p>Thank you for all your helpful responses so far! And for your time in reading and posting.</p>

<p>Best wishes to everyone :)</p>