How many people are applying to medical school with a degree in another health care field (nursing, respiratory therapy, etc.)?? My current major is respiratory therapy. I would graduate with a BS in Biology. Does having a medical degree already increase/ decrease or have little affect on medical school admission? I am considering changing my major to just biology or molecular bio. It would also allow me to graduate a year sooner. Thoughts?
Other health care professions?
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My undergrad degree is in Athletic Training. Seeing how most people dont actually know my profession and probably assume I'm busy in the weight room or juicing someone, I don't know if it is a benefit or detriment. I know. As an AT, I've had opportunities that some premeds have not, but unfortunately in bit sure how this will be viewed by ADCOMS
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Your choice of major has very little relevance to the quality or strength of your application.
FYI, Respiratory Therapy is not a medical degree.
FYI, Respiratory Therapy is not a medical degree.
I may be incorrect, but I'll venture that most premeds are not licensed health care providers. I have had the chance to see an athlete before, during, and after an injury. For example, I may get a freshman for part of his sports physical, then during summer conditioning. Next thing I know its two a days and the first day of hitting. I may then get to witness the MOI for this kids ACL sprain or concussion. I immediately assess, triage, call parents, make referrals, write injury reports, once cleared, I can start "athletic training room rehab" for the ACL or graduated protocol for return to play for concussions. THEN since he's a freshman, I'll likely have him (and maybe his siblings) as athletes for the next four+ years in multiple sports. So basically, rather than getting blankets as such (which has been the patient contact experience of most of the premeds I've met) I have hands on pt contact. No whether this is looked favorably or not... Idk.
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I'd say that the experience of being an athletic trainer is good but the major seems lightweight. I can recall interviewing (or application reviewing) someone who worked with athletes in the Big 10 program but I'm sure that the school did not offer a major in athletic training.
www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant see Table 19
www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant see Table 19
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If you can graduate a year sooner, and you don't plan to take a year or several off before applying to med school so you can work as a respiratory therapist, I would drop that and get in to med school sooner. Being ready to apply and start school a year earlier trumps any hypothetical boost having an RT degree would give you, especially since a lack of a gap year would mean you haven't really put the degree to use at all by the time you apply to med school.
If you want a break from school and aren't in a hurry to get started, finish the RT degree and get some experience working as a RT. This won't make or break your application, of course, and research experience would probably help you more if your primary concern is getting into med school.
True, I can always go back as a certificate student and complete the clinical RT phase.
Oh yes, the major is "lightweight" in regards to hard sciences, I completely agree there. The concentration being in health sciences ( nutrition, performance/nutrition, nut/disease, human anatomy, phys, exercise phys, patho, biomech, ortho assessment/eval/treatment, etc).
There was also a switch over from two routes to graduation/certification (curriculum and internship) the latter being eliminated some years ago because of the lack of "book knowledge". I cane from a curriculum program.
As for my university, it was the first nationally to have an accredited program, so standards, standards. Process was rigorous, only top 14 accepted/semester, interviews, applications, volunteer hours, exam (practical and written)... Wth this sounds familiar!
Looking back to when I was a student, I appreciated the ability to actually have hands on contact/interaction with "patients" very early on versus my then premed friends (the ability to touch a patient seems to be missing from the physician equation nowadays).
However now they are making six figures and I get to look forward to sitting through soccer in the rain tonight
So rather than the major, if you choose a HS related field, I think it's what you DO with it, LEARN from it, and how you can integrate your experiences into your future plans as a physician.
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Oh yes, the major is "lightweight" in regards to hard sciences, I completely agree there. The concentration being in health sciences ( nutrition, performance/nutrition, nut/disease, human anatomy, phys, exercise phys, patho, biomech, ortho assessment/eval/treatment, etc).
There was also a switch over from two routes to graduation/certification (curriculum and internship) the latter being eliminated some years ago because of the lack of "book knowledge". I cane from a curriculum program.
As for my university, it was the first nationally to have an accredited program, so standards, standards. Process was rigorous, only top 14 accepted/semester, interviews, applications, volunteer hours, exam (practical and written)... Wth this sounds familiar!
Looking back to when I was a student, I appreciated the ability to actually have hands on contact/interaction with "patients" very early on versus my then premed friends (the ability to touch a patient seems to be missing from the physician equation nowadays).
However now they are making six figures and I get to look forward to sitting through soccer in the rain tonight
So rather than the major, if you choose a HS related field, I think it's what you DO with it, LEARN from it, and how you can integrate your experiences into your future plans as a physician.
Touching people isn't all that great IMO, however you still can use that as an ok sales-pitch. It really depends on the pre-med too. I got to "touch" patients (feel abdomens, take out staples, hold a lady down why she got an emergency test-tube, help a lady walk, wheel people around). But then again, I'm the exception not the rule.
...Physical therapist salary in Alabama is about $47,700, physical therapist salary in California is about $56,800, in Florida is about $53,000....
no way, I think you mean 5-figures (solely athletic training is even lower= 30-40k)
Yup, you, like myself, are an exception in how much you've been allowed to do and personally I think it's great. However, I'll disagree on the touching patients part...
My "six figure statement" was about my friends who are now physicians. Not sure where the PT reference came from...
OP, would I have still chosen a HC field as my UG? Yes. However would I have had the premed option? Hell yes. As I said, it's the reason behind your choice of choosing RT, as a back up or experience? What does that "extra year" entail?
If you are TRULY dedicated, switch to plan bio major, graduate earlier, study you arse off, and instead of a respiratory therapist, gear for pulmonology
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Yup, you, like myself, are an exception in how much you've been allowed to do and personally I think it's great. However, I'll disagree on the touching patients part...
My "six figure statement" was about my friends who are now physicians. Not sure where the PT reference came from...
OP, would I have still chosen a HC field as my UG? Yes. However would I have had the premed option? Hell yes. As I said, it's the reason behind your choice of choosing RT, as a back up or experience? What does that "extra year" entail?
If you are TRULY dedicated, switch to plan bio major, graduate earlier, study you arse off, and instead of a respiratory therapist, gear for pulmonology
ohhh gotcha,
I read it as your classmates got jobs or became PTs (which most athletic training majors do) and get 100k/year to do athletic training/therapy work. But I guess now that I reread it, you're talking about your premed friends.
Oh! Haahaa, gotcha. No no. You are correct, my friends who are not physicians. Actually, you'd be surprised, I would venture to say that "most" ATs do not go into PT, well not as much as most people think. Most either use their BS as a terminal degree, or recieve an advanced degree in another related field (Health admin, athletic admin, MS in AT, Phd, etc).
And trust me, I know about the underpaid part... but I just couldnt stomach doing PT in a clinic all day....
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