Health Science Major and possible Political Science major..

[rr24]

Hello everyone,

First question: I am a second semester freshmen in college and health science major. I am unsure if this makes me competitive enough as a medical school applicant. Therefore, I am considering of adding a political science or international studies minor. Is this a good decision?

Second question: If I have a health science degree, and DO NOT make it to medical school, what could be my possible "fallback" careers?

Thanks!

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[Doctor Strange]

Hello everyone,

First question: I am a second semester freshmen in college and health science major. I am unsure if this makes me competitive enough as a medical school applicant. Therefore, I am considering of adding a political science or international studies minor. Is this a good decision?

Second question: If I have a health science degree, and DO NOT make it to medical school, what could be my possible "fallback" careers?

Thanks!

From my experience, "health science" majors don't typically cover all the pre-reqs required for med school nor do they typically cover any upper level science courses. You can major in anything you want, but be sure to take these factors into consideration as you progress and pick classes to take. Biochem, for example, is a class that I think most people find very helpful for the MCAT.

The general consensus is that what you major in doesn't matter, as long as you take the pre-reqs and do well. If you're interested in poli sci or international studies, then go for it.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I wouldn't waste my time with a Political Science major. Double majoring does not help (or harm) for medical school, and a degree in Poli Sci is not very marketable either. You are better served using that time to take a few upper division science courses and doing research.

You'll have to search for alternative careers, but most typically people go into scientific research, PA, nursing, public health, podiatry or other forms of allied health.

 

[jrince]

I am assuming that it is similar to exercise science correct me if I am wrong? That is currently my major and my school sets us up fairly nice. I am also a geriatric minor which gives me some extra bio classes. I think it is good I would have to see curriculum but I have taken anatomy and physiology, nutrition, metabolism, care and treatment for sports injuries, physiology of the aging, biomechanics, kinesiology, exercise physiology, and we are set up with a 500 hour internship with any field we want which is a lot to choose from and it's for credits! So yeah you need extra classes but it gives you a fall back it can set you up for physical therapy, personal training, wellness coach, and they are not as lucrative as a doc but it is a life more so than a science degree you know? I was worried about that as well. I tend to over think things and like to prepare all angles of a situation and have back up plans

 

[Goro]

Your major is irrelevant to your competitiveness to medical school. it's how you do in UG that counts, along with all the other EC stuff.

Learn about what interests you and excites you the most, but make sure it will give you marketable skills. being a philosophy major is wonderful, but the NY Tiem want ads are hardly bursting with ads for philosophers (or English majors).

Possible alternative careers include nursing, PA, pharmacy, EMT, perhaps hospital administration. If you take enough science and lab courses, then you can add clinical lab tech, research tech, or lab manager. Maybe tech support too. Surely your college has a career counseling center? If so, go see them!

Hello everyone,

First question: I am a second semester freshmen in college and health science major. I am unsure if this makes me competitive enough as a medical school applicant. Therefore, I am considering of adding a political science or international studies minor. Is this a good decision?

Second question: If I have a health science degree, and DO NOT make it to medical school, what could be my possible "fallback" careers?

Thanks!