Pre-med major? Please help, I'm so confused...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Emory University
1

<p>I know this has been asked many, many times, but I'm just so scared and confused. I've been reading some posts on here from several years ago and the pre-med track just sounds so scary. :( I see people on here saying the workload isn't so bad... unless you're in pre-med. And some people say "I'm just glad I'm not doing pre-med!" ...I understand that no matter what, the pre-med track is going to take a lot of work and can be quite difficult, but is it really so bad at Emory? </p>

<p>The thing is that there are just so many things I want to do, I'm interested in so many things!! I love music, I want to learn Korean, Chinese, and many other languages, I want to learn how to play the piano, I want to have friends and have a social life (unlike high school where I was stuck in my room studying all day), I want travel, I want to see what it's like to be part of a film, and most of all, I want to dance. This probably sounds so pathetic/weird/unrealistic, but if I could just learn to dance, I'd be happy, I wouldn't mind not doing those other things...I have no experience whatsoever, but I have always been watching hip hop videos. Now that I'm graduating high school, I finally have time to dance, and I honestly think I'm pretty good. As cheesy as it sounds I feel like this was something I was meant to do, I finally have this sense of belonging and for once I feel like I'm naturally talented at something.</p>

<p>I'm just worried if I go into pre-med I won't have time to dance or do something that I love... I'm not wanting to do a dance major/minor or anything, but I know dancing takes time and dedication, and I would really like to have a couple hours in a day to take dancing lessons and whatnot. Is this possible at Emory?
And I know I don't sound very interested in pre-med...Yes, my parents have been stuffing the whole "You must be a doctor" thing ever since I was little. Don't get me wrong, I am interested in medicine! I'm currently doing an internship at Stanford for cancer research and it's pretty fun! Maybe I'll get more interested in it in the future, so medicine is still a possibility for me. But at the same time it might not and I don't want to be a doctor when my heart's not in it, that would be wrong. I heard that you don't have to take science courses to go to med school. Would it be terribly difficult to major in something else and still take prerequisite courses that would help for the MCAT? </p>

<p>I'm sorry this is so long and I probably sound ridiculous going around in circles...but I just don't know what to do. I want to have time to dance and learn about my other interests, yet still have the requirements down for medical school in case I want to go. Based on my interests mentioned before, what else could I major in that would have good career possibilities? I just feel like if I don't major in Biology or something, I'll end up having a useless degree with no job...That's how my parents make me feel...Please help, I'm so worried and I just feel so incredibly lost... :( Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>Med schools generally do not care what you major in during undergrad, so don’t force yourself into majoring an a science if you don’t enjoy the material in that specific subject that much; there are some premeds at Emory who major in areas like econ or english. However as a pre-med you DO have to take certain prerequisite science classes regardless of your major and will be taking science classes in med school, so if you completely dislike all science classes that’s going to be a problem. And while med schools will look for specific things from each applicant, namely GPA, MCAT, clinical volunteering, shadowing, and research, the rest of your application should serve to make you diverse and does not have to be all oriented around medicine. In that regard, feel free to pursue what you enjoy, while still completing the basic med school-required coursework and ECs; the key is finding the right balance. </p>

<p>I know quite a few pre-meds at Emory that are double majoring in Neuroscience and Music or Chemistry and Music, and they all have 3.8+ GPAs and the ones who were just graduating seniors have all gotten into medschool or MD/PhD programs (and only about 51% of Emory senior premeds each year get into at least one med school). You could do something similar and double major in Biology and Dance. There’s nothing saying you can’t have the best of both worlds.</p>

<p>And besides most undergrad majors without a graduate or professional degree are somewhat useless at securing a good job in the long run (business and engineering may be the few exceptions I can think of…) including biology; while some majors may give you more starting jobs prospects, in the long run most people with just a bachelors degree won’t get very far and have to go back to school anyway (and even people in business and engineering will often have to go back to school and get MBAs or MSEs).</p>

