First year student at MSU in desperate need of advice!

[ash2003]

Hello everyone I have just completed my first year at MSU. I am currently a natural science no preference strudent ( I know that is basically the same thing as no pref) and am looking into the medical technology major. I have met with the pre-professional advisor as well as the med tech advisor and they have planned out my "four year plan". I am greatly concerened whether or not I will be able to persue a career in medicine however. My dream for as long and I can remember has been becoming a physician and helping others. My family has a medical background and they have supported my decision 100%. Lately though I have began to think rationally about whether or not medicine is right for me. I have felt that even my frist year classes were very dry and unfulfilling. I have a horrible GPA right now- a 3.15 and have regretted my choice not to study hard my first year. My GPA deffinatly shows the lack of studying my first year. All of my friends have been very discouraging during the past couple of months and telling me that I should take the alternative route and pick a whole different major. My big problem is that I have always been a good student up until this year. I feel that I am not really sure I will be able to get good grades through all of the hard pre med reqs and have a good enough GPA and pull off an empressive MCAT score to be accepted into med school.

I know they say that getting into medical school isn't all about your grades, it's also how well rounded of an individual you are. This year I have joined many pre-med groups here on campus and have spent numerous days volunteering at different organizations. I have also began volunteering in the ER at a hospital in Lansing. But I feel that I still am not sure that I will be able to get into med school. I feel that I will try my best, but will struggle through these hard classes and in the end won't be accepted into medical schools. I know they say you have your first two years of college to choose a major and what your gonan do for the rest of your life, but in actuality you have to decide by your second year in order to complete all of the credit hours. This has been a major dilema for me and I have spent many sleepless nights sitting up and debating my issues. I have spoken with many physicians and med school students in the past 2 years as to how they felt during their undergrad education, but none of their stories really compare to mine. They all seem to be A+ students that didn't struggle this early on. If I do take the alternate route and pick a different major, I know I will always be mad at myself for not becoming a physician. I know that the clear answer here would be to just go for it and study hard and not let anyone else sway my decisions, but also I am not sure if I am willing to study every single second to pull off the gardes that are needed to be accepted into med school. Lastly the fear of telling all of my relative and friends that I have choose to not persue a career in medicine after ranting and raving about how much I would like to become a physician also really upsets me.

I am just wondering if anyone else is having these same feelings or had these feelings during their undergrad education. I am desperatly seeking advice, anything is helpful. And thanks in advance for anyone who takes their time to read this and reply, I greatly appreciate it!

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[ddmo]

Well, there is a lot here, but i think your post boils down to a few main points.

"I feel that I am not really sure I will be able to get good grades through all of the hard pre med reqs and have a good enough GPA and pull off an empressive MCAT score to be accepted into med school."

Basically, nobody ever said being successful was easy. If you want the prize, you have to take the risks and put in the effort. I think at this point you still do have a chance. While it is true that the vast majority of matriculants have high freshman gpa's, a 3.15 isn't a death sentence either. If you could actually work hard the next two years and pull that up to a 3.5, you would be in a much better position. If you really do want to go to med. school it is probably possible. However, if you want to underestimate your abilities, listen to your jealous friends, party, and give up, then I suggest you do change your major, enjoy the next three years, and resign yourself to either finding another career that you love, or forever feeling you didn't live up to your potential. As for your family being angry over a decision not to go into medicine, I am sure they won't care if the reason is because you genuinely prefer something else.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[CrazyCozak]

Hey Ash,
You've got reservations which are experienced by just about anybody who seriously considers or considered becoming a physician. The bottom line is, physicians aren't born, they are made. It's not exactly true, than everyone who makes it to medical school has stellar stats. Not doing so good during the freshman year is so common, that a lot of adcomms take that into considerations. In contrast, you're doing a whole lot better than most freshmen with your GPA! Stay away from discouragements or just brush them off! In fact, there are so many people accepted into med schools who did so poorly in the beginning of their university years!
Looks like all you're missing is some encouragement Just get focused over the summer and begin next year with new wave of energy. As long as you have a upward trend with your GPA, adcomms should be able to excuse your fears about your freshman year..
Don't get discouraged, just burn all the bridges behind you and move on to get accepted into med school
Adcomms aren't necessarily looking only at your stats. A lot of times, your mediocre score stats are outweighted by your genuine interest and persistance to become a doctor. Plus, some interesting EC activities would help too.
So, again, don't be easily discouraged.. becoming a doctor is a long and difficult road, but if that's something you want to do, it will be worth going through. Good luck in university and don't forget to have fun!

CrazyCozak

 

[lotanna]

hey i went to MSU 4 undergrad, hoin to CHM, holla at me!!!

 

[ash2003]

Thanks guys I really appreciate your posts, anyone care to share their feelings as an undergrad? I know everyone has these thoughts but it's just more reassuring to hear success stories from people like you guys.

