Premed Major

jchen

I've been considering going into Premed for college, I'm going to be applying to schools this fall so I was wondering whether any premed majors on the boards could respond and give some insight on their experiences. Also wondering, what schools are particulary known for their premed programs (besides the obvious Harvard, John Hopkins, etc).

alcimedes

every med and premed student i ever knew smoked massive amounts of pot.



if this is any indication, medicinal pot is a few graduating classes away.

_ alliance _

most schools do not have "pre-med" programs. there are some majors that are mostly used for professional medical careers. for instance, i am in biomedical science, which is the most common major for going to medical, vet, dental, physical therapy, etc, professional schools. the best thing to consider in a major is comparing the prereqs for medical school to the classes in the individial majors. biomedical science has every prereq for all the medical career schools, so there should be an option similar to this at any school you are looking at. and some majors are easier than others, while others prepare you better. my advice is to not really worry too much about the actual major. med schools dont really look at the major name, but instead look at the course load you take and how challenged you were throughout undergrad. pick something that interests you. there is plenty of time to play w/ medicine later...

billybobsky

yeah, dont go into a pre-med program. find the subject that you like be it physics, chemistry, biology, english literature, history. do it well. and remember that those pre-med requirements that you have to fulfill are not throwaway courses, if you arent enjoying them, then something is wrong... open your horizons in college, dont close them by going the standard premed route...



billybobsky, preventing one normal premed from becoming an asshole premed at a time...

fred_lj

Quote:

Originally posted by billybobsky

billybobsky, preventing one normal premed from becoming an asshole premed at a time...

hahahah



It seems like every soul in my 300-person organic chem section defines themself as a "pre-med." I'm SICK OF IT!! Myself, I'm doubling in Biochem and German (which the token reply thereto is: "interesting combination.") because A) didn't want to screw over the 4 years in H.S. I spent on German the placement test was pretty easy for German so I'm two years ahead now C) doing all science would suck. We all need ways to see the world outside the objective lens of science. And as it gets closer to the time when I just might actually be training for an actual career in medicine, it's getting scarier. Ethical issues about the central goal in most medical fields (preventing death or suffering or illness) have become a concern for me -- I mean, what if the person's SUPPOSED to die? What I am doing trying to stop that? Funny, you take a few philosophy classes and your whole view of the world goes crazy -- it's not about what's acceptable or ethical by the world's standard, it's about discovering some meaning you can live by, which is tremendously hard....and which is driving philosophy departments every day!



With that in mind, I've really become interested in just either doing an MD/PhD program or a PhD program alone. Education/academic medicine seems the most noble of the medical professions, as you give those students the material to start forming their own judgments, encouraging them to go through the turmoil of thinking that you've been through.

anand

As a professor at a medical college, I would recommend that you major in biology but take as much chemistry and physics that you can stand. Organic/inorganic and p.chem are things that you should take and do well in. Also, crush your MCATs. They are very important.



Also, ask yourself why you want to go into medicine. The medical field is as corrupt as any other. There is very little difference between your doctor and your car mechanic. They both will try to screw you for things you don't need.

splinemodel

I would flat out recommend againt going pre-med, especially if you plan on becoming a practicing physician. The market is decaying and the educational costs are astronomical.



In other words, don't be a pre-med because you can't think of anything else better to do. If you want to be a tool, at least be an econ major or something with a slightly less retarded area (most malpractice lawsuits, socialization, awful hours during residency. . . all retarded things)

objra10

Quote:

for instance, i am in biomedical science, which is the most common major for going to medical, vet, dental, physical therapy, etc, professional schools

Actually, according to US NEWS and WORLD REPORT, the most common undergraduate degree for those applying to medical school in 2003 was Chemistry.



My wife was a piano performance major at Michigan State University and went to Duke University Medical School, so it's really has very little to do with your actual degree, and more your readiness for the difficult course load of medical school.

midwinter

You should go to college for a year or so--perhaps even two--before you decide what you want to do with the rest of your life.



I recommend holding off declaring a major as long as possible. See what's out there. See what interests you. Don't buy into the machinery of the university until you have to.



Take a bunch of classes. You may find out that History or Political Science is your thing.



Cheers

Scott

scott

Quote:

Originally posted by fred_lj

...



With that in mind, I've really become interested in just either doing an MD/PhD program or a PhD program alone. Education/academic medicine seems the most noble of the medical professions, as you give those students the material to start forming their own judgments, encouraging them to go through the turmoil of thinking that you've been through.

Most MD/PhD programs are not real PhD programs. You're given some canned project to do and the expectations on the dissertation are removed. Just go through the motions and you get your PhD. But that's not a blanket statement on my part of all MD/PhDs. I know some MD/PhDs that did real PhDs before going to medical school.

podmate

Having worked as a Respiratory Therapist for 8 years and having worked in some of the so called "best" hospitals in the nation (Boston) and having worked with hundreds of Harvard (you can also add any ivy league med school here) doctors, I can tell you that they are generally to be avoided (the ivy league doctors).



Why? Harvard trains researchers very well, they don't train bedside or patient care doctors very well. I would say the same about many of the other big name Eastern schools. I had more trouble with ivy league doctors (not knowing how to take care of a patient or interact with a patient, but they could spit out tons of facts and do research like crazy) than with any other grouping of doctors.



Some of the best doctors were trained at state schools and/or at state/city run hospitals. I found doctors from Boston University (who train at Boston City), UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who train at Arkansas' state hospital in Little Rock), doctors that come out of the New Orleans city hospital (Tulane?) and doctors that come out of Verderbilt to be good doctors who have a firm grasp of patient care.



My best friend went to Harvard Med (just for the paper on the wall) and he found that his training at Harvard Med (Mass general hospital, Brigham and Womens etc..) did not prepare him for the real world of medical care in Dallas. He was trained to be a researcher, not a doctor.



All that crap said, pick your medical school carefully. Don't go just by name, some of the best medical schools don't have the famous names.



As far as "premed" training. Most of the doctors that I worked with had Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology or Physics degrees. A few had Engineering and Math degrees though.



You will need to have a very firm grasp of Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology.





Also, think twice about this. Medical school is no piece of cake. You literally have 8-10 years of school followed by 3-8 years of training. As a resident you will frequently work 50-90 hour weeks (with little pay). If you are considering anything surgical, ER or Trauma related you need a very strong type A personality. A type A personality seems to be very common in most doctors.



good luck

billybobsky

My perspective on the science courses etc may be skewed, but I really dont think the courses in medical school are anything more than rote memorization. Most physicians learn how to be doctors in the clinical period, they look up things then. The first two years are just providing a strong language basis in the clinical sciences so that looking at the physicians desk reference isnt like reading a list of equations (or for those that like equations, a list of random letters). It is a mechanical field, you can do well if you dont think, you can probably do ok if you do think, but there is no garauntee of that. From personal experience, most medical students act like regular pre-meds, they are there to create social foundations, establish whatever professional air there is to be had around the dissection table, etc.



The proffesional schools in the country (Medical and Law) are over rated finishing school. That being said, after I finish my PhD I plan to pursue that MD because it does open research opportunities and affords me the ability to attach myself firmly to an academic hospital. Finishing schools may be the bain of intellectual life, but they are important because they were important at one point.