Is practicing medicine right for me?

[RivenD]

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Hey guys I just found this forum and think I will use it a lot. Currently I am a junior in Northern Virginia and considering practicing medicine or maybe just sticking to Computer Science. My GPA (4.05) is kinda low due to AP chem and AP history but I am planning on trying harder this year, maybe do some AP classes online to raise it. I am pretty interested in medicine; I like learning biology and chemistry (though they aren't my strongest subjects!). Problem is that I will not make it into UVA or any top colleges around this area so I am not sure if I can do med even if I have enthusiasm to. Maybe I can transfer? Recently I have taken the SAT with only one day of studying so that wasn't a good idea...I am rambling a bit, pretty stressed out right now..
Are there any good premed schools around my area? I tried googling it and can only really find UVA. I am thinking on applying to Boston Uni because I think I can definitely get 2200+ on SAT (I do not think it was too hard besides the essay section...I wrote about Batman), maybe they will accept me. I am sleepy and just not sane right now, sorry...thanks for any comments though!
Classes I am thinking on taking next year are:
AB Calculus (maybe BC if I do AB over summer)
Human Anatomy
AP biology? idk if I should
AP spanish...idk if I should
AP comp sci
AP Physics C

 

[DesertPT]

My GPA (4.05) is kinda low

Lol...is this a super neurotic pre-med in the making, or is this on a 5 point scale or something? I'm not that familiar with the AP world, but I know that when you go to college your GPA on a 4 point scale is what actually matters. When you apply to med school or any other professional/graduate program your high school grades have no relevance whatsoever.

You can apply and be accepted to medical school regardless of where you go for college. I'd highly encourage you to go wherever will cost you the least money. Undergrad debt sucks.

 

[RivenD]

Lol...is this a super neurotic pre-med in the making, or is this on a 5 point scale or something? I'm not that familiar with the AP world, but I know that when you go to college your GPA on a 4 point scale is what actually matters. When you apply to med school or any other professional/graduate program your high school grades have no relevance whatsoever.

You can apply and be accepted to medical school regardless of where you go for college. I'd highly encourage you to go wherever will cost you the least money. Undergrad debt sucks.

Yes, it's on a 5 point scale. I do not really understand the concept of premed...I also do not know if pursuing medicine is even worth it. Are there schools designed for premed?

 

[deleted480308]

any university can get you into medical school, just get good grades and score well on the mcat.....you are overhthinking this

 

[RivenD]

any university can get you into medical school, just get good grades and score well on the mcat.....you are overhthinking this

But aren't some universities better at teaching?

 

[DesertPT]

But aren't some universities better at teaching?

I got a biology degree from my state university and feel like it prepared me perfectly well for PT school. You don't need to go to Stanford or USC to prepare for med school, PT school, dental school or really anything else.

 

[RivenD]

How hard exactly is the MCAT compared to SAT? How many years of "MCAT" training is typical? Does medicine offer great job security? Lastly how much more important is MCAT score compared GPA when applying to Med school? Sorry, I am just worried...

 

[referee3]

How hard exactly is the MCAT compared to SAT? How many years of "MCAT" training is typical? Does medicine offer great job security? Lastly how much more important is MCAT score compared GPA when applying to Med school? Sorry, I am just worried...

Chill out bro. Use the search function on this site to answer your questions. And most importantly just relax and enjoy college. Stop stressing and just have fun. No one likes an overly neurotic premed

 

[DesertPT]

How hard exactly is the MCAT compared to SAT? How many years of "MCAT" training is typical? Does medicine offer great job security? Lastly how much more important is MCAT score compared GPA when applying to Med school? Sorry, I am just worried...

Just start doing your research a little bit at a time. All the information you need can be found already posted here on SDN and on medical schools' websites. And you've still got a long way to go. Chill out and enjoy being a teenager a bit.

 

[Krebs Psychle]

I agree, the search function helps, but I don't think it makes you that neurotic! From what I know (I'm only a high school junior so I don't have personal experience):
- There's not much of a relation between the MCAT and the SAT. Getting a 2400 might mean that you're pretty smart or you work hard, but it doesn't test your knowledge of the natural sciences like the MCAT does. But the MCAT, for many people, is a very hard test so you need to prepare for it!
- Most college students take the MCAT during their junior year because the MCAT tests you on content mostly from classes you take to meet the premed requirements. These subjects include Bio, General and Organic Chem, Physics, Verbal Reasoning, and I think the New MCAT tests psychology/sociology as well! So I would take my classes first, and then prepare for the MCAT. Because of the plethora of content, it is better to review and study a couple months (maybe about 3 or 4?) before the day you take the exam. Before you study, make sure to find the highly recommended review books, purchase them, and make a realistic study schedule. You may study several hours so you need good work ethic.
- If you do well in med school and residency, and research and apply to the right schools, job security is not a problem. But I personally wouldn't pursue medicine just for the money!
- MCAT score and college GPA are both essential when applying to your choice of med schools. But it's a rule of thumb that if you have a good GPA, you shouldn't sacrifice important extracurriculars or research experience for a few tenths of a point.