 

[beambright]

Personally, I wish now I had gone into optometry.....you can apply after only
2 years in college....it is less expensive than med school (plus saving $ from
2 years of college)....you can have a better life without all the stress. I
am far down the pre-med route but may end up at an optometry school next
year if I don't get into med school this year....no more MCATs for me....I'd
rather give birth to six elephants.

 

[beriberi]

uh...you can major in anything you want and apply to medical school. You don't have to decide now that you are going to medical school. Do something you love as an undergraduate, THEN decide what you think the right career is for you.


beriberi

B.A. Studio Art
M.D. Top 5 school

 

[seev99]

choose the easiest major you can and ace everything....even if you don't get in the MD route, you can always go DO.

 

[rgporter]

I have met with the pre-professional advisor as well as the med tech advisor and they have planned out my "four year plan". I am greatly concerened whether or not I will be able to persue a career in medicine however...

Absolutley a top notch major. Not only is this the major that will give you the most usefull background for medicine it's a great plan B. You can go almost anywhere in the nation with a med tech degree and find a company that will pay moving expenses, $2,000-$10,000 signing bonus, etc. Starting salary around here is $40,000 or so. I've heard rumors of med techs making upwards of a $100,000 in cali, I don't know if I believe it but that's what I've heard. My only regret from undergrad is that I didn't initially complete a med tech degree (ps MLT is useless don't go the associates route).

...I feel that I am not really sure I will be able to get good grades through all of the hard pre med reqs and have a good enough GPA and pull off an empressive MCAT score to be accepted into med school.

Everyone feels this way. It was feelings like this that caused me to wait four years before I applied. And while I've done a lot of fun things in those four years, I'd be a doctor right now if I had applied when I graduated. That's can be a hard pill to swallow, which is why I try not to dwell on it too much.

Lastly the fear of telling all of my relative and friends that I have choose to not persue a career in medicine after ranting and raving about how much I would like to become a physician also really upsets me.

Been there done that. In my on again/off again relationship with medicine my family and friends stopped trying to keep track of what I was going to do. "Oh your pre-med again, congratulations.". Don't worry what they think, that's not a good reason to stay in or out of medicine.

I am just wondering if anyone else is having these same feelings or had these feelings during their undergrad education. I am desperatly seeking advice, anything is helpful. And thanks in advance for anyone who takes their time to read this and reply, I greatly appreciate it!

Applying to medical school is a very frustrating and expensive process. Everyone has doubts and fears. Don't be afraid to take time off after school, it's useful to decide what you really want to do. Life is not a race to be won by those who reach the end first, enjoy it as you go along.

But keep your options open. If you finish the pre-med program and decide not to go to med school, your out nothing. If you drop out and decide later that you really want to be a doctor your out a couple more years as you finnish the curriculum.

 

[SlopinMunkyDude]

hey i went to MSU 4 undergrad, hoin to CHM, holla at me!!!

He was talking about Mississippi State.


Well, probably not. Just couldn't resist. Edit: just read the part about Lansing. Oh, well...

I know they say you have your first two years of college to choose a major and what your gonan do for the rest of your life, but in actuality you have to decide by your second year in order to complete all of the credit hours.

This really isn't true at all. I changed my mind numerous times and ended up majoring in two humanities. If you have two interests, really hone in on those and decide with time. I'd recommend you decide on a major by the end of your sophomore year, but if you need an extra year, so be it. You're at your state school, right?

 

[ash2003]

In response to SlopinMunkyDude- Yes I am at Michigan State University
What is one thing that you would change about your undergrad if you could go back? Also, if anyone out there is going to MSU right now and would like to chat-get at me

 

[samenewme]

Think about whether you struggled in your pre-med classes because you hate your major. Do not choose your major based on what "they" want or what will make you the most money if you don't go MD. Pick something that you LIKE. And don't be afraid to take a semester or a year off school to work and get your head straight.

I had problems studying and concentrating as a freshman (twentymumble years ago), and in retrospect I realize that part of the problem was that I was depressed. This, too, is something to consider.

If you're convinced this is the career for you, but you aren't certain about the current plan for getting there, change the plan. You have a lot of choices at this point, don't lock yourself into something that's not working for you.

 

[jlee9531]

ihad a gpa much lower than yours in the first yr...as well as many others here on sdn. just show an upward trend in grades and make sure the rest of your stuff is good ie volunteering, research etc....

friends will try and discourage you since they prolly would pick the easy road over the long and hard one. but you just finished your freshman year. you have plenty of time. enjoy college and just focus in class. its really too early to stress about this stuff. just do what you have to do right now.

fyi i had a sub 3.0 gpa but got into 3 schools and a waitlist of another.