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[rochagurl89]

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If I decide at some point that being a doctor isn't for me...would it be better to have a BA or BS in something like bio or psych?

 

[flip26]

If I decide at some point that being a doctor isn't for me...would it be better to have a BA or BS in something like bio or psych?

Probably a business degree would be better if your back up plan does not incude additional post UG schooling (like MBA, law, graduate school, etc). Bachelors degrees in the sciences are kind of worthless in the job market - most decent jobs in the sciences require advanced degrees...

 

[MilkmanAl]

BS, definitely. More difficult degree=more qualification.

 

[146233]

flip makes a good point. Truth be told, BA vs. BS is like cheeseburger vs. hamburger with cheese. Get any degree that interests you. Relatively few college grads are hired based specifically on their degree.

 

[SageFrancis]

If you really want a good future with only a bachelors, engineering would be the way to go. But then there's the Catch 22 if you do want to go into medicine since you'll probably end up with a better GPA in psych.

 

[Katatonic]

I would go with a B.S. since I'd probably apply for a forensic scientist job if I don't go into medicine, but it completely depends on you. What would you envision yourself doing instead of medicine?

 

[135892]

If I decide at some point that being a doctor isn't for me...would it be better to have a BA or BS in something like bio or psych?

BS in bio is not worth that much, you pretty much have to get advanced degrees

If you're looking for jobs with just a bachelor's, then an engineering or a business degree will probably be the most helpful. But you should just major in what interests you anyway...

 

[wisconsindoctor]

If I decide at some point that being a doctor isn't for me...would it be better to have a BA or BS in something like bio or psych?

B.S. You won't see many job advertisements asking for a BA. Most jobs ask for a BS.

There are fewer jobs for a person with a BS in psych than there are for people with a BS in biology. What you could do, and most pre-meds never think of this, is developing a back-up career while being pre-med. With a degree in human resources and psych, you could get some very nice jobs that ask for a combination of both. Having a human resources degree with a biology degree might help get a job in a hospital or clinic, but would be useless for helping get a job in a coorporation.

There are two careers that are never talked about in college. These two careers are recruiters and science/medical writers. Get an English minor with a bio degree (or the opposite) and you can get some very nice jobs in the editing and writing world.

Another type of job pre-meds never talk about is insurance coding. These people start out around $18 an hour. That is a heck of a lot better than your $9 blood collector or medical assistant job.

Be smart, talk to a person that actualy understands the job market, like I do.

 

[nu2004]

actually, an ND is really what you want to aim for

 

[rochagurl89]

thanks!

 

[physicsnerd42]

Unless you're getting an engineering or *shudder* business degree in undergrad, no degrees are particularly "useful." And contrary to what some people on this board are saying, I don't think the B.S. gives you much advantage over the B.A. if you don't go to med school. I think the subject you get your bachelors in probably matters a little more than the degree itself (aka if you get a B.S. in Biology vs. a B.A. in human biology, there's no difference). Plus, just anecdotally: I see ALL (since you can't get a B.S. here) the Dartmouth undergrads graduating with their A.B.s and they don't seem to be hurting for jobs...

 

[MossPoh]

I have a B.S. in information science technology. Something like 97% of our students who applied for a job got one before they graduated. Average starting salary was also the highest at my university. (Yes, even higher than engineering.)

The downside is you tend to do a lot of consulting and flying around. Sounds great at first until you realize you're never home...ever

Psychology and Bio degrees are both pretty worthless. I've always viewed psychology as the kind of degree you throw on for fun.

 

[foster033]

B.S. You won't see many job advertisements asking for a BA. Most jobs ask for a BS.

BA = BS

I've never had a problem applying for jobs requiring a BS with "only" a BA and neither have my friends. Which one you have is more often determined by what is offered by your school, my school "only" offered BA so that's what I have.

 

[HumidBeing]

actually, an ND is really what you want to aim for

Aromatherapy is listed in there. Made me think of what goes on around here. People who run "aromatherapy" places keep getting raided and arrested because they are using that as front for, um, other business. Could be that it's just a local business practice.

 

[dd128]

As almost worthless as my B.S. in bio seemed to be, I have friends that would say their psych degree is a step below that. I worked in retail for a number of years during undergrad (wal-mart), and knew a dept manager making somewhere around $13/hr with a masters in psych. Take that as you will....

 

[nlax30]

If you want to work right after college then do a 4yr in something like Engineering, Info tech, MIS, computer stuff, etc.....

Or could go further and get a masters in pysch or bio. But a BA/BS probably won't do much for you in those areas. Was considering looking for some sort of related job with my Psych BS during off-year while I was applying to med school and there was nothing. Ended up installing audio/video stuff (a previous job I had) that paid better than any entry level (minimum wage range) type of job I could find at any healthcare/mental health facility.