Chemistry, Medical Humanities, or Public Health Minor??? (Bio major student)

[PreMedHopeful]

So, I'm researching minors for my last year of my college since I will be done with all Gen Eds and major requirements and will need to fill up my schedule since I want to take classes to get my scholarship....

Should I minor in chemistry because it's only 2 classes more along with

Medical Humanities-
pros: interesting classes, pretty easy, allows me to take more humanities classes since mostly I took all science classes in college
cons: classes not offered every semester, some classes boring, a lot of essays and busy work

OR

Public Health-
pros: prepare me for a future in medicine, pretty interesting, can help me if I do a DO/MPH degree in med school, will help me in leadership roles in future as a professional doctor working in a hospital as a CMO
cons: it's only a minor and not worth learning right now, could be boring classes, more classes to take vs med humanities, and less essays/harder exams to study my last year

I was also thinking about bioinformatics but that might be too hard and way too confusing since I don't like the processes behind computers...I wish there was a biomedical/chemical engineering minor or genetics/neuroscience/medical technology/medical engineering minor offered at my school, but its a small school and my options are as below

Any suggestions, ideas, advice????

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[Chemdude]

dude. please don't ever use green font again; you just blinded me.

Anyway, I don't think it matters. If it was up to me, I would choose medical humanities because it sounds cool...

 

[Mattabet]

dude. please don't ever use green font again; you just blinded me.

Anyway, I don't think it matters. If it was up to me, I would choose medical humanities because it sounds cool...

Agree on both points

Your minor really isn't going to matter to anybody, unless you're using it as a pick-up line at a college bar ("really, I'm a psych. minor too!"). I'd pick something that interests you and is not overly onerous, such that it doesn't distract you from your major and required work.

 

[Wheee]

I'm a chem major. I love chemistry. But depending on what the last two classes you have to take are, it's probably not worth it. Analytical is way too big a headache if you haven't taken that one yet.

I too think medical humanities sounds pretty cool, and it'll be a nice break from your usual science up til now and all you'll be getting in med school (or I assume...though I can't think of too many courses that fall under medical humanities, but my school also doesn't have that). With public health as your other option though, I don't think you could go wrong between those two.

 

[loveoforganic]

I'm a chem major. I love chemistry. But depending on what the last two classes you have to take are, it's probably not worth it. Analytical is way too big a headache if you haven't taken that one yet.

I too think medical humanities sounds pretty cool, and it'll be a nice break from your usual science up til now and all you'll be getting in med school (or I assume...though I can't think of too many courses that fall under medical humanities, but my school also doesn't have that). With public health as your other option though, I don't think you could go wrong between those two.

Agree that analytical sucks. If there aren't some higher up chemistries that you think you'd enjoy (that require analytical), I wouldn't do chem major. Analytical labs are awful, awful, awful. Don't misunderstand - it's not a hard course. It just is NOT fun.

Medical humanities sounds interesting to me, but that's really up to you to decide. Take what you'll enjoy and what won't wreck your GPA.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

I think I'm doing a CHEM minor AND Med. Humanities because they fit into my senior year perfectly...15 credits a piece...public health-what is it? lol

 

[corbis11]

do what i did senior year when I only needed 16 hours to graduate:

take 12 credits (to remain full time) each semester and fill in any hours with physical education courses(ice skating, hockey, tennis, etc) or some freshman level courses that seems interesting/easy

= fun last year

 

[SirGecko]

First of all never use green text ever again.

Second: how about none of the above? Why do you want to minor? Why not just take classes that you are interested in? No one will ever care what your minor was. If a class doesn't sound interesting don't take it. Take classes you are interested in that you won't get another chance to do. (phy ed classes, art classes, music classes, poetry classes, etc) There is no reason I can think of that you should go out of your way to get any of these minors. (go ahead and take classes in the minors if you think the class looks cool but don't take a class that looks boring just to get a minor)

Also most engineering programs don't offer minors as far as I know. (I majored in an engineering discipline and we don't offer any minors) The reason for this is that even the full course of an undergraduate education is only barely enough time to train you to be an engineer. An engineering minor wouldn't even get past the basics. It would be completely useless. (does anyone go to a school that does offer a minor in an engineering field? just curious)

Edit: so just did a quick google search and Cornell of all places offers a bunch of engineering minors. I guess maybe my school is unusual in this regard? (not offering minors even though we have a good engineering school) I don't know. Still don't think I'd recommend an engineering minor though.

 

[plsletmein]

I'm curious as to why you want to pick up a chemistry minor. You posted in another thread that you had to withdraw from Chem 2 at your undergrad college and got a W, took the equivalent course in a community college and was possibly getting a C in that class there. Why are you considering a chemistry minor again?

