[Simply_M3]

Becoming a doctor wasn't my idea in the beginning but as time went by, I honestly with my heart and soul WANT TO BE ONE!! At this point it just seems soooo hopeless now because my cumulative gpa isn't so hot.

I should have researched this when I was still in high school. I could have been an english major, taken all the required science and math courses needed for med school instead of struggling so much now with all the freaking science classes I need to get out of the way to graduate. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

My advice to anyone who's just starting and haven't selected a major yet, PICK ONE THAT YOU KNOW YOU'LL LOVE AND ENJOY AND WILL EXCELL IN!!! IF YOU'RE AMAZING AT WRITING MAJOR IN ENGLISH AND JUST TAKE THE REQUIRED CLASSES FOR MED SCHOOL!!!!

[pink lemons.]

I would reccommand you start taking classes at a CC (junior college) ~ science related classes if you can and see if it's for you. If you do like it- talk with an advisor to do a transfer program so you can go to another school for your BS.

Talk with an advisor to plan your classes for your future career, that should be your top piority.

It's never too late to start~~~ good luck!

thanks!!

[Jiae]

I go to UCSD and I think I'm a premed student.
Most people who wanted to be a doctor for kicks drop out at this point and switch majors because it really is tough to stick it out.
I slacked off this quarter so I can't say much but yeah.
One of my friends gave up and she switched to an econ major which I think is great.
I've sort of wanted to do that myself too but I don't want to have wasted the last 6 years of my life running towards this goal.
I took organic chemistry 1 and 2 in the summer and that was probably the worst summer in my entire life.
I stayed up all night studying at a Denny's nearby for midterms because libraries weren't open all night and stuff like that.
And I'm only a sophomore too

Wow Minji ><; You have it tough.
I thought pre-med students had to major in biology untill i read this book (i think it was called, 'the things you didn't know about medical school admissions' or something like that) that said we could major in anything we wanted to. Would biology help us in medical school? Do we learn things for the medicine career in college? Or just take pre-requisite classes for Medical school. Graduate. Apply. Get accepted~ Then study medicine?

[erure]

Wow Minji ><; You have it tough.
I thought pre-med students had to major in biology untill i read this book (i think it was called, 'the things you didn't know about medical school admissions' or something like that) that said we could major in anything we wanted to. Would biology help us in medical school? Do we learn things for the medicine career in college? Or just take pre-requisite classes for Medical school. Graduate. Apply. Get accepted~ Then study medicine?

No. In fact I heard that medical schools like accepting people with non-bio majors because it creates diversity. And yeah the latter part of what you said is correct. You just take prerequisite classes like biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, writing, etc and take MCAT in undergrad.

[whoandy]

No. In fact I heard that medical schools like accepting people with non-bio majors because it creates diversity. And yeah the latter part of what you said is correct. You just take prerequisite classes like biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, writing, etc and take MCAT in undergrad.

By no means am I trying to belittle what you've said, but I don't know if that is true whether medical schools prefer non-science majors over science division majors (math included). The whole medical school application process is very random and hard to fit in a cookie cutter mold (besides the fact you need a good GPA/MCAT, recommendations, EAs, etc).

As for what you take in med school, what you learn as undergraduate will, for the most part (and I emphasize "most" here), not be carried on over to medical school. Of course if you have taken biochemistry or have majored in biology and thus, have taken advanced biology courses, you might find a correlate here and there but not so much to give you an edge over someone who hasn't.

The first two years of medical school is heavily dictated by "book studying" and the final two years are mostly clinical rotations. Having that said, when you apply for residency after medical school, the grades you received for the first two years are nearly irrelevant unless you had failed something. How you are graded on your clinical rotations, the quality of recommendations you receive, and your STEP 1 score determines where you will do your residency.

[hailing from ny]

Wow most posters here are a LONG WHILE till medical school!


A couple of steps away from medical school! Just a matter of applying, interviewing, and getting accepted!

