Couple of Questions from a HS Student

[DukeDevils9192]

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I'll be entering college in the fall and still really looking into med-school and I have a few questions that have crossed my mind (mainly because of overlapping interests):

- How difficult is it to double major in two non-sciences and still get the pre-med courses in? I know double majors don't generally make or break a person, but how many people have done that?

- Are there people who major in an Education area so that they have a teaching degree for when they retire? The only two things I've really wanted in the last few years are being an English teacher and being a psychiatrist, mainly the latter--so, I was wondering if anyone ever does that?

Just a few, possibly off-the-wall, questions that I wondered about. May or may not be good questions, but stuff I wondered nonetheless.

Thanks.

 

[An Yong]

1) Double majoring and being a pre-med is doable but more than likely you'll have to stay another year. If one of your majors is biology, you may be able to finish in 4 years because most of the pre-med req's are covered in the bio major (calc, g-chem, o-chem, bio). Usually though, if its not a pre-med related major (in your case two non-science majors) expect to take an extra year + a few summer sessions (unless you overload each semester). Double majoring + doing the pre-med route is pretty tough and will help you very little with medical school admissions. Do it only if you are really interested in both subjects. Honestly, if I could do it over I probably would stick to one major, graduate in 3-4 years, and get it over with.

2) I've never heard of someone taking an educational major to teach WHEN THEY RETIRE. If you want to teach, you do not have to be an educational major (in fact I dont know anyone who does this if they want to teach at a high school level). I know some people who want to be high school math teachers and currently they are majoring in math and then plan on getting a teaching certification. If you want to teach though, its possible to do it wihtout majoring in education (i.e. Teach For America will let you teach right out of college, even if you do not have any teaching qualifications).

GoodLuck!

 

[bella_dottoressa]

Yeah, I agree unless you are very interested in two nonscience fields I wouldn't double in them. I think it would be a bit of a headache and definately take some extra time. I am doubling in psych and bio which works since the bio classes and premed classes are the same, however I'm still pressed to finish in 4 years, for example by taking a heavy load some quarters and also class during the summer.

I'm not really sure I understand your education question...However if you have an interest in psychiatry maybe you could consider majoring in psych as well? When I was in high school, and to this day I always said if I didn't want so much tobe a physician I'd want to do some sort of teaching, more early education though. To take care of that whim, I work for Jumpstart which allows me to basically get paid to be a part time preschool teacher with only about 3 months of training. Also with Jumpstart I could be eligible if I so choosed to do Teach for America as the above poster said...So I'd say if your interested in doing med to maybe double major in a science and a nonscience you have an interest in. But again, you don't have to do any of this right off the bat. You can pick up a second major any time you like; for example, I didn't pick up my bio major until the summer after my first year.

Good luck, and welcome to SDN. I found this place when I was in high school too. If you spend a bit of time, you'll enter college a very informed pre med. 🙂

 

[Spitting Camel]

Think of GPA! That is one of the most important things in the application process. Also, the busier you are with classes, the less time you have to devote to extracurricular activities, which are equally important. Pick a major you LOVE the most, do the premed requirements, and get involved to see if medicine is something you really love. 1 major and high GPA is better than two majors and mediocre GPA. Food for thought...

 

[musiclink213]

i know someone that is double majoring in bio and psych and is pre med, but she also came in to the school with out having to take many cores cause she got AP credit. the ones she had to take, most were covered by this 12 credit honor's class that we take during freshman year, that gives us core credit in humanities, social science, etc. but like other posters have said, if you're double majoring in two non-sciences, it will be extremely difficult. don't forget the cores!

on a side note though, in most schools, if you're an education major, you also have to have a major in something else. you can't just be an education major.

 

[Spitting Camel]

Originally posted by musiclink213
i know someone that is double majoring in bio and psych and is pre med, but she also came in to the school with out having to take many cores cause she got AP credit. the ones she had to take, most were covered by this 12 credit honor's class that we take during freshman year, that gives us core credit in humanities, social science, etc. but like other posters have said, if you're double majoring in two non-sciences, it will be extremely difficult. don't forget the cores!

on a side note though, in most schools, if you're an education major, you also have to have a major in something else. you can't just be an education major.

Hmmm... Is the class called Humanities Core??

 

[DukeDevils9192]

Thanks for the responses--with all this stuff right around the corner, I can't help but bog myself down with questions, though, I know I shouldn't be worrying myself too quickly.

Thanks.

 

[dynx]

I just have to comment on the fact that this might just be the first post from a highschool student that doesn't sound neurotic. Way to be man, keep up the good attitude its a long haul.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by AlreadyInDebt
Hmmm... Is the class called Humanities Core??

yeah sounds like the humanities core my brother is complaining about at uci...

 

[jlee9531]

oh yeah for the HS OP...

most if not all med schools dont accept ap credit.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by jlee9531
oh yeah for the HS OP...

most if not all med schools dont accept ap credit.

depends on what you mean by accept AP credit

I had AP credit count towards med school reqs in bio, chem, physics, and math.

Most schools dont count APs towards GPA.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by Gleevec
depends on what you mean by accept AP credit

I had AP credit count towards med school reqs in bio, chem, physics, and math.

Most schools dont count APs towards GPA.

i meant an ap class you took in high school doesnt count as fulfilling a med school prereq........

like if i took AP Bio....it doesnt mean I dont have to take Bio in college and med school will just accept the fact that I took it in high school. It wont count towards completing that part of the prereq.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by jlee9531
i meant an ap class you took in high school doesnt count as fulfilling a med school prereq........

like if i took AP Bio....it doesnt mean I dont have to take Bio in college and med school will just accept the fact that I took it in high school. It wont count towards completing that part of the prereq.

yeah, I took AP Bio in high school, and I didnt have to take it again in college. Same holds for AP Chem and AP Physics. For Bio and Chem, I took upper level courses (since one of them is my major), but the AP credits instead of taking the intro classes havent posed any problems to me.

