Personal Opinions please. (Major for Med School)

[Natu_]

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Applying for college soon, and I was thinking about majoring in chemistry. However, my community college had all of the pre-reqs in the major program to get into medical school. I was thinking it might be too early to take all of the pre-reqs and was thinking that medical schools may think negatively upon this. But, then again I'm unsure since chemistry is a difficult major. I think I also might forget the information in the first 2 years if I take the pre-reqs too early since I will be learning more advanced concepts in my 3rd and 4th year at a University. It might be bad preparation for the MCAT. What's your personal opinion about this?

I was also pondering the idea about taking english, philosophy, or literature at a community college, and then taking the pre-reqs at a University after my 2 years at a community college. Although english, philosophy, and literature may seem like a terrible major. I think it would definitely help to know how to write a solid analytical, and intellectual essay/personal statement for medical school. I may also minor in math to be more well rounded in education. Personally do you think taking english, philosophy, or literature would be a "stupid" major?

Keep in mind I definitely want to become a doctor, so If I take the humanities major and lets say I get a bad GPA then I'm screwed. The same can be said as a Chemistry Major. I think Chemistry would put a bigger dent in my GPA than a humanities major though. I'm not very good at writing essays or speaking in public in front of tons of people so I figured it might help to take a english major of some type to improve on my analytical reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Any advice of any kind would certainly help. If I know for sure I want to go to medical school should I even have a plan B? etc.

 

[dafuturesurgeon]

Im personally banking on a plan B, just in case because life happens sometimes.
I think your problem with speaking and writing doesn't have to be fixed by a major in that area. I learned SO much in my Eng 101-102 and Public Speaking class. They really changed the way I write and present, and those are just generals.
If i were you, I'd go for the chem major, if your dead set on going into medicine, but im not you [emoji111]️
Good Luck

 

[Kurk]

I'd go with the chem major. An english or philosophy major has very little market value which would indeed leave you with some problems if your original plan didn't work out.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

If you major in Chemistry and your college's Chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society, you will need two semesters of calculus and two semesters of calculus based physics. Furthermore, you will have to take a swell little class called "Physical Chemistry". I know three people who majored in Chemistry and each of them would tell you that P. Chem is tougher than anything you will see in medical school. Less than 15% of all first year medical students major in physics or chemistry because those majors are GPA killers.

If I were you I would try to talk to the admissions office at the state owned medical school in your home state. This is the place where you have the best chance of being admitted. Ask them how they really feel about community college credits for med school especially the required courses like chemistry, biology and physics.

 

[grapp]

No one here can answer this for you. You can take this information with a grain of salt, but remember when it comes down to it... Someone who has an interesting major for example philosophy or religious studies with a 3.9 could look better than a Chemistry with a 3.0 depending on how hard it comes to you.. Gather advice from here, but you need to take all of it with a grain of salt like I said. Good luck.

P.S.
If it helps at all a plan B does help, and I would still be super happy to become a paramedic if I couldn't do surgery.

 

[Natu_]

Thanks for the responses, it may be considered a grain of salt but any information provided is valued. It's hard to pick a major for college it really is. Honestly I'd really like to major in dietetics but my community college doesn't even offer any programs for it.. Just nutrition which is close enough I guess but idk.. It would be a good back up plan for me considering I can just become a RD if I don't get into med school. I could always become a RD and then go to medical school too and hold both MD and RD once I get through residency.

So if my community college doesn't have a dietetics program couldn't I just take the required classes in my 3rd and 4th year or do you think I wouldn't be able to fit any classes in for the required pre-reqs for medical school?

 

[Law2Doc]

Med schools won't care as long as you take the prereqs. You should do what you like and that which will let you get good grades. Having a back-up career is actually dangerous because it might allows some to shrug off failures rather than redouble their efforts. Having the pressure of no safety net is sometimes more effective to keep you up on this high trapeze.

 

[sharpstickie]

If you major in Chemistry and your college's Chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society, you will need two semesters of calculus and two semesters of calculus based physics. Furthermore, you will have to take a swell little class called "Physical Chemistry". I know three people who majored in Chemistry and each of them would tell you that P. Chem is tougher than anything you will see in medical school. Less than 15% of all first year medical students major in physics or chemistry because those majors are GPA killers.

If I were you I would try to talk to the admissions office at the state owned medical school in your home state. This is the place where you have the best chance of being admitted. Ask them how they really feel about community college credits for med school especially the required courses like chemistry, biology and physics.

Two weeks into P Chem and I switched to biochemistry XD