<p>My junior son has an interest in pursuing medical school in the future. He is currently trying to decide what undergraduate degree to pursue. My thought is that it needs to be a degree in something that lends itself to solid employment opportunities in the event that medical school doesn't work out. We have discussed an undergraduate degree in nursing with the possibility of some day going back to school to become a nurse anesthetist if he is not admitted to medical school.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience or knowledge as to whether nursing is a viable undergraduate degree for someone that would like to go to medical school. My son is a very compassionate person and I really don't picture him in a profession that doesn't directly serve others. I really am not sure what he would do with a degree in a hard science if he went that route for undergrad and wasn't accepted into medical school.</p>
<p>Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Biology pretty much automatically fulfills premed course requirements, so it is a popular choice for premeds. But it has relatively poor employment prospects without medical or other advanced degrees, and may be seen as too one dimensional.</p>
<p>However, some other majors like math, statistics, most humanities, and most social studies leave enough schedule space for premed courses. Physics, chemistry, computer science, or business may be a tighter squeeze, and engineering other than bioengineering may be the toughest of all to squeeze premed courses into.</p>
<p>Note that some of these non-biology majors can be useful supporting subjects for those who do continue to medical school.</p>
<p>If he were to major in Biology or Chemistry or another major along those lines, with a few extra prerequisite engineering classes he may be able to get a Masters in Chemical or Biomedical Engineering should the medical school route not work out. I believe that to be the best route. Of 'course, it all depends on his interests and abilities.</p>
<p>Nursing has a reputation for being very easy, I would be worried about the impression of a nursing major to medical schools, even if he does well in all his premed classes. I am not an authority of nursing schools, nor on medical school admissions, so you should look further into that. I am merely bringing it up as a possible issue.</p>
<p>Nursing students and pre-med students usually take different classes–requirements may not overlap (nursing track is generally “softer”.) I do know a couple former nurses who became doctors after they worked as nurses for a few years. But I’m not sure where they had to start in the process to get premed requirements for med school application. This is what he really needs to ask at the college he’ll attend–what pre-med requirements will be fulfilled by the nursing degree?</p>
<p>Has your son considered becoming a PA or Nurse Practitioner?</p>
<p>H (history major/physician) worked with a med student today who was a Japanese major. Anything is possible.</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your replies. My biggest concern is him putting in the 4 years of undergrad with the plan of going to medical school and then that doesn’t work out. I really don’t want him living in my basement until he figures out what else he could do with a biology degree. I’ll talk to him about the other undergrad majors you all have suggested. He certainly could parlay one of them into a masters degree and an employable future.</p>
<p>We had the same situation with my son who is graduating HS this year. After many discussions he is focused on Athletic Training/Physical Therapy/Kinesiology as his undergraduate major with a plan A of Med School and a plan B of Doctorate of Physical Therapy/Sports Medicine as a plan B, and may take some time after completing his ungradraduate degree and work as an Athletic Trainer…</p>
<p>D1 started her undergrad studies in pre-Physical Therapy (my wife’s a practicing PT), then switched to Integrative Physiology with a minor in Psych. Took the MCAT three times and eventually got into a good D.O. school & is in her 1st year.</p>
<p>I believe it is generally thought that medical schools strongly prefer an academic major. Nursing, physicial therapy, kinesiology and the like will likely be viewed as vocational and may not play well with medical schools. They may provide a fall back plan than many other majors, but I don’t think medical schools are looking for people with backup plans. I’m not passing a judgment on these majors or suggesting they are not as challenging; this is simply what I read many times when working with my son on his medical school journey.</p>
<p>Nurse Practitioner here. A couple of the best doctors I know started out as nurses. I think the fact that they started as nurses is one of the reasons that they are the best doctors that I know; they were first socialized to be non-judgemental, empathetic, and communicative, and they learned to approach patients as whole people first, who have families and lives and concerns. They don’t see patients as a “blood pressure” or in terms of just one organ system - they think holistically. They learned how to make people think that things are their ideas (nurses do this all the time, especially with doctors but with patients too) so that people will be motivated to do those things.</p>