So yeah, I dont think you run into too many problems if you AP out of intro courses, and most med schools will accept them for prereq requirements.

 

[Freakingzooming]

Ill relay you advice my friend gave me coming in...

First thing you need to worry about college as a premed is three things:

1. Doing well grades wise
2. Doing well grades wise.
3. Doing well grades wise.

I can't reemphasize how important grades are to everything in this application process. A stellar MCAT won't float your boat if you're toting a 3.2 GPA cuz you thought two majors would impress the admission committee.

Same way goes for ECs, if you become involved, house prez, RA.. whatever, that stuff isnt going to save you if you have more B's than A's.

That said, I would rethink the double majoring and concentrate on doing well. The ECs, the MCAt stuff, the having fun in college will come naturally. PM me with questions... Ive been down that road.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by Gleevec
yeah, I took AP Bio in high school, and I didnt have to take it again in college. Same holds for AP Chem and AP Physics. For Bio and Chem, I took upper level courses (since one of them is my major), but the AP credits instead of taking the intro classes havent posed any problems to me.

So yeah, I dont think you run into too many problems if you AP out of intro courses, and most med schools will accept them for prereq requirements.

really gleevec?

thats kinda cool. I think berkeley has different rules regarding that stuff then.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by jlee9531
really gleevec?

thats kinda cool. I think berkeley has different rules regarding that stuff then.

i hope im understanding you right jlee9531, i feel were not talking about the same thing. it has nothing to do with berkeley, it has to do with med schools and whether they accept a given AP credit as satisfying a prereq. my school will give you AP credit for 4,5 and you get some madeup intro class on your transcript that says AP under grade (it doesnt count towards GPA). i thought this was common?

APs also dont count towards graduation credit totals or major credit totals, so you have to take an upper level class to replace it.

I know some state schools give GPA for AP credit, which I think is ridiculous, but thats the exception and not the rule.

 

[R_C_Hutchinson]

as for the double major w/premed stuff- its doable assuming you have some AP units and are willing to do some summer school. I'd reccomend what everyone else has said- pick a major you love and deal with the premed req's first, then think double major or not in your 2nd year in college.
good luck!

 

[Sweet Tea]

its certainly possible to double major in non-sciences and still do premed, but it might take you more time. at the very least you'll be in summer school most if not all summer sessions if you want to graduate in 4 years. pick a major you like for your freshman year, get your pre-med stuff out of the way, and see if you want to add on something else. if you really really want to major in 2 humanities, then be open to the possibility to stay longer. better to take longer and get good grades than to overload yourself every semester just to say you graduated "on time".

from your username, i'm guessing you're going to duke. i don't know if duke does this, but unc has a program where you can TA intro to bio labs while still an undergrad. i did it and loved it. you can get some teaching experience and see if you'd rather do that over medicine. also, my med school has A LOT of former teachers-- some people did teach for america, some people were hs teachers for a few years before coming to school. its definetly possible to teach (w/out majoring in education) in NC and continue on to med school.

best of luck to you!

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by Sweet Tea
its certainly possible to double major in non-sciences and still do premed, but it might take you more time. at the very least you'll be in summer school most if not all summer sessions if you want to graduate in 4 years. pick a major you like for your freshman year, get your pre-med stuff out of the way, and see if you want to add on something else. if you really really want to major in 2 humanities, then be open to the possibility to stay longer. better to take longer and get good grades than to overload yourself every semester just to say you graduated "on time".

from your username, i'm guessing you're going to duke. i don't know if duke does this, but unc has a program where you can TA intro to bio labs while still an undergrad. i did it and loved it. you can get some teaching experience and see if you'd rather do that over medicine. also, my med school has A LOT of former teachers-- some people did teach for america, some people were hs teachers for a few years before coming to school. its definetly possible to teach (w/out majoring in education) in NC and continue on to med school.

best of luck to you!

you can TA most any intro level bio or chem lab as an undergrad, i did it for orgo, its pretty worthwhile IMHO.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by Gleevec
i hope im understanding you right jlee9531, i feel were not talking about the same thing. it has nothing to do with berkeley, it has to do with med schools and whether they accept a given AP credit as satisfying a prereq. my school will give you AP credit for 4,5 and you get some madeup intro class on your transcript that says AP under grade (it doesnt count towards GPA). i thought this was common?

APs also dont count towards graduation credit totals or major credit totals, so you have to take an upper level class to replace it.

I know some state schools give GPA for AP credit, which I think is ridiculous, but thats the exception and not the rule.

So I was under the impression that a good number of med schools didn't accept AP classes to fulfill their prereqs but I see I was wrong....

oh and about my school. I dont think they let me use AP credit to replace a college course. I only get units for it to help me out in giving me priority in picking classes every semester.

Thanks for clearing that stuff up gleevec.. 😉

PS. Yeah I never heard of any school giving grades for ap EITHER...thats IS bs.

 

[Sweet Tea]

Originally posted by Gleevec
you can TA most any intro level bio or chem lab as an undergrad, i did it for orgo, its pretty worthwhile IMHO.

good to know. i loved TAing for bio.

 

[musiclink213]

Originally posted by AlreadyInDebt
Hmmm... Is the class called Humanities Core??

no, we have to take a humanities core, but it includes a whole host of classes to choose from. this class is exculsive only to honors college students at my school. it's called culture and expression. i have no clue where taht name came from.