What do you do when you're half way into college and don't want to be pre med anymore

[jorge921995]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

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[Cotterpin]

Talk to your advisor.

 

[787593]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

Sorry to hear about your stress.
Don't do something simply to please your parents.
"Hate" is a strong word.
"Stupid classes" is your opinion.
Have you shadowed a cop/fireman?
Biology is useful, you may not be living in the real world...
Think before you vent.

What to do? Talk to parents, advisors, etc. and do something you're passionate about.

 

[CastleG8]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

Don't mess up your GPA.
You could graduate, have your adventures and always return to medicine. Medicine doesn't have to be your first career or job. I am not familiar with the pressures of parents pushing me into a career. I didn't speak to my parents for over a decade.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

Talk to your advisor, look up career counseling services at your university or in your local community.
If you want to be a cop or firefighter go for it. Try for whatever you honestly think will make you happy. As long as it pays a decent wage then your happiness is more important than your parents wishes.

 

[dontbelievemejustwatch]

Biology is useful, you may not be living in the real world...

How is knowing the electron transport chain useful if you're not going into research

 

[787593]

How is knowing the electron transport chain useful if you're not going into research

Are you assuming that researchers do not live in the "real world?"

 

[kraskadva]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

So change your major, like a bajillion other undergrads before you. Nobody can force you to study science or apply to med school. Go do something that interests you. If that disappoints your parents, they can either get over it like adults or pout like children, but they can't stop you.
You're not going to offend anyone here by removing one more person from the applicant pool, but you might is you keep trash talking science. You're free not to like it, but doubting its usefulness is just silly/naive.

 

[Mad Jack]

Medicine isn't the basic sciences, but you have to survive them to get to the end. If your heart isn't in medicine, switch your major and enjoy your life. This isn't for everyone. Hell, I'd say it isn't for half the people that finish medical school, they're just so deep in they can't turn back. So be glad you figured it out now, I guess.

 

[Lucca]

If you don't want to do something my advice is do something else

 

[FindersFee5]

Bruh it's the easiest thing in the world not to go to med school, 60% of the people who apply to med school manage it, it should be even easier if you don't apply.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Have you ever talked to a fire fighter? My brother in law and a bunch of my friends are FF. Like 80% of their calls are medical, and mostly dumb ones. My dad was a cop for 25 years. Don't be a cop. You will get shot because some dingus thinks if you write him a speeding ticket for speeding, that he has the right to shoot you since you signed up to be a cop.

You could join the military if you want adventures. If you decide you don't like it, you're stuck for 4 years though (although even if you don't like it, you still get some cool stuff out of it).

 

[jorge921995]

I didn't mean useless as in research. Of course science is useful, but I meant as a degree, where can you go besides research or more school? Nowhere really.

 

[jorge921995]

It's not like a business degree in which you can apply just about anywhere. I'm getting a bio degree, that's not really something universal.

 

[Lawpy]

I didn't mean useless as in research. Of course science is useful, but I meant as a degree, where can you go besides research or more school? Nowhere really.

It's not like a business degree in which you can apply just about anywhere. I'm getting a bio degree, that's not really something universal.

Change majors and pursue something else. There is no reason to stick with biology if you don't want to go to medical school, any other healthcare career, or graduate school in biology. Major in more skills-based (and thus marketable) subjects like finance, economics, computer science, math, engineering etc.

 

[kraskadva]

I didn't mean useless as in research. Of course science is useful, but I meant as a degree, where can you go besides research or more school? Nowhere really.

It's not like a business degree in which you can apply just about anywhere. I'm getting a bio degree, that's not really something universal.

Forest ranger, ecologist, lab technician, food industry quality control, fish & wildlife inspector, border control/customs, science/health policy, science journalism, agriculture, .... I could go on.
There are thousands of jobs that utilize bio grads that are neither research nor more schooling. If you don't like bio &/or science then don't do it, but stop throwing out random, uninformed comments.

 

[LibBum]

Forest ranger, ecologist, lab technician, food industry quality control, fish & wildlife inspector, border control/customs, science/health policy, science journalism, agriculture, .... I could go on.
There are thousands of jobs that utilize bio grads that are neither research nor more schooling. If you don't like bio &/or science then don't do it, but stop throwing out random, uninformed comments.

Have you ever tried to get a job with a bio degree?