<p>But, fundamentally, the “nurse” way of thinking is way different than the “doctor” way of thinking. And, nursing may not encompass all of the prerequisites for medical school - for example, physics may not be required for nursing, but will be required for med school. Your son may discover that he would rather be a nurse, and this would be honorable! Nursing needs professionals who can be leaders in their fields - who will go to graduate school and take on leadership and non-traditional roles, so this is also an option. Nurses with Ph.Ds carry on important research and teach. Nurses work in all kinds of settings in the community - you would really be surprised.</p>
<p>I would challenge the poster who thinks that nursing classes are “easy” to take such a class in a well-regarded bachelor’s program. Marathon lectures one day, go to the hospital to read and prepare for patients in the evening, prepare well into the night, then clinical the next day starting at 7 AM, then grilling by an instructor regarding the patients. Often, written care plans need to be submitted with extensive knowledge of all medications given the patients, the developmental tasks faced by the patients, teaching plans for discharge planning, critical pathways toward outcomes, and more. Nursing students have way, way more responsibility than any other undergraduates; they are with families during the most poignant and stressful moments of their lives, comforting people who are ill or dying, giving emotional support to family members, relating to people of all cultures. I remember being the first student in my class to have a patient die while I was with him - he had advanced and painful cancer and so the code was called off quickly - and the conversation that I had with his wife during and after the brief code. 19 year olds in the military may tragically deal with death - but not too many 19 year olds in college!
When I was teaching nursing years ago, I had a student who had been an engineer and decided to study nursing while continuing to work part time as an engineer. He told me that studying nursing had made him a better engineer. I asked him why - and he told me that he learned, through nursing, how to communicate with people. People may think that they communicate just fine, but there is nothing like learning therapeutic communication techniques and applying them to many aspects of life!
I can’t tell you how many times I have been with a patient and doctor; the doctor explained something or gave instructions to a patient, walked out, and the patient said to me, “Could you please explain to me what he/she just said?” And, ask any of the physicians how many times they were “saved” in residency by experienced nurses who did not let them do something that would have endangered a patient.
You and your son sound like practical thinkers who will come to the best decision. Other employable-with-a-bachelors majors might be nutrition or geology. Good luck!</p>
<p>I think that there are many majors a person can do that will also lead to another career if the student doesn’t go to med school (because of grades, MCAT, or lack of interest).</p>
<p>A math major can do other careers</p>
<p>A stats major can do other careers.</p>
<p>Many science majors can do other careers.</p>
<p>Certainly, business majors can do other careers. </p>
<p>I think being a bio major might be one of the more limiting choices…but as mentioned above…certainly can become a PA…a growing career! </p>
<p>Unless your kid is the lazy sort, I don’t think you have to worry about him ending up on your couch. :)</p>
<p>Mom of another ChemE undergrad with dreams of med school. We attended a wonderful premed session at UT during S’s junior year. The guy said that 1 out of 10 kids who start college planning on being doctors actually do it. He said “I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind, but I AM telling you that you need a Plan B that will make you happy.” He emphasized NOT choosing an undergrad degree to help you get into med school. Happily my son took it to heart. He won’t have a 4.0 at the end of undergrad, but he will be able to get a job if he needs/wants one.</p>
<p>If considering Med. School, do NOT go nursing route, do not have any health proffesional major. The goal in UG is to get as high college GPA as possible and a decent MCAT. Engineering is good but engineering majors tend to have lower GPA because of very challenging classes. Some people are up to it though. Also, keep in mind that taking Med. School requirements outsdie of your UG or in a summer is NOT recommended either. Make sure to allow enough time to have decent amount of medical EC’s, plan to have enough time for MCAT prep. during junior year and going to interviews in Senior year - have lighter schedule later on, load up in first 2 years. Also, although upper division Bio classes are NOT Med. School requirment, they are huge part of MCAT (first Bio is not), specifically genetics and physiology. It will help taking these classes. So, plan carefully, everything is possible.</p>
<p>Your son should pursue a major that REALLY interests him. If he is considering med school he will need to do well in his classes. His prospects will improve immensely if he is interested in his classes/major, rather than picking a major that may have good job prospects. He will need to be sure he has all the science classes for the med school requirements. THis is generally pretty easy if he majors in a science like biology or chemistry but if he has a passion for something else like psychology or economics, the science requirements are still doable. </p>