I know this was a long response, but I hope it helps a little! And I think you I shouldn't sttess out too much, too much stress isn't good.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

As Krebs said above, there is practically no relation. Like him, I do not have much experience. The SAT is multiple choice based for the most part. The MCAT will involve science passages, not just your simple bread and butter questions (What is the Atomic Mass of Oxygen?). Just slow down. You can do it if you put the effort in.

 

[ZedsDed]

Your question can not be answered until you know what kind of person you are going to grow up to be. I would spend the near future working on growing, then you can revisit this idea if you wish.

 

[Blackjack7]

Physics C is no joke...

ANYWAY, premed is the future. Right now focus on getting into a good college (UVA, UC, UMD, etc)

 

[Simpson]

But aren't some universities better at teaching?

AHHHHHHAAHHahhahahahahahhhahahaahhahaha

Nope.
There is only one way to teach biology and they don't let ANY undergraduates touch research(for the most part) EVERYwhere.

 

[Simpson]

AHHHHHHAAHHahhahahahahahhhahahaahhahaha

Nope.
There is only one way to teach biology and they don't let ANY undergraduates touch research(for the most part) EVERYwhere.

Plus, I work with physicians who went to different schools.
One went to Pittsburg, one went to Alabama , and another went to Vanderbilt.
I think I am the only person in the entire Hospital who cares that we have a guy who went to Vanderbilt. Plus, I had to ask him where he did his undergrad.
Remember, all three of these physicians do the exact same work. Basically, one of them spent a little more than the other two.

 

[Dreamstoo]

Lol...is this a super neurotic pre-med in the making, or is this on a 5 point scale or something? I'm not that familiar with the AP world, but I know that when you go to college your GPA on a 4 point scale is what actually matters. When you apply to med school or any other professional/graduate program your high school grades have no relevance whatsoever.

You can apply and be accepted to medical school regardless of where you go for college. I'd highly encourage you to go wherever will cost you the least money. Undergrad debt sucks.

Lol... as long as you have a 3.x+ out of a 4.0 scale in high school you are fine and not considered a low GPA. OP chillax.

 

[hamstergang]

Go to any college, major in Comp Sci, and take med school prereqs as your electives (I did this). It keeps all your options open while giving you time to figure out what you want. Focusing too far into the future is not only pointless, but also seemingly detrimental to you.

 

[deleted393595]

Hey guys I just found this forum and think I will use it a lot. Currently I am a junior in Northern Virginia and considering practicing medicine or maybe just sticking to Computer Science. My GPA (4.05) is kinda low due to AP chem and AP history but I am planning on trying harder this year, maybe do some AP classes online to raise it. I am pretty interested in medicine; I like learning biology and chemistry (though they aren't my strongest subjects!). Problem is that I will not make it into UVA or any top colleges around this area so I am not sure if I can do med even if I have enthusiasm to. Maybe I can transfer? Recently I have taken the SAT with only one day of studying so that wasn't a good idea...I am rambling a bit, pretty stressed out right now..
Are there any good premed schools around my area? I tried googling it and can only really find UVA. I am thinking on applying to Boston Uni because I think I can definitely get 2200+ on SAT (I do not think it was too hard besides the essay section...I wrote about Batman), maybe they will accept me. I am sleepy and just not sane right now, sorry...thanks for any comments though!
Classes I am thinking on taking next year are:
AB Calculus (maybe BC if I do AB over summer)
Human Anatomy
AP biology? idk if I should
AP spanish...idk if I should
AP comp sci
AP Physics C

Do you go to TJ? If so college is going to be super easy for you. So don't fret about it GPA-wise.

UVA is also overrated and overpriced.

Human Anatomy is pointless in high school. And even so in undergrad. Take a better or a funner class instead.

@Stumpyman

 

[Dreamstoo]

Do you go to TJ? If so college is going to be super easy for you. So don't fret about it GPA-wise.

UVA is also overrated and overpriced.

Human Anatomy is pointless in high school. And even so in undergrad. Take a better or a funner class instead.

@Stumpyman

UVA is a great undergrad, I wouldn't call it overrated.

 

[deleted393595]

UVA is a great undergrad, I wouldn't call it overrated.

It's absolutely solid. But it costs way too much.

 

[Dreamstoo]

It's absolutely solid. But it costs way too much.

Could be argued about a lot of great institutions. But I see your point.

 

[deleted393595]

Could be argued about a lot of great institutions. But I see your point.

Idk how I forgot to mention this earlier, but Virginia Tech is good school to look at. Think that they're a lot more generous with scholarships than UVA.

 

[efle]

Yes, some colleges are better about teaching their students. But, it doesn't match up with rankings. Consider some selective LACs if you want to emphasize being taught well among brilliant peers, and don't mind the locations/size/limited research options.

The MCAT is much harder than the SAT. This isn't really due to content, but due to the different populations taking the tests and what scores are considered acceptable. Most high schoolers take the SAT and you don't need to do much better than average to get into some universities. The people taking the MCAT are people who went to university and survived the premed weedout of harsh classes like Organic Chemistry - a group much more narrowed down for academic ability. On top of that increased competitiveness of the test taking population, you also need to score top 20% to feel really good about your chances for MD (though you can score much lower if you want to go DO, are in lucky states with less selective public schools, are URM, etc).