MCAT taken (2x unfortunately) with a high of 31-S. (11-09-11) not a composite.

College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts
CUM. GPA - 3.56
BCMP GPA - 3.54 (bio and physics messin me up!)
Chemistry major, College Honors Program - Honors thesis on bioinorganic chemistry research
Academic Internship Program - shadowed an orthopedic surgeon in clinic and in the OR.

something in-state (NY) is fine witi me! Stony Brook or Downstate so I can stay near NYC please!

[whoandy]

^ Hey now, 31 is not bad at all. If anything, it seems like you have a pretty extensive EA under your belt. Hopefully, you get the interviews from the schools you want to attend and you know how important the interviews are! I_am_sure you will do well in your interviews. Good luck, I can't imagine how anxious you are feeling (if at all).

I am taking the MCAT in approximately one year from now. I also want to stay in the NY area, preferably NYC. My top choices are Columbia College PS, NYU med school, Mt. Sinai, Albert Einstein medical school, NYMC. My overall GPA is 3.75 with a BCMP GPA of 3.92; however, I don't have any EAs thus far. I am hoping I can get into the medical research positions I applied for this upcoming summer. If not, I would have to wait until my junior year (fall 2008) to do research on nanotubes with and under the supervision of my current Organic Chemistry professor - something I am looking forward to!

[jurassic5]

no one's looking to go to a osteopathic medical school in this thread?

my wife goes to PCOM here in Philly. She's in her 2nd year and loves it. She loves the fact that as a osteopathic school they are required to take OMM classes (which MD schools are slowly adding to their curriculum). she begins her rotations this summer. then more rotations 4th year...then residency...then a possible fellowship.

anyways....as you probably most know...but med school is killer. i've never seen so much studying going on then i have seen with her and her classmates. studying all the time....but, better them then me i guess. ^^

[chiluvskk]

how do you guys suggest getting intership/shadowing doctors?

do you just go up and ask? or is there a process, someplace where you can apply?
also, when should we start doing this, freshman year?


by the way, are any of you guys taking MCAT prep courses ( since i heard places like Princeton Review offers them)?

thanks a lot! I will be a freshman in college next year

[transience.]

Becoming a doctor wasn't my idea in the beginning but as time went by, I honestly with my heart and soul WANT TO BE ONE!! At this point it just seems soooo hopeless now because my cumulative gpa isn't so hot.

I should have researched this when I was still in high school. I could have been an english major, taken all the required science and math courses needed for med school instead of struggling so much now with all the freaking science classes I need to get out of the way to graduate. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

My advice to anyone who's just starting and haven't selected a major yet, PICK ONE THAT YOU KNOW YOU'LL LOVE AND ENJOY AND WILL EXCELL IN!!! IF YOU'RE AMAZING AT WRITING MAJOR IN ENGLISH AND JUST TAKE THE REQUIRED CLASSES FOR MED SCHOOL!!!!

I chose the major, Bioengineering: Pre-med at UCSD. (I'll major in Pre-Bioengineering: Pre-Med as a freshman next year).
Is it a mistake to be this major when I do significantly better in English than in Math? I'm not really sure what being a bioengineering major entails, only that it's similar to Biomedical Engineering...does the required courses for Bioengineering: Pre-med overlap with the courses required for med school?

[MizJudge.d]

Becoming a doctor wasn't my idea in the beginning but as time went by, I honestly with my heart and soul WANT TO BE ONE!! At this point it just seems soooo hopeless now because my cumulative gpa isn't so hot.

I should have researched this when I was still in high school. I could have been an english major, taken all the required science and math courses needed for med school instead of struggling so much now with all the freaking science classes I need to get out of the way to graduate. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

My advice to anyone who's just starting and haven't selected a major yet, PICK ONE THAT YOU KNOW YOU'LL LOVE AND ENJOY AND WILL EXCELL IN!!! IF YOU'RE AMAZING AT WRITING MAJOR IN ENGLISH AND JUST TAKE THE REQUIRED CLASSES FOR MED SCHOOL!!!!

