Good or Bad Back Up Plans

[kg062007]

Although i am just a freshmman pre-med, I been thinking about changing my major from biology, to molecular biology(which i really am interested in, not sure how much they make) or some kind of engineering( not interested in, but have highest paying jobs right after college)....... should i do Molec? or eng? im just trying to take some of the weight off my shoulder, dont want to make getting into med school a life or death situation,I try to keep a good back up plan.

(and for most of the critics, its not about the money, i've had a passion for meicine for as long as i can remember, i just want to ensure my future in case some factor i cant control stops me from pursuing my dreams)

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[Sondra]

Try the career counceling center at your school. None the less, don't pick a career field for the money. Find a passion, then chose it as a career. I was a biology major. I didn't want to tie myself to micro or molecular biology because I wanted to take different classes and have as many options as possible when I left school. You can still get into a MS program for micro or molecular with just plain biology. Take many different biology classes to find out what works best for you.

If you find out what engineers do, you may actually be interested in the work. See if your school can set you up to shadow engineers in different fields.

If you pick a field like molecular biology, ask yourself if you are willing to go on and get a MS or PhD in order to find adequate work that suits your intellectual abilities. If you aren't, then you may want to consider another major.

 

[IceMan0824]

Although i am just a freshmman pre-med, I been thinking about changing my major from biology, to molecular biology(which i really am interested in, not sure how much they make) or some kind of engineering( not interested in, but have highest paying jobs right after college)....... should i do Molec? or eng? im just trying to take some of the weight off my shoulder, dont want to make getting into med school a life or death situation,I try to keep a good back up plan.

(and for most of the critics, its not about the money, i've had a passion for meicine for as long as i can remember, i just want to ensure my future in case some factor i cant control stops me from pursuing my dreams)

For God's sake, don't do engineering. Never do engineering, unless of course you don't go to Hopkins undergrad. Just ask Eternalrage or I, we can tell you horror stories. If you don't go to Hopkins, then by all means, ignore this message.

This has been a public service annoucement brought to you by IceMan. Remember kiddies, GPA is Everything, and by Everything I mean Everything

 

[KaraKiz]

My $0.02:

Don't do engineering as a back-up.. you will never survive in engineering unless you are 1. actually good at it 2. don't mind all of the BS. I was going to do electrical engineering, so that I could get a good job after college before applying to med school.. (why I let my dad convince me this was a good idea I'll never understand). Trouble is, I actually like chemistry, molecular biology, and genetics, apparently much more so than engineering. So I decided not to kill myself trying to do well in a difficult, time consuming major that I wasn't really interested in anyway. I went with Biochemistry (also difficult and time consuming but I actually found the subject material interesting).

you can still go to pharmacy school, law school, dental school, graduate school, or get a job with a bio/mol bio B.S.

If you are going to do something as a "back-up" for the love of everything that is holy, pass on engineering. GL!

 

[IceMan0824]

My $0.02:

Don't do engineering as a back-up.. you will never survive in engineering unless you are 1. actually good at it 2. don't mind all of the BS. I was going to do electrical engineering, so that I could get a good job after college before applying to med school.. (why I let my dad convince me this was a good idea I'll never understand). Trouble is, I actually like chemistry, molecular biology, and genetics, apparently much more so than engineering. So I decided not to kill myself trying to do well in a difficult, time consuming major that I wasn't really interested in anyway. I went with Biochemistry (also difficult and time consuming but I actually found the subject material interesting).

you can still go to pharmacy school, law school, dental school, graduate school, or get a job with a bio/mol bio B.S.

If you are going to do something as a "back-up" for the love of everything that is holy, pass on engineering. GL!

Like my post. Only with explanations

 

[AtreyuRocks]

engineering will kill your GPA, and your back-up plan will kill any hopes of your original plan

 

[KaraKiz]

Like my post. Only with explanations

I know Iceman, I can read your mind. Must be a Maryland thang..

Only do engineering if you lack a working knowledge of the English language and possess no social skills whatsoever - you might have a future as a professor.

 

[notdeadyet]

Don't do engineering as a back-up.. you will never survive in engineering unless you are 1. actually good at it 2. don't mind all of the BS.

Agreed. Most engineers I know hate engineering, and they were the ones that loved loved it. The only folks I know trying to change careers more than engineers are folks in tech.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Be careful with MCB - there isn't a whole lot to do with an undergrad MCB degree in the Biology field. Most jobs require a more advanced degree. I know a lot of people who graduated from UCB with a degree in MCB and are working at like Starbucks because no related jobs (labs etc.) would take them.

Just something to think about.

If you really like medicine, a couple of common back-up plans are doing PA or NP.

 

[NickRiviera]

Agreed. Most engineers I know hate engineering, and they were the ones that loved loved it. The only folks I know trying to change careers more than engineers are folks in tech.

