Ok. This is very bizarre.

[Papi]

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Do any other pre-meds find "core" classes to be tough? I have a 4.0 science GPA, Acing Biochemistry and all the hard classes. But when it comes to taking "core" classes like "music," it seems so much harder. In a matter of two semesters, taking core classes has dropped my GPA from a 3.9 to a 3.7. Or maybe it's not that its harder but rather I don't put serious studying time into it. Who knows. Sorry. I just felt like ranting since I'm pissed.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

when I started taking non-science courses it was hard to adjust to studying differently, but after a few weeks I brought up my gpa with them 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[Amy B]

Ok I totally agree with you. My gpa also goes down when I have to take requirements for my degree. I had to take an urban development course so I took contempory social problems. I hated it.
I also found it hard to study european history from 1300 to 1700. Gosh, I used to fall asleep (really) anytime I had to read through the notes I took. The instructor was so boring I had two cups of coffee before every class just to stay awake.
SO I will totally agree with your post.
Amy

 

[Diogenes]

You know, there's more to being a doctor than science. Don't get me wrong, I know what you are all talking about, because I also have more aptitude for science than for the humanities.

But you must recognize the necessity for having knowledge and skills beyond science. If you cannot find some music, literature, or art that speaks to you, or some non-science subject that engages you, to the extent that you want to learn more about it, then you are really missing out.

Granted, required classes can be a drag, but within each requirement you should find something that you enjoy.

 

[nebula7]

I agree w/bjc. It's easier if you find something you enjoy to fill those core reqs. For me, I'm not a big ancient art fan, so I took modern art history and Sculpture (in which we made "sculptures", however ugly didn't really matter as long as we put in SOME effort). These classes were definitely easier than biochem for me 😱

 

[cheech10]

I'll be a dissenting opinion. I mean, we don't expect music students to ace biochem, but for the reverse we do. What if you're really interested in sciences and enjoy them? Music students really love music and that's why they went into it. But try explaining that your focus on science was because you loved it and you get questions about well-roundedness. In the end, we all want doctors that know their medicine and are comfortable to interact with, and these don't always come with well-roundedness. How many here know what subjects their doctor took in school or how many sports they played, etc.?

 

[gizzdogg]

amen cheech

 

[moo]

totally agree with you. Although I think there are only two disciplines in which I really excel, and it's the two disciplines that ***most*** people find the most difficult--math and physics. My BCPM GPA, thanks to "P" and the "M" is 3.8 (no thanks to biology or organic chem). My AO GPA, is 3.49. Talk about discrepancies... I think it's cuz I don't try in the other courses... I'd much rather spend all my time solving math problems than learning about how whales mate!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I would like to share my story to maybe inspire others. My first semester of college I took calculus and chem like a normal premed, in addition to a required English class that I hated and got a bad grade in. I continued to take the rest of the premed req.s throughout my sophomore year (including orgo over the summer). Then I had 2 years left with only 4 science classes left to complete my Bio major. Instead of that, I decided to double major in Spanish Language & Literature and Latin American Studies. Now I'm an expert and writing papers in Spanish and English, something I could never do before. I also learned history, politics, etc......basically, now I feel like a well-rounded student. Although my non-science classes were tough at first, I learned how to learn a different way and I think it made going to a liberal arts college more worthwhile.

Thanks for reading 🙂

 

[Elysium]

My entire undergrad was composed of humanities. I took no science at all! All of the humanities just came so easy to me. I love reading and writing and studying art and history and film and english.
But I also love medicine, which is a different discipline than all the pre-med courses we take. I have nothing but admiration for people who kick ass in math and physics. That stuff is as foreign to me as writing a feature length screenplay is to most science students! The only pre-med course I truly enjoyed was physiology.
So why study medicine? Because I love the marriage of communicating with patients and analyzing the science behind their words.

🙂

 

[Mary Jane Watson]

"So why study medicine? Because I love the marriage of communicating with patients and analyzing the science behind their words."

Well said, Dillard. :wink:

 

[USeF]

Good point on the need to be well rounded from the pre-med angle, but not from the humanities, music, engineering etc. angle. Now what if us science majors went on to do a PhD in Biochem or Molecular Biology? Would it matter anymore? NO! We'd be in the same category as the writers, musicians, just expected to excel in that discipline.