<p>Your concern about future employment is admirable but he should be allowed to pursue his interests as a major. If his grades are not strong or his interest in med school changes, there are lots of other healthcare professional choices. The college’s prehealth profession counseling office has lots of experience in dealing with undergrads whose med school interests change. A Physician Assistant ¶ is a career path that is rapidly expanding and should be considered by anyone who has a healthcare field interest. </p>
<p>As a Med School Admission Committee member, I see students who are bright, had good grades and scores, but in there personnel statements and on an interview, it seems clear that they are applying to med school because they did not know what else to do with themselves. THey really don’t have a passion for becoming a doctor or they really don’t have an idea what they are getting into. The decision to go to med school should not come as an epiphany. It should be carefully considered over a period of time including some efforts (research, volunteering) to get some experience in healthcare. Becoming a doctor is probably the hardest road to a career of any pathway. One wants to be sure that this path is for them. </p>
<p>The undergraduate major should be chosen to help fan a passion, not simply for future employment. Postgraduate work should be used for training to a career.</p>
<p>^Not everybody can afford that. I found my professional job after CC, emloyers paid for the rest of my education, including Grad. School. Yes, in case of MD, it is nort possible to do what I have done. However, having job prospective is a must, while choosing major, except if you are absolutely sure that you want to be MD and you are sure that you will get into Med. School (some are more sure than others. For example, kids in combined bs/md programs). Then there minors that could be considered. Yes, go ahead and explore your interests having minor, I have no problem with that. However, there are families with unlimited resources, and what I said is not applicable to them.</p>
<p>I appreciate all of your thoughtful responses. My son has been interested in medicine for the last couple of years (he is 16 now). He has been volunteering at the local hospital weekly since last summer and plans to continue to do so. He also attended a health care careers camp last summer which helped solidify his desire to work in healthcare. He is a math/science kid so I expect that he will end up majoring in something along these lines rather than something in the humanities. He also has expressed an interest in becoming an EMT once he turns 18 (which I suspect would be considered a relevant EC for med school applications). I would agree that if the medical school route does not work out that he could then pursue another area of healthcare (such as PA) that interests him.</p>
<p>Although our resources for education are not “unlimited” we would be willing to fund an extra year or two of school if he has to change course due to failing to get into medical school.</p>
<p>My DD was not sure whether she wanted MD or PT or something else. She did all her GE requirements considering all potential majors and keeping the toughest requirements in mind (MD pre reqs) She eventually declared bio.</p>
<p>She had been very interested in kinesiology type classes, they were real life interesting, she even took one on her study abroad (her school did not offer them) but we saw a lot of prejudice against it. “They” seem to disrespect kinesiology as a PE major. I don’t agree with that philosophy, I see it as very helpful info about the body, but I would have advised my DD against it based on all I read on the SDN & even CC forums.</p>
<p>Your son should major in whatever allows him to complete the pre-med required coursework and feel some sort of passion about his major, enjoy it, love it and succeed at it.</p>
<p>40,000 people apply each year, less than 20,000 get in. Most of them have decent MCAT & GPA numbers, Med School apps are more than numbers, they are looking for interesting passionate people who have really investigated the MD reality by shadowing, volunteering, etc. So, pursue what you love and be interesting (and also do well!)</p>
<p>Also, med school is a tough road in terms of time & energy commitment. A kid does exceptionally well in HS and is amazed how much more they work at their new top university. They succeed at the top university and oh, my, med school sucks up more time than they knew they had!</p>
<p>DD told me just last night how glad she is to have taken a year off and worked and had fun last year. She is now having life decision discussions- when am I supposed to date? marry? Have fun? What specialty will I choose in 4 years? How will I create the life I want? How will I feel in 8 years when I have done all this med school stuff and am trying to create a life? </p>
<p>No problems, just a topic they are all exploring. She dated one guy for 5 years then broke up. Now she is wondering how she can do well in med school and have any time to date and meet new people?</p>