Music Ed. to Medical School?

[Raylnn]

I am a Chemistry major as of now, but I would like to switch to Music Education. Would this hinder my chances of getting into a good Medical School?

Also, if I do switch, what are the required courses for me to take to get into Medical School?


Thank you all!

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[Compass]

Why would you want to pursue a music education school to get into medicine? You need to be able to accurately present why you chose your major in relation to getting into medical school. People with psychology, philosophy, even business majors are able to ward off this question. I don't see how you could link music and medical school together as helping you advance your medical school knowledge.

 

[Raylnn]

I've heard you need to pick a major you enjoy. I enjoy music. But that is not what I want for my life. I want to be a surgeon. I don't want to pick something to fall back on if I won't enjoy it.

 

[MossPoh]

Meh. Just take a few courses. I wouldn't go music education. It wouldn't "hurt" you, but music education as a fall back isn't a particularly stellar one. Aside from the crap pay it is increasingly difficult to find a solid job and music education majors are kind of made fun of by performance majors. It isn't as bad as majoring in composition, but still not the greatest fallback.

 

[cubssox2000]

Major does not matter as much as it used to. In my class there are several English majors and even one theater tech major. As long as you take the general requirements for the school (which you can find on their websites) and whatever you feel you need for the MCAT, your major is not that important.

 

[Disinence2]

Do music performance.

Don't go to school for 4 years to learn how to teach music just to give it up.

I was music ed, then I switched to biochem. Keep music as a hobby, it has played a big part in my med school app, and will in my application for residency as well.

 

[Brrooother]

I don't know, I say major in an area you love, like music, but make sure you are stellar in other aspects of your application.

I majored in Music Performance, and honestly, I think it was the main reason I was accepted to more than one school. I had everything else - good MCAT, good LORs, good GPA, good volunteer and clinical experiences - but so do most people. I think music made me stand out compared to the science majors. Just my opinion; good luck!

 

[FloatOn]

I've heard you need to pick a major you enjoy. I enjoy music. But that is not what I want for my life. I want to be a surgeon. I don't want to pick something to fall back on if I won't enjoy it.

Hmmm, music is a whole different world, but you probably already know this. Being a music major (performance, education, or composition) requires a specific type of person with specific goals, mainly those, I believe, that involve music in the person's future. That being said, being a music major involves many hours of practice, rehearsal, and an unparalleled level of dedication. I have found that music majors want to be music majors more than anything; they just didn't fall into it because it sounded like a good idea at the time. The music majors I know are hard-core. They don't just "enjoy music." They are head-over-heels in love with it.

I feel like it would be very challenging to balance your music ed curriculum with your pre-med reqs, along with extracurricular music and pre-med stuff. Also, don't you have to learn a second or third instrument on top of your main instrument?

Whatever you chose, good luck!

 

[ShNaMasta]

Go music theory...or performance. who the hell wants to teach little kids to play the (cheapie) recorder?

 

[glypha1104]

.... music majors I know are hard-core. They don't just "enjoy music." They are head-over-heels in love with it.

I feel like it would be very challenging to balance your music ed curriculum with your pre-med reqs, along with extracurricular music and pre-med stuff. Also, don't you have to learn a second or third instrument on top of your main instrument?

Whatever you chose, good luck!

Agreed. I'm taking some piano performance classes and they are a real time killer.

 

[chartero]

The education part could connect with an interest in working with children in pediatrics or family practice, the neuroscience of music with neurology, the expressive part of music with psychiatry. Performing arts medicine is an even broader interdisciplinary interest in itself.

Resources:
Performing Arts Medicine Association
Physician Musicians Through History... Their Stories
Art in Medicine: Musicians, Physicians, and Musician-Physician
American College of Emergency Physicians Section on Medical Humanities
And associations, scholars and literature dealing with medical humanities generally.

Tons of examples come up when you search 'physician musician,' including:
Rapping family physician from Long Island is finalist for swine flu PSA

One of the classic Canadian alternative pop bands consists of a married couple, a physiotherapist and a physician: the Wild Strawberries. Official site, Wikipedia.