Need advice in my college career, went from pre-med to MPH to no idea

[Paulz]

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When I was a Freshman I thought I wanted to be a doctor so I declared BS Biology. I was interested in the field and I liked it, I got the grades needed for med school, did volunteer, all that. Then I said I don't want to spend 4-8 years training I want to get an MPH, it's quicker and is more of what I would want to do(Epidemiology, Global Health in particular), so I minored in Community Health. I got the grades, even did a project and am working on a seminar in that field, I can easily get into an MPH program...and I still may eventually?

But this summer I did some traveling and I don't know if I want to do anything medically related and am thinking of dropping the biology major and picking up an English major. It would be 15-31 credits I'd need to bang out in 2 semesters, and 2 winterums, but I can do it.

I am just worried that with an English major, Biology minor, and Community Health minor, it will jeopardize my chances into getting into an MPH program or a medical program later on. Like I said my GPA is at around a 3.61 and going upward and I have the volunteering/shadowing/ect. I am really not into these bio classes anymore. Two years ago I was motivated, studying 4 hours a day, into it, and getting good marks. Now, it's like eh whatever. An English major would just open up so many more doors. Since I don't particularly want to go into medicine or pharmacy(even though I've been told I'd be great at them), I think finishing out this Bio major would be redundant.

Can anyone give me some advice if an English major would be a big mistake or not?

Thanks in advance

Paul

 

[aggie08]

When I was a Freshman I thought I wanted to be a doctor so I declared BS Biology. I was interested in the field and I liked it, I got the grades needed for med school, did volunteer, all that. Then I said I don't want to spend 4-8 years training I want to get an MPH, it's quicker and is more of what I would want to do(Epidemiology, Global Health in particular), so I minored in Community Health. I got the grades, even did a project and am working on a seminar in that field, I can easily get into an MPH program...and I still may eventually?

But this summer I did some traveling and I don't know if I want to do anything medically related and am thinking of dropping the biology major and picking up an English major. It would be 15-31 credits I'd need to bang out in 2 semesters, and 2 winterums, but I can do it.

I am just worried that with an English major, Biology minor, and Community Health minor, it will jeopardize my chances into getting into an MPH program or a medical program later on. Like I said my GPA is at around a 3.61 and going upward and I have the volunteering/shadowing/ect. I am really not into these bio classes anymore. Two years ago I was motivated, studying 4 hours a day, into it, and getting good marks. Now, it's like eh whatever. An English major would just open up so many more doors. Since I don't particularly want to go into medicine or pharmacy(even though I've been told I'd be great at them), I think finishing out this Bio major would be redundant.

Can anyone give me some advice if an English major would be a big mistake or not?

Thanks in advance

Paul

You're going to get more responses and better responses in the pre-med forum.

 

[little pebble]

Actually, as an MPH, I can answer the question -- but you might want to go look at the MPH forum. It's decently active.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=94

For medical school -- don't have to have a science degree as long as you have the prereqs. Caveat -- taking more upper level sciences (as long as you do WELL in them) will raise your basic sciences GPA, so if you have a lower one, the biology degree might help you out.

For the MPH -- I did a quick polling of my fellow MPHers and saw that most of them had some sort of biology degree, but some had anthropology, and some had sociology. If you really want to focus on epidemiology, the BS may help you, but if you're interested in health promotion or health policy, an English degree probably would be fine. Look on some of the programs' websites to see if they have any special requirements -- this will save your bacon as you don't want to miss taking a class that's required for the program. I nearly did that with Duke; they require a year of English, so I made sure I got that under my belt before I applied.

To sum up the advice: if I were you, I'd get the biology degree and the English degree if it's possible from a support standpoint. I don't know who's paying the bills -- I put myself though university, so I wouldn't have had that option.

And don't fool yourself into thinking that an English degree will open more doors. From what I've seen, with an English degree, it's the university's reputation that will get you the job, not the actual degree. Cases in point -- my friends from my large, decently respected school got jobs immediately working as technical writers and other englishy things. Someone else that I know got her degree from a small school that is not well respected, and she (and all of her friends) are chronically underemployed since she / they graduated. At one point this girl was working in a shoe store. I love the idea of doing what you love, but make sure the school is respected or no matter how great of an education you get, you will still be screwed!

to you!

 

[turkeyjerky]

LOL at the idea that an english major would open up "so many doors".

 

[SpookyDoc]

Wrong forum, bud.

Post in Pre-allo or similar.

 

[chman]

One thing that is missing here is how much longer you have to go to finish the biology degree. If it is only a little while longer than you should probably get it.

The thing is, everyone always clowns on liberal arts degrees, but it is not like a straight biology degree is career specific. In fact, any decent science job will require at least a masters. As mentioned above, so much of employment is just having a degree, and playing up what you learned/your skills.

If you want to do epidemiology then I would advise sticking with the biology. But if you are depressed doing it, I would advise doing what you like. Most grad schools, and for sure medical schools, don't care as long as you have the required classes. Good luck.