Pre-med, Pre-Nursing or Pre-PA? Help!?

[redence]

I'm a high school senior right now and I'm really interested in the health field, helping people..etc. However, I don't know which health specialty to pursue in. I'm interested in becoming a Pediatrician, I love helping children especially. However, my parents (Indian parents) don't really believe that I'll end up getting accepted to a U.S Med School, because I'm not that "smart" according to them. They say I'll end up wasting time and money. They tell me it's too hard and competitive here in the U.S, instead they highly recommend me going to a foreign medical school. -.- I did some research on foreign med schools, and I could already tell that's not the best option. They say foreign med school is easy, but the only thing I have to do is study hard for the USMLE. I really would want to go to a U.S college and do pre-med there. They say I'm not "smart" because of my high school grades, I have a 3.5 GPA, and a 26 on the ACT (out of 36). I also took some AP and honors classes in some science classes and history classes, and did decent in them. (AP Bio, Psychology, U.S History, Government). I barely studied for ACT/SAT because I just didn't like studying for them, got a little lazy, took it last moment. I also took Honors Chemistry, and I got a B. My parents didn't like that. As a result of my low standardized testing scores (ACT/SAT) my parents believe I won't get a good score on the MCAT, that's one of the reasons why they push me to go to foreign med school. In high school, I know I wasn't the best student, but I also know I wasn't the worst student. I did study hard for most classes. It took me a long time to study for a AP tests in high school, especially since i procrastinated and waited for the last day to study. I also get distracted a lot (phones,tv, computer). I know pre-med is going to be difficult and getting into U.S med school isn't an easy process. I have poor study habits and I'm afraid that I will have these poor study habits in college also. Any tips?

Since my parents are giving me all these negative reasons why not to go to a U.S college and do pre-med, I've though about being a Nurse (Nurse Anesthetist or Nurse Practitioner) or a Physician Assistant (PA). They make somewhat of a good amount of money, help people, less debt, less competitive, and what attracts me most that it is a shorter route than becoming a doctor. However, I feel that if I become a Nurse or a PA, I will later regret not becoming a doctor. I like the status of a doctor, being called "Dr.", and the pay is great also. Need help deciding? feedback?

I'm really angry @ parents since they have low expectations of me, but at the same time they're doubts about me not getting into U.S med school motivates me. However, they are also bringing my hopes down. :/

Also if I do premed in a U.S college and I don't get accepted into a med school, could I also go for Nursing or PA without wasting alot of time/classes?

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[Dr.J.D]

Take the SAT and ACT again, and do what YOUR heart desire and NOT what ur parents desire. But if you wanna become a doctor for pay, status, and being called "Dr." then get a PhD in Engineering. You'll get all three eventually. SMH you have wrong motives frm what u said above

 

[redence]

Take the SAT and ACT again, and do what YOUR heart desire and NOT what ur parents desire. But if you wanna become a doctor for pay, status, and being called "Dr." then get a PhD in Engineering. You'll get all three eventually. SMH you have wrong motives frm what u said above

I wouldn't want to do Engineering, I suck at math and I hate it. But what motivates me is when people who say I can't go to med school, but of course I like the job stability, income and helping people as a doctor. I also like how doctors are basically at the top of the "food chain". Highest status. I want to strive for the best, what's wrong with that?

 

[Dr.J.D]

I wouldn't want to do Engineering, I suck at math and I hate it. But what motivates me is when people who say I can't go to med school, but of course I like the job stability, income and helping people as a doctor. I also like how doctors are basically at the top of the "food chain". Highest status. I want to strive for the best, what's wrong with that?

I just said PhD in engineering because you said you want be called doctor, pay, status. it was to make a point, don't take everything seriously. Chilllll.
But like I said, do what you think is best for your future. If you want to be a doctor, then become a doctor. what you shouldn't be doing is wanting to become a doctor SOLELY for prestige, money, being called doctor ETC.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

With cases like yours, I think the premed process will answer the question for you better than this forum can. Take the classes, volunteer, do some shadowing. See how 'respected' a primary care physician feels with their workload! Then reconsider if you still have an interest in the path. I think it's easier if you start in premed and switch to something else (nursing, PA) than to start there and switch to premed. The process will give you a better idea of what being a doctor is (everyone in high school has romanticized it) and will open you to other ideas that fulfill similar parts of life without all the student debt!

So my answer is: pick a path, go into college pursuing it, and keep your mind open to other paths and opportunities.

 

[Smurfette]

1. Don't do med school in a foreign country if you want to be a doctor in the US. Odds of finding a residency in the US as a foreign medical graduate are low. You're much better off going to med school here, if you can get in.
2. If you want to be a nurse, you have to take nursing classes. Nursing is a separate undergrad degree program. If you wait til the end of college and don't get into med school, you'd have to go back and do more college to earn a nursing degree. Becoming an NP is even more school after getting a bachelors in nursing.
3. As others have said, you can always go to college, take classes and see how you do. If you do well, going to med school may be a possibility. If you struggle, you may have to look at other medical-related careers.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

"I like the status of a doctor, being called "Dr.", and the pay is great also."
Big red flag. Reassess your values before applying, and separate what you want from what your parents want. The first two things you mentioned matter very little when you are overworked, and the pay isn't that great (in most primary care fields).