Without experience it's a dead end. If you have some research exposure, you could land a $15/hr lab tech gig surrounded by others who should have changed their majors as well. Although, most employers will prefer MLTs. So congrats on the employment, now what? Where will you go from there after a few years? I guess you could also transition to...border control...or the more plausible avenue of teaching.

OP, change your major to something applicable and beneficial to your future.

 

[TheRealJohnDorian]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

I questioned whether I wanted to go to medical school my senior year of college. After I had already finished my pre-med courses and taken the MCAT. Re-evaluated my life choices for three years and am finally applying to medical school this cycle and couldn't be more excited. My point, is its okay to question. Better now than three years into medical school when you're a good $100k in debt. You do know what you don't like, which is good. Try not to stress too much and go talk to your advisor. They can help you find a new program of study or major change if that's what you want. I didn't think there were any opportunities for me other than grad school, but I did end up finding some.

 

[JustAPhD]

Have you ever tried to get a job with a bio degree?

Without experience it's a dead end. If you have some research exposure, you could land a $15/hr lab tech gig surrounded by others who should have changed their majors as well. Although, most employers will prefer MLTs. So congrats on the employment, now what? Where will you go from there after a few years? I guess you could also transition to...border control...or the more plausible avenue of teaching.

OP, change your major to something applicable and beneficial to your future.

Welcome to the real-world? The hardest job is the first one post-grad. That's fairly common in all majors. OP we can't tell you what to do; we don't know you at all. Seek the guidance of your academic counselor and your professors.

 

[holycrap]

Drop out after this semester unless you're graduating soon, no need to be in more debt if you're not sure what you want to do.

 

[DokterMom]

Drop out after this semester unless you're graduating soon, no need to be in more debt if you're not sure what you want to do.

I'm going to assume @holycrap mean "Take a semester off to reevaluate" rather than "drop out" -- which was going to be my advice as well. Finish this semester strong so all your options remain open. Do talk to your school's counselors, maybe do some career interest inventories. Shadow some different professions. Analyze what it is about different jobs that appeals to you.

Bottom line, decide to take some time off to find out what you want to do and thoroughly investigate that career, then go back to school with your head and heart in the game.

 

[holycrap]

I'm going to assume @holycrap mean "Take a semester off to reevaluate" rather than "drop out" -- which was going to be my advice as well. Finish this semester strong so all your options remain open. Do talk to your school's counselors, maybe do some career interest inventories. Shadow some different professions. Analyze what it is about different jobs that appeals to you.

Bottom line, decide to take some time off to find out what you want to do and thoroughly investigate that career, then go back to school with your head and heart in the game.

Uhh.... yea that's what I meant

 

[Lawpy]

Uhh.... yea that's what I meant

Nice One Piece avatar. Are you caught up with the manga?

 

[holycrap]

Nice One Piece avatar. Are you caught up with the manga?

Of course, Sanjis arc is probably going to be my favorite. His flashbacks and family are 10/10

 

[Lawpy]

Of course, Sanjis arc is probably going to be my favorite. His flashbacks and family are 10/10

Yeah those are pretty good, especially the tie-in with Zeff. Good integration with preskip material. In the meantime, Luffy is busy fighting top commanders right off the bat!

Seems like after Dressrosa, Oda wanted to make the story more spiced up by adding a lot of factors and key story elements.

 

[holycrap]

Yeah those are pretty good, especially the tie-in with Zeff. Good integration with preskip material. In the meantime, Luffy is busy fighting top commanders right off the bat!

Seems like after Dressrosa, Oda wanted to make the story more spiced up by adding a lot of factors and key story elements.

Lol Luffy vs cracker is the funniest fight ever, new gear 4 looks so cool though even if it is a gag power up,but yeah I can't wait to see how Sanji gets out of the marriage, or how the crew saves him, or how his sister responds to his escape. I feel like she'll be a major character when things get crazy

 

[mistafab]

Hey OP - not sure if you already decided what to do. Here's my 2 cents.

You've got time to still do pretty much what you want. If need be, you can always take on more credit hours than usual (19-24) to make sure you can graduate with whatever you choose to do. I think the toughest decision you'll have to make is what it is you want to do after you graduate. Once you figure that out, you can look up / plan your remaining courses to make sure you can graduate with the degree you want for the field you'd like to get into.