I'm starting to see myself lolz. I'm still a highschool student, grade 11 -D To a certain extent, I consider myself as efficient in English class. In other words I've been consistently good with writing stories, ever since elementary school. But I can't just see myself as a writer for a career. The only other choice I have is science. I'm still uncertain tho..

[♣PandaBear♣]

how do you guys suggest getting intership/shadowing doctors?

do you just go up and ask? or is there a process, someplace where you can apply?
also, when should we start doing this, freshman year?


by the way, are any of you guys taking MCAT prep courses ( since i heard places like Princeton Review offers them)?

thanks a lot! I will be a freshman in college next year

^I would like to know too.
T-T
Like, do i just go to a hospital and be like, "can i shadowa doctor?" ._.'

[whoandy]

Most schools, as far as I know, have an office in which it deals with students who want to volunteer, intern, shadow at some place outside the school. If not, you can always call the hospitals affiliated with your respective schools and ask. Any hospitals affiliated with an academic institution has the opportunities mentioned above (even hospitals that aren't affiliated with any schools have them too). My advice, look for any opportunities as soon as possible - as cliche as it sounds, first come, first serve. Moreover, most schools have an on-campus EMT/EMS team in which you have to take the class for and pass (of course) in order to become one.

Oh, if any of you plan on doing research over summer, start looking for research you may be interested in doing as soon as your fall semester starts. Most summer research applications are due after your winter break (late January, early February).

As for choosing your major as a prospective pre-med student, choose one that you are confident you can excel in. If you are unsure, use your pre-requisite classes (intro to bio w/ lab, general chem w/ lab, calculus, etc) for medical school as a measuring stick. If anything, you can always change your major... just do it quick and don't waver.

Transience. : Every school has their own policies and what not, but judging from the title of that (bioengineering: pre-med) major, I am pretty sure that it will indeed overlap the pre-requisite courses in order for one to be eligible for medical school. If it DOESN'T overlap all of it, I am pretty sure it will overlap MOST of it and thus, you would have to take maybe an extra class or two, which are required as a pre-med student of course.

[chiluvskk]

^ how important is it to do research (in getting admitted to med school)?

and other than research and shadowing, what other things do you reccommend?


thanks a lot for all the information

[Simply_M3]

I'm starting to see myself lolz. I'm still a highschool student, grade 11 -D To a certain extent, I consider myself as efficient in English class. In other words I've been consistently good with writing stories, ever since elementary school. But I can't just see myself as a writer for a career. The only other choice I have is science. I'm still uncertain tho..

That was just a suggestion. What I mean is, if you feel like you won't succeed with so many science courses taken over a semester or quarter, then do something that you feel more comfortable with but just remember to take the required classes to get into med school: Bio, gen chem, orgo, physics, calc and statistics, biochem.

from what my professors are telling me, med schools are looking for well rounded students. many schools are looking for students who have had liberal arts education. But don't quote me on this because my professors could just be biased because they want me to go to Loyola lol.

[whoandy]

^ how important is it to do research (in getting admitted to med school)?

and other than research and shadowing, what other things do you reccommend?


thanks a lot for all the information

It's all relative. If you have extensive research and/or if you have shadowed a doctor, in the long run it gives you leeway. This is, however, assuming you have the GPA and MCAT scores to back it up. It is not as nearly as effective (research and other medical related EAs) if you have a poor GPA and sub par MCAT score - priority goes to your GPA and MCAT score. Having all that said, it is evident that times are changing and thus, the trends. There are so many prospective medical students who do well in terms of their GPA and MCAT scores that it is almost as if the extra curricular activities are what is going to separate you from the flock, especially for the top 15 medical schools. However, don't have this notion that you MUST go to a top 15 medical school. Getting into medical school is an accomplishment in itself. There are so many outstanding medical schools outside the brand named medical schools. In the end, residency is what will determine the rest of your career, not your medical school.

