Swarthmore... how well does it prepare you for Med school???

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
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<p>Last summer I went to visit Swarthmore and we've been in love ever since :)
I am relatively certain that I want to be pre-med (even though i know that Swarthmore doesn't exactly have a pre med program), but I've heard that Swarthmore is a great science school nontheless. Anyway, my real question is how well Swarthmore can prepare you for Med school.</p>

<p>I'm so torn... I know that Swarthmore is a great school, but I'm afraid that it wont have enough in the pre med genre.</p>

<p>Anyway, any feedback would be helpful!</p>

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<p>Most schools do not have a pre-med major. You just need to fulfill the pre-med requirements and you can basically major in any subject. The sciences are very strong at Swarthmore, obviously. Swarthmore has extensive pre-med advising - this is the link to the Pre-Med Advising website:
<a href="http://www.swarthmore.edu/premed.xml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.swarthmore.edu/premed.xml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>kitkat,
as you know, there is no pre-med program at Swat. You can major in ANYTHING and still get into med school. Case in point is a close friend of my son, an English major at Swat who is now attending an excellent medical school. There are certainly plenty of outstanding science courses if you are looking to major in one of the sciences before med school. Swat's med school placement rate is terrific.</p>

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<p>great... I had a feeling from what I had researched that Swarthmore is a great school from almost every angle. It's also great to hear that an English major was able to get into med school since I'm not 100% sure yet about what I'd like to do with my life (not like it's a difficult question or anything).
I was also vacillating between engineering and medicine, especially since Swarthmore has such a great engineering program. Most of what I've heard is that in order to pursue engineering, you have to start with the program early in college because it has such rigorous classes.
That's kind of why I was also concerned with how easily I would be able to switch majors and then start later then everyone in one of those majors (being that they are two of the most rigorous programs offered). Would I be behind everyone else? This question really applies to most any college.
Thanks</p>

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<p>Switching majors is very easy, but some majors (like engineering) require taking certain classes in sequence, and in order to be able to graduate on time you have to start taking introductory classes from day one. You have to take it into consideration while building your schedule in order to keep your options open.</p>

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<p>It is my belief that there is, and will continued to be a real demand for medical engineers. You may want to look into, and think about a career that combines the two. </p>

<p>Swarthmore would be a great place to do so.</p>

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<p>I've actually been considering biomedical engineering (which I think is the same thing as medical engineering... the people that help create hip replacements and pacemakers and all that fun stuff).</p>

<p>The only thing that I've heard from people is that Biomedical Engineers don't really make that much money... although I've also been discouraged from becoming a doctor by soooo many people (even actual doctors) because they say the insurance is so bad.</p>

<p>When it comes down to it, I really just want to do something I will love, but at the same time not have to live in a cardboard box in order to pursue it :)</p>

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<p>I highly doubt you'll be living in a cardbox as a biomedical engineer.</p>

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<p>maybe it would be a fancy refrigerator box with a bay window</p>