•••quote:•••Originally posted by TEDillard03:
•.. I love the marriage of communicating with patients and analyzing the science behind their words. 🙂 •••••And this is exatly why we need to be well-rounded, we need to be the role models for our communities, a visible rep of the educated in society. Patients expect that, and you can't lie that you wont be proud of the privelege of having everyone from a 5 yr old girl to a 40 yr PhD in humanities coming to ask our advice on how to stop a cough they have or gain a more positive outlook on life and health. This is one responsibility that being well-rounded helps us prepare for, IMHO 🙂

 

[USeF]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Doctor Foxy:
•.. I decided to double major in Spanish Language & Literature and Latin American Studies. Now I'm an expert and writing papers in Spanish and English, something I could never do before. I also learned history, politics, etc...
Thanks for reading 🙂 •••••great story. I encourage EVERY pre=med I speak to that likes ANYTHING outside of science to go for it. stories like yours are exactly the ones I use. thanx Ms. foxy lady 😀

 

[brandonite]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by moo:
[QB]totally agree with you. Although I think there are only two disciplines in which I really excel, and it's the two disciplines that ***most*** people find the most difficult--math and physics. My BCPM GPA, thanks to "P" and the "M" is 3.8 (no thanks to biology or organic chem). My AO GPA, is 3.49. Talk about discrepancies...QB]••••My BCPM is 3.95, and my AO is like 3.39. 😀 So, I even have a wider discrepancy than you do. 😀

Yet for some strange reason, I keep on taking Arts classes. I almost have a minor in History, and I took three years of French. I figured that this was my only chance to take classes like that, so I might as well take advantage of it. I'm not the most brilliant author and I can never understand the meaning behind a poem. 🙂

Anyway, I just wanted a bit more balanced an education, like some others here have suggested. My Physics and Math grades will keep my GPA up, so I can afford to do it, luckily.

 

[cheech10]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by USeF:
•
•••quote:•••Originally posted by TEDillard03:
•.. I love the marriage of communicating with patients and analyzing the science behind their words. 🙂 •••••And this is exatly why we need to be well-rounded, we need to be the role models for our communities, a visible rep of the educated in society. Patients expect that, and you can't lie that you wont be proud of the privelege of having everyone from a 5 yr old girl to a 40 yr PhD in humanities coming to ask our advice on how to stop a cough they have or gain a more positive outlook on life and health. This is one responsibility that being well-rounded helps us prepare for, IMHO 🙂 •••••Just to play devil's advocate: What do effective communication and compassion have to do with well-roundedness? Certainly physicians are role models and need to be able to communicat effectively etc., but this has nothing to do with well-roundedness. I submit that one can get these same skills you value in a physician from any field, regardless of the amount of specialization you put into your studies. What's the number one piece of advice given to students when choosing their major? "Pick something you enjoy." I just think that those who enjoy science and study it shouldn't be at a dis-advantage because of a belief that a physician must be well-rounded.

 

[Rumit]

Maybe I've just been very fortunate or something, but I've never had a problem with a non-science class. This even goes for the ones that I hated...I still easily got an A. I've always found that courses in the social sciences and humanities are quite easy, especially when someone's already spent time studying the hard sciences. The ways I learned to think taking sciences courses...problems solving, logic, and reasoning...have always made studying other subjects quite easy. Of course, since I have no talent whatsoever when it comes to music or art, I've had to avoid those courses and approach them only from the historical angle. Again, this might just be due to being very lucky in my choice of classes.

Adam

 

[drjo2002]

I don't think that courses outside the science are necessarily harder to do well in, it is just that they are really easy to just slide by in. I end up getting a lot of B's in my gen eds because I don't have to do any work at all do get them, but in Bio and Chem have have to put in effort to get a B, so why not put in a little more and get the A, right? I really enjoy sciences so I'm willing to put the effort in, but other classes aren't always worth the effort.

 

[JThomas88]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by CNestle:
•Do any other pre-meds find "core" classes to be tough? I have a 4.0 science GPA, Acing Biochemistry and all the hard classes. But when it comes to taking "core" classes like "music," it seems so much harder. In a matter of two semesters, taking core classes has dropped my GPA from a 3.9 to a 3.7. Or maybe it's not that its harder but rather I don't put serious studying time into it. Who knows. Sorry. I just felt like ranting since I'm pissed.•••••

 

[Cerberus]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by drjo2002:
•I don't think that courses outside the science are necessarily harder to do well in, it is just that they are really easy to just slide by in. I end up getting a lot of B's in my gen eds because I don't have to do any work at all do get them, but in Bio and Chem have have to put in effort to get a B, so why not put in a little more and get the A, right? I really enjoy sciences so I'm willing to put the effort in, but other classes aren't always worth the effort.•••••I agree 100%, I am taking a sociology class this semester along with difficult science courses (genetics, calc, etc) and have no problem whatsoever spending 15 hours preparing the science exams. However when it gets to studying for sociology I have a hard time even opening the book.

 

[k210]

I'm a first year pre-med and i'm only taking bio (not a science major) am i supposed to be taking more science req's for pre-med my first year?

 

[Doctora Foxy]

k210....it depends on the way your school is set up, in most cases....in my school it's like this for premeds (I'm not a science major either):

yr 1: chem w/ lab
yr 2: orgo and bio w/ lab
yr 3: physics w/ lab

It's important that you try to finish these courses during or before junior year so you can be ready for the mcat in time (end of junior year). I took orgo over the summer and physics and bio during my soph year. I also took calc my freshman year.