Out of all the extra curricular activities, it seems like research, in the end, is what is going to actually be the deciding factor in terms of whether or not you will have the leeway I mentioned above. First and foremost, I'd like to throw out that if you first-author (co-author works as well, but first-author gives it the "wow" factor) a scientific literature to a science journal it will, without a doubt, be a plus (and I'd like put heavy emphasis on the word plus here). However, you should note that not everyone gets the be a first/co-author to a scientific literature and it is rare and depends on your luck (more so than not). As long as you have done EXTENSIVE research on a given topic, you should be fine. Going back on topic (sorry for going off on tangent), doing extensive research gives you leeway indirectly as well. For example, some schools ask you to write about research you have done on their secondaries. I'd like to mention secondaries, which are somewhat equivalent to applications for med school, are going to determine whether you receive an interview (interviews are the final deciding factor as to whether you get an acceptance or not) or not from the respective medical schools. Moreover, let's say you have a GPA and MCAT score that are okay but not outstanding, your research (assuming it is extensive and of high quality) can give you that push over the wall for an acceptance/interview to a medical school.

However, all of this is irrelevant if you don't have a good GPA. For your first two years, I cannot stress this enough, get a lock on your GPA. If you do lots of EAs and thus, your GPA suffers from them, it will only do you harm. Also, start looking for research you may be interested in ASAP. If it is something that is seemingly popular and/or of prestige, you can bet lots of other prospective pre-med students will be on it as well. One way to start would be to find a faculty member of your school who does research on something you might be interested in and get close to them - meaning, if possible, intern for them in whatever, whether it be lab, tutor, etc. As for the MCATs, do not worry about them until the end of sophomore year/beginning of junior year, assuming you will be taking your MCAT in your junior year. I say it once again, GPA is priority until then (this doesn't mean that you shouldn't start on research either). Hopefully, you will get a start on research early. Do not let this become an excuse for your GPA.

I hope this helps. There is more but, this is all I could garner for now.

[chiluvskk]

^^wow, thank you so much!
ah there is so much to do, and you are right I'm scared that trying to do all the EAs might bring my GPA down since there's less time to study ><

[jjessiessong]

Hi, I am a high school senior, prospective Med School student. I am kind of in a tough spot right now deciding between colleges, so I would really appreciate any advice here.

I am deciding between UCLA and UCI, both for bio sci. I live right next to UCI and got a scholarship there. I've been admitted to both of their honors programs. UCI will by far be cheaper, and their Honors program is really good. I don't know much about UCLA except it's my "dream school" since elementary school. Do you think there will be a big difference in the quality of undergrad education if I opt out for UCI instead of UCLA? Where would I have a better chance at getting into Med School?

And another question - do you recommend double-majoring? If so, what subject? I want to finish my undergrad work in three years, OR take on a double major. I want to try out Asian Studies but would that be too irrelevant?

[Maybelline Li]

Has anyone here been forced by their parents to go into the medical field hating it, but when experienced it, loved it?

[erure]

Hi, I am a high school senior, prospective Med School student. I am kind of in a tough spot right now deciding between colleges, so I would really appreciate any advice here.

I am deciding between UCLA and UCI, both for bio sci. I live right next to UCI and got a scholarship there. I've been admitted to both of their honors programs. UCI will by far be cheaper, and their Honors program is really good. I don't know much about UCLA except it's my "dream school" since elementary school. Do you think there will be a big difference in the quality of undergrad education if I opt out for UCI instead of UCLA? Where would I have a better chance at getting into Med School?

And another question - do you recommend double-majoring? If so, what subject? I want to finish my undergrad work in three years, OR take on a double major. I want to try out Asian Studies but would that be too irrelevant?

Before I would have told you to go to UCLA but if the scholarship at UCI is more appealing, then go to UCI. Undergrad isn't as important as graduate school so as long as you go to a decent place and get good grades, that's all that really matters.

I personally don't recommend double majoring.