Change of Plans

[boostedct9a]

Currently at my university my majors are biology health science, biochemistry and molecular biology. I decided after some thought that I would like to finish a major in Physics as well, this leads me to my question. If i decided to go through with the physics major it would take me an extra year or two to finish everything up. Would this look bad when a medical school looks at my college transcript and notices that I have been an undergraduate for 5 or 6 years instead of 4?

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[flip26]

No, but why would you do that to yourself? They also will not be impressed with multiple majors and degrees, either...

 

[FlowLimited]

Agreed. It's not worth it. Your major doesn't make a shred of difference in the admissions process, so why tack on a FOURTH one? That's just crazy. I can tell you from experience, because I was a physics major, that nobody really cares. If anything, it was harder to explain my research at interviews.

 

[GamjaXnamjA]

Currently at my university my majors are biology health science, biochemistry and molecular biology. I decided after some thought that I would like to finish a major in Physics as well, this leads me to my question. If i decided to go through with the physics major it would take me an extra year or two to finish everything up. Would this look bad when a medical school looks at my college transcript and notices that I have been an undergraduate for 5 or 6 years instead of 4?

i don't think that would look bad but.. don't you think thats kind of a waste of time..? seems like you would rather get so much education with different majors than go to medical school

 

[medking]

Currently at my university my majors are biology health science, biochemistry and molecular biology. I decided after some thought that I would like to finish a major in Physics as well, this leads me to my question. If i decided to go through with the physics major it would take me an extra year or two to finish everything up. Would this look bad when a medical school looks at my college transcript and notices that I have been an undergraduate for 5 or 6 years instead of 4?

If the physics major is something you want to impress people with or think that the extra major will help you in your med school admissions process, then dont do it. I hope this is not your case.

If it's for intellectual curiosity, then I would do it. I mean, you could just take physics courses that you are interested in, but I guess if youre gonna put in all that time studying might as well major in it. Quench that thirst!

From experience, I can tell you that going to college for 5-6 years is not an issue as long as you are doing something meaningful that requires that much time.

 

[bcat85]

Currently at my university my majors are biology health science, biochemistry and molecular biology. I decided after some thought that I would like to finish a major in Physics as well, this leads me to my question. If i decided to go through with the physics major it would take me an extra year or two to finish everything up. Would this look bad when a medical school looks at my college transcript and notices that I have been an undergraduate for 5 or 6 years instead of 4?

With 4 majors? No.

 

[boostedct9a]

I guess I wasn't to clear. The biochemistry and molecular biology is one major its just rolled into one.

Unlike a lot of premed kids that I know I'm not just jumping through the hoop. I'm doing everything because I really enjoy it (I think i am the only person in my class that really enjoys organic). I'm doing the biochem and molecular as a backup in case I don't get into medical school. I don't see it as a way to impress anyone and I really wouldn't even care if it went on my transcript or not. I just want to do it because it is something that I enjoy doing and I wanted to know if it would hurt my chances at med school it i stayed an undergraduate for an extra year or two.

 

[medking]

I guess I wasn't to clear. The biochemistry and molecular biology is one major its just rolled into one.

Unlike a lot of premed kids that I know I'm not just jumping through the hoop. I'm doing everything because I really enjoy it (I think i am the only person in my class that really enjoys organic). I'm doing the biochem and molecular as a backup in case I don't get into medical school. I don't see it as a way to impress anyone and I really wouldn't even care if it went on my transcript or not. I just want to do it because it is something that I enjoy doing and I wanted to know if it would hurt my chances at med school it i stayed an undergraduate for an extra year or two.

Sounds like you are doing it for the right reasons. Go for it!!!

Like I said before, I did not have any problems.

BTW, I really, really, really enjoyed ochem! High five, lol.

 

[BluePhoenix]

It's hard to really say that staying an extra year or two to double major is physics is really worth it if your goal is to be a doctor. If it interests you, take a few more classes in physics or attend some lectures. But spending the money to stay on two extra years to learn material you probably won't ever use or remember very long after graduation seems a bit pointless. The higher you go in physics, the more removed from the real world you get. If it interests you, there's a lot of books that discuss those ideas that you should be able to follow after taking a few college physics class...I don't think it's worth waiting two years though...just to have the second major. You can't do much just a BS in physics anyway.

 

[medking]

It's hard to really say that staying an extra year or two to double major is physics is really worth it if your goal is to be a doctor. If it interests you, take a few more classes in physics or attend some lectures. But spending the money to stay on two extra years to learn material you probably won't ever use or remember very long after graduation seems a bit pointless. The higher you go in physics, the more removed from the real world you get. If it interests you, there's a lot of books that discuss those ideas that you should be able to follow after taking a few college physics class...I don't think it's worth waiting two years though...just to have the second major. You can't do much just a BS in physics anyway.

I was thinking that too, but maybe the OP wants to interact with other students and professors. Iunno, just a thought.

 

[boostedct9a]

thanks for al your help guys

 

[fireflygirl]

Just a little something to think about: while I believe your intentions are very genuine in your interest in the sciences, I would just be prepared to be asked (in a med school interview) why not pursue another level of the sciences as a career or why go and get a PhD - i.e. why come to medicine? If your long term plans are medicine, make sure you are also spending time doing the volunteering, shadowing...etc that is required and expected of applicants. I didn't menton research just because I assume you will be doing plenty of it through your majors. Just make sure you are doing all the other work too as you pursue these majors that will make you a strong applicant. And you already seem to have a demanding major, if you take on this other major, you may not have the time to balance everything, but if you can, all the power to you! I just wanted to offer another perspective.