 

[PreMedHopeful]

HAHAHAHAHHAAHA man you premed people at SDN are stalkers!!! No, but I'm doing a chem minor because it's just 2 more classes that I can take to have it along with my Bio major...Chem minor would make me take Environmental Chem and Geochemistry or something like that....in the end, it doesn't mean anything but it sounds nice, "I majored in Bio and double minored in Chem and Med Humanities..."

I don't like P.E. classes because I'd rather just go to the gym myself whenever I feel like working out....taking random classes is alright but why not just do a minor to make your major sound better and just be a better overall student...even though grad schools don't care...it just sounds nice, I guess?

Can someone tell me more about Bioinformatics and Public health and would you recommend it?

 

[BigChubbyMD]

do what i did senior year when I only needed 16 hours to graduate:

take 12 credits (to remain full time) each semester and fill in any hours with physical education courses(ice skating, hockey, tennis, etc) or some freshman level courses that seems interesting/easy

= fun last year

You can even check into your school and see if you have to be full the last semester. I took 12 hours then 6 hours (as long as you are set to graduate, you don't have to be a full time student the last semester where I went) and did lots of relaxing and took lots of naps. It was great.

 

[plsletmein]

HAHAHAHAHHAAHA man you premed people at SDN are stalkers!!!

It's hard to ignore when you bump your other threads nonstop and when I see the same username making the same melodramatic types of threads, I tend to click on their post history out of curiousity

 

[BigChubbyMD]

HAHAHAHAHHAAHA man you premed people at SDN are stalkers!!!
Can someone tell me more about Bioinformatics and Public health and would you recommend it?

First: Yeah, that was kinda creepy

Second: Bioinformatics is a lot of computer work, so it takes a special mind to be able to do that (and at a friend's school com sci courses were a prereq). Since you don't like computers, don't do that.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

haha yes I do bump my threads every night at 2 am...enough info for you lol

 

[PreMedHopeful]

any ideas on public health???

 

[plsletmein]

I have to admit, some of your other dramatic posts are pretty entertaining.

In all seriousness though, a little common sense will take you far, especially in all your MCAT threads. For this thread, you still do not have any good reason for picking up that chemistry minor. You struggled with gen chem and want to subject yourself to more chemistry because it only takes 2 more classes? You're risking your GPA for some superficial ability to tell unimpressed people over the dinner table that you minored in chemistry?? You're better off like other people have already said taking classes that you would actually enjoy

 

[SirGecko]

I don't like P.E. classes because I'd rather just go to the gym myself whenever I feel like working out....taking random classes is alright but why not just do a minor to make your major sound better and just be a better overall student...even though grad schools don't care...it just sounds nice, I guess?

A minor doesn't mean you were a better student. (the classes you take are what make you a better educated student) Really there is absolutely no use for it. It won't get you a job, it won't impress your friends, it will not have any effect on your life at all. It means nothing so don't go out of your way for one. Instead take the classes in the department that appeal to you or you think could be useful. If that happens to have you picking up a minor then whatever it still doesn't matter. Only take classes that interest you.

Edit: just to be clear I'm not telling you abstain from classes that would fulfill these minors. If they look cool and you have the time go ahead. I'm telling you not to let getting a minor be an input in your decision making process.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

I actually thought Environmental Chem (3 credits) and Chemistry Internship/Research (3 Credits) looked interesting...to me at least that's why I was going to do it...

I already have to take Biochemistry, Organic Chem 1 and 2, and then those 2 things above would give me the minor-> so why not?

I know I am struggling in Gen Chem 2, but what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger is my philosophy...I still LOVE chemistry and took AP BIO and AP CHEM in high school, I just find it challenging thats all!

 

[dru2002]

I actually thought Environmental Chem (3 credits) and Chemistry Internship/Research (3 Credits) looked interesting...to me at least that's why I was going to do it...

I already have to take Biochemistry, Organic Chem 1 and 2, and then those 2 things above would give me the minor-> so why not?

I know I am struggling in Gen Chem 2, but what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger is my philosophy...I still LOVE chemistry and took AP BIO and AP CHEM in high school, I just find it challenging thats all!

Before you decide on that chem minor I would wait for Ochem. Ochem is a kick in the balls (or ovaries) and for me it crushed any desire I ever had to take another chem course, except biochem which is pretty much bio anyway.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

well at my school environmental chemistry is easy and clinical chemistry is challenging but doable, in the end I still think its interesting and want to do it so will most likely...but it depends on how well I do next year:/ if i pass and continue through with this college business haha