Anyway, anything is probably still possible at this point. Also, in perspective, 30k is not that big a deal if you do indeed get to go into the field that you want to work in the rest of your life (or at least 35+ years). Also, taking an extra year in college is not going to kill you if it gets you the degree / career path you want.

Best of luck.

 

[Goro]

I'm of two minds.

First, think about what is it that you really like to do, and follow that. Just make sure that you gain some skills that will be useful in employment. Being an Art History major is not a good idea. Computer Science is.

Alternatively, find a job, work, pay rent, and save some money until you're ready to go back to school.

A Bio major is a stepping stone to a graduate degree, which will help you find employment. Good lab techs are always hard to find.

Avoid fields that can be eliminated via AI or robotics.

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Avoid fields that can be eliminated via AI or robotics.

Like gas and surgery?
























Kidding.

 

[jorge921995]

I'm going to be honest, I was going into medicine for the money. But then I realized that that was a horrible idea. I just want money, I really don't care what I do, the easier the better. I don't want to do this community service crap. I know, I sound like D, but it's just who I am. I want to live my life for ME, not what others want to see. GOD!!!! That felt so good to say.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

How is knowing the electron transport chain useful if you're not going into research

Using that argument.... engineering/computer science/physics/chemistry are all not useful

Just because you weren't successful in doing something doesn't mean it's not useful

 

[gyngyn]

I'm going to be honest, I was going into medicine for the money. But then I realized that that was a horrible idea. I just want money, I really don't care what I do, the easier the better. I don't want to do this community service crap. I know, I sound like D, but it's just who I am. I want to live my life for ME, not what others want to see. GOD!!!! That felt so good to say.

http://www.businessinsider.com/high-paying-low-stress-jobs-2014-7?op=1/#thodontists-1

 

[wholeheartedly]

Given that you like bio and where you are in your education, check out clinical laboratory science (medical laborator science) as an option. should be more classes that you enjoy, great well paying job prospects with a bachelor's, etc. can be done as a four year degree or a 4+1 type setup for someone who has completed a bio degree.

 

[jorge921995]

Given that you like bio and where you are in your education, check out clinical laboratory science (medical laborator science) as an option. should be more classes that you enjoy, great well paying job prospects with a bachelor's, etc. can be done as a four year degree or a 4+1 type setup for someone who has completed a bio degree.

That sounds awesome! In definitely doing more research for the tools thanks!



Found this link for anyone interested in looking into it too.

http://learn.org/articles/Clinical_...come_a_Clinical_Lab_Scientist_in_5_Steps.html

 

[wholeheartedly]

this has a pretty thorough description too

http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/careers/laboratory-sciences

 

[Sardinia]

@jorge921995 Your trolling is not amusing to the few people who actually care about giving advice to actual candidates.

 

[MareNostrummm]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.


Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

You can't begin to fully appreciate biology without a solid understanding of chem and physics (ok you don't need projectile motion to know biology but they took it off the MCAT for a reason.).

Pressure, fluids, electricity (capacitors, circuits etc), potential and kinetic energy.. that's all really important to knowing how the circulatory and nervous systems work.

Biochemistry is an amazing class that you will be able to take as an upperclassmen, it ties in everything you have learned. You get to see how the cell takes advantage of basic chemistry in order to carry out the functions it needs for survival.. It will all pay off if you devote yourself to learning all fields of science.

You should volunteer at a hospital (I did ER) so that you can get some hands on experience that may reinvigorate your interests.

 

[Old_Mil]

I've already changed my mind. It hit me like a bus when I realized I was only "wanting" to go to med school for my parents. I hate pre med. I hate chem, I hate physics I hate all those stupid classes, no offense to those who like them. Except for bio classes, those are awesome and actually hold my interest. It sounds dumb, but I've always wanted to become something adventurous, like a cop or a firefighter. I'm not going to lie, I like bio as a major, but it's so useless in the real world. Heck, even my manager has a bio major, but she co-owns her brother's barbershop because she didn't end up going to med school, but it's something she likes. I hate this stress and the fact I'm $30k in debt just stresses me out even more. I have no idea what to do anymore.

Sorry, I know it's unrelated to pre med, but I just needed to vent some.

As a practicing, board certified, emergency physician I want to take a moment to congratulate you. You have escaped the matrix.