3

<p>The medical field is much broader than just MDs. Have you considered other careers within medicine… like physical therapy? Just as challenging to get in to, with 4 years of post-grad work, and called “doctor (DPT)”, but you may enjoy the combination of dance and kinetics with medicine. Also consider kinesiology and osteopathic medicine, physician assisting, audiology (also “doctor”), pharmacy and NURSING (Nurse practictioners practice essentially independently, and save themselves 6 years of training). Lots more room to have a life in those specialties, which is why they are growing, and applications to medical school are not. </p>

<p>Think about not only the time and dedication needed in undergraduate pre-med, but in 4 years of medical school and then 5-6 grueling years of residency. The only reason to become a physician is because you love it more than anything. It is a big sacrifice. Think carefully. As more and more medical practice is regulated by insurers, the government, and the business of medicine, those of us who are physicians really wonder if it is worth it.</p>

4

<p>“And besides most undergrad majors without a graduate or professional degree are somewhat useless at securing a good job in the long run (business and engineering may be the few exceptions I can think of…) including biology; while some majors may give you more starting jobs prospects, in the long run most people with just a bachelors degree won’t get very far and have to go back to school anyway (and even people in business and engineering will often have to go back to school and get MBAs or MSEs).”</p>

<p>Though you certainly have a point, this statement is a huge problem and explains why so many people at Emory are pre-professional even if they don’t want to be (Emory students seem less likely to take risks and those that do, stand out in the longrun). The assumption that you must end up with a “useful degree”. It really depends on how resourceful and creative you are. If you have a drive and a passion for something, your degree is never useless. Lots of intelligent people allow their majors to help them obtain jobs or projects that are not necessarily directly related to what most people expect of a certain major. If you are passionate about your field, your major will teach you things and give you skills that will allow you to diversify. In addition, you are more than your major at Emory. Other experiences will help you gain experience and thus qualify for jobs and positions that otherwise would not be doable. Come here, do what you want to do academically, make faculty connections, take good courses, engage in whatever ECs that might enhance your experience and skillset, and you’ll be fine at the end, regardless of if you are still pre-med or not. If Emory, to you, becomes a mere stepping stone, you will not get as much out of it. Take advantage of the “liberal arts experience” it can provide you. A lot of the “useless majors” have students that end up better off than you can ever expect. These people see their academic interests as more than a future job, grad./prof. school oppurtunity, and get farther because of their perspective. Ask the unsuccessful (like 1/2) pre-meds where their lack of passion and engagement got them. Some would have been better off being non-science majors and then pursuing pre-med. At least they would have something to excite them and perhaps get them through the program with a legit interest in helping and healing humans.</p>

<p>I also agree with 2prepmom: Pre-health students at Emory need to broaden their horizon. Unfortunately, the phmo does not necessarily help with this (that office has a lot of work to do. They can start by not telling students to take easy courses/courseloads. It makes Emory students look weak in a national applicant pool. Students at “lesser” schools are often less wimpy than we are. Let’s not discuss Emory’s peers. The average solid student at Emory would need hella ECs to make up for how boring they look academically, if they are to gain admission to a top school. Culture must evolve at this school to gain more success in this area and phmo needs to help, not encourage the status quo. The “you only need this for pre-med” advice and mentality needs to go. Doing the minimum never helps even if you get a very high GPA).</p>

5

<p>Oh wow! Thank you SO much everyone for the helpful advice, reading your responses makes me feel so much better!! :smiley: Even though I don’t have everything planned out right now, I don’t feel as lost anymore…</p>

<p>So…I should basically stop worrying, go to Emory, take good courses along with those required for medical school, do well academically, and just pretty much pursue what interests me most (what I’m really passionate about) and do what I love doing? Along with other ECs? :)</p>

6

<p>Exactly, it’s your experience. Don’t try so hard to follow the crowd and fit into a mold. That makes your Emory experience mundane and boring, not to mention, a waste of money and time.</p>