<p>I'm currently in my first semester as a Philosophy major but the more I think about it the more I realize I've made a mistake in not taking physics as well (or instead of). I love philosophy and physics equally. Philosophy comes very easy to me, I can breeze right past it. But then physics--science and math being a challenge for me--is another story. I love physics more than anything and more than anything I wish it came easily to me like philosophy does. </p>
<p>So I was wondering how hard it would be to do both, physics and philosophy? Both incredibly time consuming. Philosophy more in the sense that the papers have to be long and thought-out (which isn't a problem) and with physics I would probably need to spend extra hours on it with tutoring and everything.</p>
<p>And then there's the prerequisites for med school. Half of which I think I'll probably be taking at Harvard summer courses (maybe, I haven't given it much thought) and some would overlap with physics like Calculus and obviously physics.</p>
<p>But is it doable? I don't want to leave philosophy. I definitely want to go to med school. (Actually I don't really want to but as much as I would love writing papers and journals my whole life it's not a viable future. And don't give me that--you can't go to med school unless you have a passion for it! Yeah I got it thanks. I love science no matter how terrible I am at it.) And I so desperately am yearning to learn physics. Please don't suggest a minor if you can. </p>
<p>And keep in mind that I'm one of those people that can be their whole life in school (yeah I wish) and love it. So going to school in the summer, winter--whatever I have to do--wouldn't be a problem. I just don't know if I will be able to take physics and actually do well. </p>
<p>Physics and philosophy are surprisingly often done together. I have had a number of advisees who majored in physics with a minor in philosophy. It is also possible to go to medical school after a B.S. in physics, however, you need to take some pre-med prerequisites that are not usually part of a physics curriculum (most notable a full year of organic chemistry) and a bit of biology and biochemistry wouldn’t hurt either.</p>
<p>So, can you do it all? That depends on you. I would encourage you to look into the physics major and take the pre-med prerequisites in your second and third years. As you go on, you will be able to determine if med school is actually what you want to do after graduation. If you have a physics degree, there are options other than going to medical school and writing philosophy papers for the rest of your life.</p>
<p>My advice to you would be: don’t do it. Double majoring can make sense when there is significant overlap in the prerequisite courses between the two majors, and it won’t take you a long time to finish the two degrees. However, Physics and Philosophy typically have very different course requirements, and it’s likely that doing a Physics double major would set you back two or three years. In the same amount of time, you could be basically most of the way through medical school if you decide to go down that road after all. Those extra two-three years could make a HUGE difference in your career trajectory and lifestyle, or may not affect it at all. Either way, I would say that you should consider taking courses in Physics that interest you on the side, in addition to taking the pre-med requirements.</p>
<p>I actually know two physics/philosophy majors here at my school, it’s possible to do, but make sure it’s what you want. I am a physics major and I will say that physics is an intensely rewarding yet incredibly hard major. Don’t do it unless you have a passion for physics, it seems to me from observation that people who do physics for the wrong reasons can end up really miserable. It takes a ton of time and dedication, but when I have those moments of understanding, for me it’s worth it.</p>