I want you to take the rest of the week off, go celebrate Friday night before going in Monday and change your major to undecided. Survive this semester and take some classes you like and figure out what you want to do.

All those classes you mention? They are the best part of medicine. Things start to suck halfway through medical school when you start going on clinical rotations and patients enter your life.

They suck worse when you finish residency and hospital administrators and a vast army of non physicians strip away every last bit of authority you have to improve how you do your job and leave you with 100 percent of the responsibility.

The reality of what the medical field has become doesn't often filter down into the premed forums - I know of no other field of endeavor where those who are training to do something so consistently ignore the experiences of those who are already out there doing it.

When it does though, I am happy to see it. Go enjoy your life, and whatever you do don't ever look back at the dark abyss you avoided falling into.

 

[Sardinia]

@Old_Mil If his posting history has any validity, then he is quitting because he has already fallen into the abyss. A 2.45/2.5 GPA after the first two years with 4 withdrawals and Chemistry retakes. Every thread was about some academic failure on his part and how he's reconsidering medicine. For these reasons I avoided making remarks because there was at least some self accountability. The fact that he's denying the value of the degree altogether is altogether ridiculous. This guy can't even finish a bio degree and yet he's questioning the value of completing one. I bet that next month we are going to get another b.s. thread about him coming back to medicine, being unsure about medicine, or how he's so happy starting 101 classes in dance psychology. It's funny how we are in fields that deal with HPI, PMHx, SHx, and FHx but we look at thread starters as if they are one off cases. Or maybe I'm the one whose crazy enough to remember "jorge posts" as something that needs cleaning with alcohol and bleach.

 

[jorge921995]

S

As a practicing, board certified, emergency physician I want to take a moment to congratulate you. You have escaped the matrix.

I want you to take the rest of the week off, go celebrate Friday night before going in Monday and change your major to undecided. Survive this semester and take some classes you like and figure out what you want to do.

All those classes you mention? They are the best part of medicine. Things start to suck halfway through medical school when you start going on clinical rotations and patients enter your life.

They suck worse when you finish residency and hospital administrators and a vast army of non physicians strip away every last bit of authority you have to improve how you do your job and leave you with 100 percent of the responsibility.

The reality of what the medical field has become doesn't often filter down into the premed forums - I know of no other field of endeavor where those who are training to do something so consistently ignore the experiences of those who are already out there doing it.

When it does though, I am happy to see it. Go enjoy your life, and whatever you do don't ever look back at the dark abyss you avoided falling into.

Someone doesn't seem content with their decision. No judgment , though.

 

[jorge921995]

@Old_Mil If his posting history has any validity, then he is quitting because he has already fallen into the abyss. A 2.45/2.5 GPA after the first two years with 4 withdrawals and Chemistry retakes. Every thread was about some academic failure on his part and how he's reconsidering medicine. For these reasons I avoided making remarks because there was at least some self accountability. The fact that he's denying the value of the degree altogether is altogether ridiculous. This guy can't even finish a bio degree and yet he's questioning the value of completing one. I bet that next month we are going to get another b.s. thread about him coming back to medicine, being unsure about medicine, or how he's so happy starting 101 classes in dance psychology. It's funny how we are in fields that deal with HPI, PMHx, SHx, and FHx but we look at thread starters as if they are one off cases. Or maybe I'm the one whose crazy enough to remember "jorge posts" as something that needs cleaning with alcohol and bleach.

I'll have you know I've raised my GPA to a 3.1, not sure for science though. So if you stopped making assumptions about people you don't even know based off a few forum posts that would be great. Please, tell me the doors a bio degree opens uo with high pay and not having to go to school for the rest of your life... I'd love to hear it...

 

[precisiongraphic]

I'll have you know I've raised my GPA to a 3.1, not sure for science though. So if you stopped making assumptions about people you don't even know based off a few forum posts that would be great. Please, tell me the doors a bio degree opens uo with high pay and not having to go to school for the rest of your life... I'd love to hear it...

Agree that you should investigate the Lab science potential jobs - @wholeheartedly and @gyngyn gave you good ideas. You mentioned firefighter in your original post - maybe get an EMT certification and become a volunteer firefighter in your free time after you graduate. Ones job does not have to meet all gratification needs - there is a life outside of work.

 

[jorge921995]

I love powerlifting, is it possible to relate a bio degree to that ?