I'd disagree, I know many engineers who wouldn't trade the pay and lifestyle for anything else.

 

[kidthor]

As long as you have reasonable grades, a reasonable MCAT, and an open mind you will become a physician. If you don't get in via the MD route, then there's the DO route, and after that there's the Carib/Ireland/Austrailia route.

Anyway, I would only do engineering if you really like engineering and realize that your grades might suffer a bit!

Although i am just a freshmman pre-med, I been thinking about changing my major from biology, to molecular biology(which i really am interested in, not sure how much they make) or some kind of engineering( not interested in, but have highest paying jobs right after college)....... should i do Molec? or eng? im just trying to take some of the weight off my shoulder, dont want to make getting into med school a life or death situation,I try to keep a good back up plan.

(and for most of the critics, its not about the money, i've had a passion for meicine for as long as i can remember, i just want to ensure my future in case some factor i cant control stops me from pursuing my dreams)

 

[kidthor]

Yeah most engineers I know really like their jobs, but of course it takes a certain kind of person to get through an engineering program without ripping their hair out (mine's only half ripped out), so it's semi-self-selecting.

I'd disagree, I know many engineers who wouldn't trade the pay and lifestyle for anything else.

 

[sirus_virus]

OP, you are wise beyond your years. That is all I have to say.

 

[noshie]

For the record, I really know just about nothing about engineering. But my dad is an airplane engineer for AA (I am sure there is a better title for it). He actually got his Bachelors Degree in Physics, so you don't really have to get a degree in engineering to be an engineer. He loves his job (I have no friggin idea why, it's a lot of math and crap). Anyways, the point is that if you don't get into med school, no matter what degree you get, you can make it work for whatever career you want. I am not saying that right away after college you will be able to get into it, but you could take a year worth of classes after getting your bachelors and then you can get your career going. Also, it's really not feasible to think that you will get your dream job right out of college. It will take a lot of work experience and years climbing up the "career ladder" to get where you want to be.

 

[OncoCaP]

Although i am just a freshmman pre-med, I been thinking about changing my major from biology, to molecular biology(which i really am interested in, not sure how much they make) or some kind of engineering( not interested in, but have highest paying jobs right after college)....... should i do Molec? or eng? im just trying to take some of the weight off my shoulder, dont want to make getting into med school a life or death situation,I try to keep a good back up plan.

(and for most of the critics, its not about the money, i've had a passion for meicine for as long as i can remember, i just want to ensure my future in case some factor i cant control stops me from pursuing my dreams)

Find something that you are interested in and can make money in (support yourself with). If you can't find something that you like and with which you could support yourself, then find the closest approximation thereof (no point in majoring in something that you cannot earn a living with). Molecular biology does have plenty of good paying job options down the road and would prepare you well for a career in medicine ... and you are interested in it, so that's a great choice as far as I can tell. Best of luck to you.

 

[weathertalk]

If you're dead set on medicine (or any other professional school) I would recommend picking the easiest major possible and getting a near 4.0. Straight As in ethnic studies or poli sci will beat a 3.5 in nuclear engineering any day.

As for back-up plans... if you dont' like bench research don't major in bio, since that will be all you're qualified for if you don't get into med school. I would recommend econ/business, since they're typically easier majors and give you considerable leeway when finding back-up careers (consulting and marketing require no real knowledge) Just make sure you get a summer internship, and you'll probably not have a problem finding a job at a good company.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

My backups (assuming I don't get into MD > DO > Ireland/Israel/Australia programs):
1. Law school
2. PA school
3. Teaching in an RT program
4. Director of RT at a hospital (MHA or MBA, possibly eventually moving on to be a CEO)
5. Biomedical research

 

[IceMan0824]

My backups (assuming I don't get into MD > DO > Ireland/Israel/Australia programs):
1. Law school
2. PA school
3. Teaching in an RT program
4. Director of RT at a hospital (MHA or MBA, possibly eventually moving on to be a CEO)
5. Biomedical research

You need to bump that #4 to #1, then add a CFA cert after you graduate, and you'll be golden. Later you and I can throw other people's money at each other from our offices.

 

[old_boy]

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[univscience]

Try the career counceling center at your school. None the less, don't pick a career field for the money. Find a passion, then chose it as a career. I was a biology major. I didn't want to tie myself to micro or molecular biology because I wanted to take different classes and have as many options as possible when I left school. You can still get into a MS program for micro or molecular with just plain biology. Take many different biology classes to find out what works best for you.

If you find out what engineers do, you may actually be interested in the work. See if your school can set you up to shadow engineers in different fields.

If you pick a field like molecular biology, ask yourself if you are willing to go on and get a MS or PhD in order to find adequate work that suits your intellectual abilities. If you aren't, then you may want to consider another major.

good advice.