<p>Does anyone know of anyone who has done this? Is it a bad idea?</p>
<p>I'm not sure what you are asking. Are you asking about getting a B.S.Ed. with the recommended classes to be a good candidate for med school?</p>
<p>If so, it would be fine - you could major in say "Biology" and get a teaching certificate at the same time (minor in education), or major in pretty much anything else - "Music", "Mathematics", etc...</p>
<p>Yes, I am asking about getting a B.S.E.d along with the required classes for med school. Not a teaching certificate though...a major in education, not minor.</p>
<p>You might want to ask someone with more admission knowledge this question. </p>
<p>This is just speculation, mind you, but I'm wondering if an education major would make the admission committies ask, "Why didn't you teach?" It might imply that your decision to go to medical school was an after thought. In addition, they may also be reluctant to take an "educator" out of a market that needs teachers, especially good ones. From what I understand, the same holds true for nursing majors (their acceptance rates are lower, although they do get in). It's a shame, actually, because nursing would provide a very good back up in case one is not admitted to medical school.</p>
<p>A true story and then thoughts on your idea.
When I was applying to college I was accepted to the School of Education at my first choice school, even though I swear I applied to the School of A&S. Decided I would fix it after I started. I was a biology major with no plans to go to med school then. This is what my advisor told me -- if you pick your classes to meet the requirements for both programs -- B.S. and B.S.Ed. -- you will meet the requirements for any grad school you want, but you will graduate with something else -- a marketable skill. For example, there was chemistry for the "real" science majors and "baby" chemistry for the Ed. majors. Two semesters of physics instead of one. AP classes weren't such a big deal when I was in high school, so it also meant taking a few summer classes to graduate in four years because of the requirements for both schools -- more upper level electives in my major for A&S, education courses for Ed. AP credits can help with some of the lower level classes, but not the upper level electives. There is also the semester of student teaching.<br>
I eventually transferred to the School of A&S when I was very sure that my heart was not in teaching high school biology. I finished two of the five required Ed. classes and I transferred as a junior, so I also hadn't done my student teaching. Because of the planning and the classes I had already taken, I graduated a semester early. I also got the best possible Christmas/graduation gift by getting accepted to med school a few days before the end of that semester.
So, yes, in theory, it can be done.<br>
So my questions and comments to you --
Are you looking at this plan the same way my advisor counselled me?<br>
Are you doing this to have a marketable skill as a science major? Many, many more students do independent research than when I was in school. There are many, many more internships available. I think you can get your B.S. and have a marketable skill if you aren't accepted to med school on your first try. I'm sure someone else will chime in and let me know if I'm wrong about this.
Is your heart in teaching as a fallback position? If not, you will be spending extra time and money for a fallback position that you don't really want. If you would rather go hungry than teach high school science, then don't do this. Teaching when your heart isn't in it is a disservice to the students. Get your B.S. and find some other marketable skill.
As for adcoms wondering about anyone's educational background, I wouldn't worry about that too much. You don't need to be a pre-med major -- there IS NO SUCH THING as a pre-med major. There are requirements for admission, period. There are enough people who are non-traditional students who change careers and start med school as somewhat "older" students that someone who applies with a B.S.Ed. would not be a rarity. Med schools don't write off nontraditional students because they weren't hard core pre-med types.
BTW, after finishing med school and my residency, I was in academic medicine for 20 years doing, guess what? Teaching med students and residents almost every day.</p>