Can a computer Science major apply for MD program?

deerjay said:

I'm studying computer science in college. I was very passionate about programming and networking and computer architecture etc. When i got into college and sat in my first CS class, it was like a dream came true. i maintained good GPA (3.7 till now n just one more semester to go) but with the passage of time i'm finding lack of interest in programming stuff. Now i'm contemplating on becoming doctor n it seems very fascinating field. i really like serving people and helping them to get rid of their problems. I think that becoming a doctor would be great profession for me and really can excel in it.
Since i'm majoring in Computer Science in college and not doing any pre-medical program. I've taken a lots of maths and physics throughout my academic period. For chemistry n biology, i took in 10th standard not in high school. But i was good in that (not in biology) and really can do well in MCAT. So my question is, how hard MCAT is going to be for me? can i really apply for medical school? Can i become a doctor?

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I was a CIS major, am going to med school starting 2013. It is very possible and IMHO important background for the future of medicine (study health informatics, HIE, HL7,digital medical home, etc this will tie your CS to healthcare). If you can take all of the prerequisites in undergrad, I would. This saves you from doing a post baccalaureate. Some schools even have pre-health sciences minors. Prerequisites are 1year gen bio, 1year physics, 1year gen chem, usually 1 year o. Chem, and sometimes Biochem. Some schools will take 1 semester o. Chem and one semester Biochem. I know you said one semester left, but to me it's worth staying one extra semester if necessary to finish prerequisites rather than applying for post baccalaureate programs.

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The MCAT just tests material covered in the prerequisite classes, so there's no need to worry (now) about that. All majors have roughly equal acceptance rates into medical school. If I could get in with a European History major that's useless for any career outside the fast food industry, you can get in with a computer science major. Just keep that GPA as high as possible and you'll be fine.

As long as you have met the pre-requisites and have the volunteering and shadowing to show to schools that you are truly interested in medicine you should be alright with that GPA. You have to have taken:
1 year chemistry with labs (8cr)
1 year organic chemistry (8cr)
1 year physics with labs (8cr)
1 year biology with labs (8cr)

Biochemistry is a requirement for some schools, genetics and molecular biology will make you attractive to the more competitive schools if you do well on the MCAT. Statistics is another course that is becoming a popular prerequisite as well as calculus. Keep in mind that their will also be psych and sociology requirements after 2015 as well.

As far as the MCAT being hard for you, from the way you write I'm going to guess that American english might not be your native tongue, so study up on the verbal portion as I foresee that being your weakest portion.

EDIT: I see a lot of good responses posted above as well. You can get in with any major. As long as you interview well you'll do fine with a decent MCAT score.

Everyone has given you good advice so I'll just leave this:

"Don't be afraid to give up the good and go for the great". -Steve Prefontaine

deerjay said:

I'm studying computer science in college. I was very passionate about programming and networking and computer architecture etc. When i got into college and sat in my first CS class, it was like a dream came true. i maintained good GPA (3.7 till now n just one more semester to go) but with the passage of time i'm finding lack of interest in programming stuff. Now i'm contemplating on becoming doctor n it seems very fascinating field. i really like serving people and helping them to get rid of their problems. I think that becoming a doctor would be great profession for me and really can excel in it.
Since i'm majoring in Computer Science in college and not doing any pre-medical program. I've taken a lots of maths and physics throughout my academic period. For chemistry n biology, i took in 10th standard not in high school. But i was good in that (not in biology) and really can do well in MCAT. So my question is, how hard MCAT is going to be for me? can i really apply for medical school? Can i become a doctor?

Click to expand...

op are you a Canadian? just the way you say certain things makes me question whether or not you're a US national. regardless, it's possible per everyone else's advice, but to better direct you in your search for information it might help to know, since there are different processes around the world.

What do you mean by 10th standard?

If you had toruble iwth biology, then yes, you're going to have trouble with the MCAT.

Since i'm majoring in Computer Science in college and not doing any pre-medical program. I've taken a lots of maths and physics throughout my academic period. For chemistry n biology, i took in 10th standard not in high school. But i was good in that (not in biology) and really can do well in MCAT. So my question is, how hard MCAT is going to be for me?

Yes

can i really apply for medical school?


You tell me. I've found that my students who majors in CS had trouble with medical school...two different ways of thinking.

Can i become a doctor?

Captain Sisko said:

op are you a Canadian? just the way you say certain things makes me question whether or not you're a US national. regardless, it's possible per everyone else's advice, but to better direct you in your search for information it might help to know, since there are different processes around the world.

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called it!

one of the mods should combine this with his other thread and move it to international medicine.

impact2d said:

I was a CIS major, am going to med school starting 2013. It is very possible and IMHO important background for the future of medicine (study health informatics, HIE, HL7,digital medical home, etc this will tie your CS to healthcare). If you can take all of the prerequisites in undergrad, I would. This saves you from doing a post baccalaureate. Some schools even have pre-health sciences minors. Prerequisites are 1year gen bio, 1year physics, 1year gen chem, usually 1 year o. Chem, and sometimes Biochem. Some schools will take 1 semester o. Chem and one semester Biochem. I know you said one semester left, but to me it's worth staying one extra semester if necessary to finish prerequisites rather than applying for post baccalaureate programs.

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Listen to this man (or woman). I'm somewhat opposite, my undergrad is biology but my first career has been health informatics, requiring on the job understanding of HIE, HL7 interfaces, relational databases (and how they balloon to massive proportions), any querying language (SQL being a favorite with the databases we use).

Your ability to think in such a structured manner (as computer science requires), will prove to be a huge benefit for you. Use that ability to read into every detail and you will smash your prereqs and the MCAT. Start the journey as soon as you are sure, because years will pass and you'll either be proud of where you are or you won't. You decide.

Captain Sisko said:

called it!

one of the mods should combine this with his other thread and move it to international medicine.

Click to expand...

Another thread posted....OP is from Pakistan: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=987305

deerjay said:

I'm a 29 year old. I'm from Pakistan. Now I've decided that I'll go to US and will study medicine and become a doctor in America.

1) Do I have to go to american college to pursue my 4 year premedical program and then 4 years in medical school?

2) Do american medical schools accept applications of foreigners?


3) (Hopefully) if I get admission in med school and graduate, would I be able to practice medicine in USA?

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1) Yeah, most American medical schools do not accept foreign undergraduate degrees. The vast majority require a domestic bachelors, or at least a significant amount of coursework taken in the states.

2) Very few even take applications. That makes a hard process even harder to get through. But some schools do accept a small number of foreigners. I think these tend to be the more prestigious ones, but I could be wrong. I'm thinking like Penn and Columbia.

3) If you got into a US medical school I think you could. It'd be the rare case of a foreign national with a US MD/DO. If you went the other way and got a medical degree from Pakistan it'd be mighty hard to practice here, especially with the new policies about FMG's I keep hearing about.

To sum up, your best bet is to come over and do a second undergrad degree stateside, while simultaneously finding a nice American lady (or man) you want to spend your life with, marry them, become a US citizen, and THEN apply to medical school.

Good luck!