PLTW for Aspiring Doctor?

[justindaman1141]

Hey there!

So I'm currently in 8th grade, but I have some questions regarding my high school schedule. I was recently accepted into the PLTW PTE (Project Lead The Way Pathway to Engineering) program at the local high school, which I will be taking in place of one of my electives during my high school years. I applied into this because I thought it was neat that there would be a class where I could apply what I was learning in my science classes throughout all four years. As I stated in the title, I'm an aspiring doctor, and I'm thinking about applying to a B.S./M.D. program, and going that route to get my M.D. However, I was wondering if it would be worth anything since engineering isn't directly related to medicine, though medicine is an applied science (I think?). Would it be a good idea to take this class, or would it hurt me (would adcoms for the programs be confused by my taking these classes)?

Thank you so much in advance for your replies!

P.S. I'm one of those people who are involved in a HUGE variety of things (President of my school, 2nd chair of Orchestra, Choir soloist, Yearbook editor, Distinguished Honor Roll student), just in case that helps with anything, I don't know. XD

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[hippo_crates]

Well I mean it depends on what the pathways engineering program deals with. It doesn't hurt you to take the class and if you like it then take it. Even if you do go the route of the B.S./M.D you still have the traditional four years of college so it's not going to matter that much what you take in high school as long as you take science and math classes throughout and do well on the SAT and or ACT. Besides med schools don't look at your high school classes or grades and solely focus on your college career

 

[justindaman1141]

@hippo_crates

Two out of the four years focus on basics and fundamentals, while the last two are more so elective. I plan to go on something like a bio-engineering route, which in my opinion would be more useful for med school? What do you think?

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but when applying to a B.S./M.D. program, isn't all that they have to look at your high school records? I thought that it was like an early admission to get your bachelor's and doctorate right out of high school.

If this helps, what I want out of the program is critical thinking skills, creativity, and just basically a different way of thinking, to help me solve problems more effectively in the future.

Thanks!

 

[efle]

@hippo_crates

Two out of the four years focus on basics and fundamentals, while the last two are more so elective. I plan to go on something like a bio-engineering route, which in my opinion would be more useful for med school? What do you think?

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but when applying to a B.S./M.D. program, isn't all that they have to look at your high school records? I thought that it was like an early admission to get your bachelor's and doctorate right out of high school.

If this helps, what I want out of the program is critical thinking skills, creativity, and just basically a different way of thinking, to help me solve problems more effectively in the future.

Thanks!

You're correct that BS/MD programs admit people out of high school based on only SAT/ACT, and high school grades and extracurriculars. However, be careful about planning to major in engineering for a BS/MD; there is often a minimum GPA and MCAT which you must meet during undergrad to be awarded your slot in the med school, and due to severe grade deflation in many engineering departments, an otherwise very manageable GPA at that university (say a 3.6) may be extremely tough to get.

 

[hmockingbird]

You're in 8th grade. You do not need to worry about your college major and minor or your career yet!!!!!!!!!!!! I believe people typically shadow for a BS/MD app but look at that as exploring the career, not a definite plan. You may not want to be a doctor by the end of high school or college. Even if you do, this is extra, it's not changing the core classes you would take in HS, so I don't think it would help or hurt. If this interests you, go for it.

 

[efle]

You're in 8th grade. You do not need to worry about your college major and minor or your career yet!!!!!!!!!!!! I believe people typically shadow for a BS/MD app but look at that as exploring the career, not a definite plan. You may not want to be a doctor by the end of high school or college. Even if you do, this is extra, it's not changing the core classes you would take in HS, so I don't think it would help or hurt. If this interests you, go for it.

The people gunning for the top these days are playing with stethoscopes by the age of 3, it's insane

 

[justindaman1141]

You're correct that BS/MD programs admit people out of high school based on only SAT/ACT, and high school grades and extracurriculars. However, be careful about planning to major in engineering for a BS/MD; there is often a minimum GPA and MCAT which you must meet during undergrad to be awarded your slot in the med school, and due to severe grade deflation in many engineering departments, an otherwise very manageable GPA at that university (say a 3.6) may be extremely tough to get.

I understand that engineering is tough, but I think that if I do go through with the PLTW program, I can see if I really like it or not and decide from there what I want to study. If I'm really into it, I'm sure that I can pull through...probably. XD Other majors I'm considering are neuroscience/neurobiology, biochemistry, genetics, physiology, and pathology (maybe even forensic pathology). Maybe even music or something. I have time LOL. All that I know at the moment is that I want to be a doctor (as of now). Thanks for your advice! 🙂

 

[justindaman1141]

You're in 8th grade. You do not need to worry about your college major and minor or your career yet!!!!!!!!!!!! I believe people typically shadow for a BS/MD app but look at that as exploring the career, not a definite plan. You may not want to be a doctor by the end of high school or college. Even if you do, this is extra, it's not changing the core classes you would take in HS, so I don't think it would help or hurt. If this interests you, go for it.

I understand, but taking part in this program will, in fact, affect my other classes. Along with being a HUGE science "enthusiast", if you will, I also consider myself to have a strong affinity for the arts, like the visual arts and music. In order to be able to take part in these things in high school, I must take the classes. Along with my HS's requirements, I will have some years where I can only take two electives, however I CANNOT survive without my choir and orchestra class. PLTW is SO AMAZING though, it breaks my heart to have to choose like this.

By the way, if I decide that the program's not for me at the end of frosh year, do you think that it would be frowned upon if I quit?

 

[justindaman1141]

The people gunning for the top these days are playing with stethoscopes by the age of 3, it's insane

Planning (or at least a general rough outline) = setting yourself up for success.

 

[hippo_crates]

Yeah they do I only look at your high school grades but I didn't properly say what I meant. What I meant to say was that BS/MD programs are highly selective, some not even looking at your application if you have anything below a 4.0, and if you feel that you are only taking that Pathways program to help pad your resume, don't take it. It'll just bog down you for your other classes and will ultimately affect your outcome but if you have a genuine interest in that then go ahead and do it!

 

[hippo_crates]

And what I was also trying to say is that the BS/MD program is only one path to become a doctor and there is always the traditional route of going to college and then applying to med school. Besides you aren't even in high school yet and yes, planning is important, but you may find that it is much different than the expectations that you had in your head. I know that before I was a freshman I had this whole plan that I was going to take classes over the summer so I could get into AP classes earlier and I was going to take AP Euro as my first history and all this other stuff, but by now, as a junior, I learned to scale back to focus on my math and science courses because that's what I love to do and to take my language class all four years and MUN all four years because that's what I wanted to do instead of taking all these unnecessary AP classes that I was only taking to pad my resume.

 

[justindaman1141]

And what I was also trying to say is that the BS/MD program is only one path to become a doctor and there is always the traditional route of going to college and then applying to med school. Besides you aren't even in high school yet and yes, planning is important, but you may find that it is much different than the expectations that you had in your head. I know that before I was a freshman I had this whole plan that I was going to take classes over the summer so I could get into AP classes earlier and I was going to take AP Euro as my first history and all this other stuff, but by now, as a junior, I learned to scale back to focus on my math and science courses because that's what I love to do and to take my language class all four years and MUN all four years because that's what I wanted to do instead of taking all these unnecessary AP classes that I was only taking to pad my resume.

I understand now. Thanks a bunch! 🙂