bookcasegrace
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2020
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi everyone!
This is my first post on SDN but I have been reading advice others have given for quite a while now. I am a rising junior at a local state university who has been set on the MD/PhD path... however, given the pandemic with some possible setbacks, I am questioning a few of my decisions.
A little bit of background:
I am currently officially listed as a double major in biology and chemistry (biochem. concentration) with a minor in mathematics. Although I was advised against the double major by one undergraduate advisor, I truly have a love for all three subjects and have wanted to learn as much as I can. I have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA, worked as a biological lab tech. during sophomore year and began TAing spring 2020 in chemistry (which should continue until I graduate, depending on funding with the pandemic). I also did one summer of research in ecology at my school between freshman and sophomore year (through a research course), started in an undergrad chemistry laboratory sophomore year (focused on utilizing bacteria as scaffolding for magnetic nano-particles). However, I actually decided to go in a different direction as my interests have narrowed more, and I am now a member of a neuroscience research lab focusing on Alzheimer's Disease, where I will be completing my honors thesis. Our team has collaborations with a team at a large, well-known hospital in this area of research, as well as with several other PI's at various institutions, so I am hopeful I will get at least one publication out before I graduate. I had applied to several REU and Amgen programs for this summer, but unfortunately all were cancelled due to the pandemic.
The trouble comes up here:
I am simply running out of time for my gen eds. I have considered switching the biochemistry to a minor, and mathematics to the second major, in order to cut down the number of labs that I have left to take. However, even with this, I will most likely have to be spending an extra semester. I realize that I have been very stubborn about keeping the double major, but, given the timeline that I keep going over and over, it is appearing more unrealistic. I am planning on applying to some jobs at my local hospital (as either a nursing assistant, medical scribe or surgical technician) very shortly for this fall in order to grow my clinical experience. During high school, I worked at a dental clinic in my town as an assistant; I then worked as a PCA for a summer. I do know that I need more clinical hours, though, and these jobs seem like the most practical way of gaining those during the COVID-19 situation. I also realize that I would rather be making more time for practical experience (e.g. these clinical hours, my goal of creating a new STEM club this year at school, studying for the MCAT, etc.), than taking the maximum number of undergrad courses that is physically possible.
My school is also about 90% online for this fall semester, which complicates these things even more. I believe that all of my biology and chemistry labs for this semester are set to be virtual. I am also on the fence with the tough decision of whether to withdraw from housing (in order to save money, not be at a greater risk for coronavirus, etc.). However, I am hoping that this will not impact the amount of time I will be able to continue doing research or my involvement with extracurriculars. Will schools be more lenient because of this?
So, my tentative plan now is to drop the double major down to two minors (biology major with minors in mathematics and biochemistry).
I am almost done with both of those minors - though I will have to decide whether I would take multivariable calculus or statistical methods as my final math course (I am thinking stats would be more useful)? This will also hopefully allow me to take some additional biology courses of interest (potentially immunology) or other courses that would be useful on the MCAT (like psychology, literature, etc.). If I do this, my graduation date should be Spring '22, so I would be planning to take the MCAT next summer. I will therefore take this winter break to have solid study time (which will continue throughout spring '21), and will most likely try to take a prep. course if I can save up for it in the spring. Does all of this seem like an okay plan? Am I doing myself a disservice by giving up on the double major at this point?
Also, I suppose this shows my insecurity, but I constantly have the sinking feeling that I am never doing 'enough' as a pre-medical student. The thought of dropping down this double major to a single major is a bit daunting. However, I am disabled with chronic illnesses of my own, so it has been a very fine balancing act of pushing myself enough that I will (hopefully) be a competitive applicant, without neglecting self-care. Any advice for any of this would be greatly appreciated! I realize I am rambling at this point...
Thank you in advance and I hope everyone has a great and safe rest of their weekend!
This is my first post on SDN but I have been reading advice others have given for quite a while now. I am a rising junior at a local state university who has been set on the MD/PhD path... however, given the pandemic with some possible setbacks, I am questioning a few of my decisions.
A little bit of background:
I am currently officially listed as a double major in biology and chemistry (biochem. concentration) with a minor in mathematics. Although I was advised against the double major by one undergraduate advisor, I truly have a love for all three subjects and have wanted to learn as much as I can. I have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA, worked as a biological lab tech. during sophomore year and began TAing spring 2020 in chemistry (which should continue until I graduate, depending on funding with the pandemic). I also did one summer of research in ecology at my school between freshman and sophomore year (through a research course), started in an undergrad chemistry laboratory sophomore year (focused on utilizing bacteria as scaffolding for magnetic nano-particles). However, I actually decided to go in a different direction as my interests have narrowed more, and I am now a member of a neuroscience research lab focusing on Alzheimer's Disease, where I will be completing my honors thesis. Our team has collaborations with a team at a large, well-known hospital in this area of research, as well as with several other PI's at various institutions, so I am hopeful I will get at least one publication out before I graduate. I had applied to several REU and Amgen programs for this summer, but unfortunately all were cancelled due to the pandemic.
The trouble comes up here:
I am simply running out of time for my gen eds. I have considered switching the biochemistry to a minor, and mathematics to the second major, in order to cut down the number of labs that I have left to take. However, even with this, I will most likely have to be spending an extra semester. I realize that I have been very stubborn about keeping the double major, but, given the timeline that I keep going over and over, it is appearing more unrealistic. I am planning on applying to some jobs at my local hospital (as either a nursing assistant, medical scribe or surgical technician) very shortly for this fall in order to grow my clinical experience. During high school, I worked at a dental clinic in my town as an assistant; I then worked as a PCA for a summer. I do know that I need more clinical hours, though, and these jobs seem like the most practical way of gaining those during the COVID-19 situation. I also realize that I would rather be making more time for practical experience (e.g. these clinical hours, my goal of creating a new STEM club this year at school, studying for the MCAT, etc.), than taking the maximum number of undergrad courses that is physically possible.
My school is also about 90% online for this fall semester, which complicates these things even more. I believe that all of my biology and chemistry labs for this semester are set to be virtual. I am also on the fence with the tough decision of whether to withdraw from housing (in order to save money, not be at a greater risk for coronavirus, etc.). However, I am hoping that this will not impact the amount of time I will be able to continue doing research or my involvement with extracurriculars. Will schools be more lenient because of this?
So, my tentative plan now is to drop the double major down to two minors (biology major with minors in mathematics and biochemistry).
I am almost done with both of those minors - though I will have to decide whether I would take multivariable calculus or statistical methods as my final math course (I am thinking stats would be more useful)? This will also hopefully allow me to take some additional biology courses of interest (potentially immunology) or other courses that would be useful on the MCAT (like psychology, literature, etc.). If I do this, my graduation date should be Spring '22, so I would be planning to take the MCAT next summer. I will therefore take this winter break to have solid study time (which will continue throughout spring '21), and will most likely try to take a prep. course if I can save up for it in the spring. Does all of this seem like an okay plan? Am I doing myself a disservice by giving up on the double major at this point?
Also, I suppose this shows my insecurity, but I constantly have the sinking feeling that I am never doing 'enough' as a pre-medical student. The thought of dropping down this double major to a single major is a bit daunting. However, I am disabled with chronic illnesses of my own, so it has been a very fine balancing act of pushing myself enough that I will (hopefully) be a competitive applicant, without neglecting self-care. Any advice for any of this would be greatly appreciated! I realize I am rambling at this point...
Thank you in advance and I hope everyone has a great and safe rest of their weekend!
