Pre Med or Pre Law?

[northbeach919]

Hi! This is my first post and I apologize if I am in the wrong place.

I am about to begin my second semester of my first year of college. As of now I am taking traditional pre-med classes. I do well, and I enjoy my science courses a lot, but it takes me so much longer to learn the material than that of history or english courses. This causes me an extreme, unhealthy amount of stress due to my anxiety. I have wanted to be a doctor for a while, but I just can't tell if it's worth doing so much damage to my mental health.

Is it wiser to choose a course-path and career-path (more humanities courses, maybe pre-law) that comes very easily to me and only causes me only a tolerable amount of anxiety than to stick it out and become a doctor like I want to? Any tips or words of wisdom? Anything helps xx

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[Lucca]

Undergrad coursework should not cause you an "extreme" amount of stress. That being said, these are two very different professions. You should not choose your career based on what coursework you like or comes easier to you as the career itself will not merely be taking X,Y,Z classes. Volunteer at a law clinic and shadow a doctor. Learn the day to day of a lawyer and a physician. Do your own research as to what is required of both professions and the pros and cons. Then decide for yourself what career you want.

When your goals are clearly defined in your own mind, working towards them in undergrad will not be so stressful, I think.

 

[holdthemayo]

Do you want to be a doctor or a lawyer? That's how you decide.

Either way, you need to get a handle on the anxiety. Your university probably has counseling services/referrals available. There's no shame in asking for help, especially if your anxiety is preventing your from pursuing your goals.

 

[aldol16]

In general, it's much easier to learn humanities and social science material than it is to learn the natural sciences. It's common and most pre-meds come to that realization early on. The most quantitative thing you do in the humanities or social sciences (that I can think of) is probably econometrics and that is a cakewalk compared to quantum mechanics.

However, if you feel that your mental health is being negatively impacted, then I would make that an immediate priority. It's no good to go into medicine if you aren't going to be happy with yourself for choosing that. There are plenty of career options available.

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

If you want to live like a poet the rest of your life: pre-law.

Even if you end up regretting your decision to pursue a JD, you can soften the blow by pretending that you are in medical school: an easy task, since law school is filled with so many unsuccessful pre-meds/dents.

 

[JustAPhD]

I
Even if you end up regretting your decision to pursue a JD, you can soften the blow by pretending that you are in medical school: an easy task, since law school is filled with so many unsuccessful pre-meds/dents.

I am about to begin my second semester of my first year of college. As of now I am taking traditional pre-med classes. I do well, and I enjoy my science courses a lot, but it takes me so much longer to learn the material than that of history or english courses. This causes me an extreme, unhealthy amount of stress due to my anxiety. I have wanted to be a doctor for a while, but I just can't tell if it's worth doing so much damage to my mental health.

I would go check out the learning services department of your college. This sounds to me like you haven't quite nailed down how to effectively study for college-level courses yet. Many premeds feel overwhelmed at first; generally they either switch majors or they adapt and learn how to manage their time and use their time wisely and efficiently. Talk to your professors and upperclassmen about how they prep and study, take their advice and mold it to figure out what works best for you.

 

[Pepe18]

.

 

[benjamin94559]

Law school is probably more reading than med school since a good chunk of med schools make nice syllabi to read from

 

[Master_of_Savage]

"What's the difference?" - Otter, Animal House

 

[psu228]

Hi! This is my first post and I apologize if I am in the wrong place.

I am about to begin my second semester of my first year of college. As of now I am taking traditional pre-med classes. I do well, and I enjoy my science courses a lot, but it takes me so much longer to learn the material than that of history or english courses. This causes me an extreme, unhealthy amount of stress due to my anxiety. I have wanted to be a doctor for a while, but I just can't tell if it's worth doing so much damage to my mental health.

Is it wiser to choose a course-path and career-path (more humanities courses, maybe pre-law) that comes very easily to me and only causes me only a tolerable amount of anxiety than to stick it out and become a doctor like I want to? Any tips or words of wisdom? Anything helps xx

I almost went to law school this fall (thank goodness I didn't lol) and both my parents are lawyers. One of my childhood best friends is an L1 at a top 50 school.

Law school is really difficult. I'm not gonna open the "is becoming a lawyer easier than a doc" can of worms, but just know that law school curriculum is way different from your English class or history class. Yea, you will use the skills you got in those classes in law school, but practicing the law requires kind of a new way of thinking, I can't describe it better than that since I didn't choose that path, but that's how it's been told to me from the dozens of lawyers and judges I've known my whole life.

Again, law school is tough. The material is difficult. The students are by and large really cut throat. Most classes you take will have a single exam at the end of the semester. That's it. You fail it you fail the class. Talk about high stress. Most, but not all areas of the law you practice in afterwards are incredibly stressful, with serious deadlines and malpractice.

My point is you shouldn't give up pre med because you think the law will be easier. Both are gonna be really, really hard. As many of the others wisely stated, you should do what intellectually stimulates you.

Anxiety can be a serious issue. I would reccomend seeing if your school has free counseling or something you could take advantage of. Being pre med admittedly stinks but it shouldn't be causing you health problems like you alluded to.

Good luck with your choice. Both are rewarding careers. But know that both will be taxing also.

 

[Goro]

I can't recommend a career in Medicine unless you get your anxiety under control. Med school is a furnace, and I've seen it break even healthy students.

Hi! This is my first post and I apologize if I am in the wrong place.

I am about to begin my second semester of my first year of college. As of now I am taking traditional pre-med classes. I do well, and I enjoy my science courses a lot, but it takes me so much longer to learn the material than that of history or english courses. This causes me an extreme, unhealthy amount of stress due to my anxiety. I have wanted to be a doctor for a while, but I just can't tell if it's worth doing so much damage to my mental health.

Is it wiser to choose a course-path and career-path (more humanities courses, maybe pre-law) that comes very easily to me and only causes me only a tolerable amount of anxiety than to stick it out and become a doctor like I want to? Any tips or words of wisdom? Anything helps xx

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Law school is... outright different from Medical School. Extremely different.

• LSAT is just as bad of a beast as MCAT is, but for all the different reasons
• Getting into medical school in the US more or less promises security as most people get a residency afterwards. This cannot be said for law school, as graduates have issues finding jobs.
• Being at the top for law school matters, but this is also reflected by admissions standards. Harvard Law School has a higher admissions rate then some D.O. schools, but it's more or less a bad idea to go to law school in an area where you do.
• Far less emphasis is placed on what are considered "softs" while medical school more or less requires you to volunteer and show some clinical experience.

Don't for a moment think that pre-law is easy. Law school is difficult/stressful. Getting into a law school may look easier, but when it becomes so important to get into a T14, it can become just as stressful as pre-med. Law school is also very much not easy.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

Hi! This is my first post and I apologize if I am in the wrong place.

I am about to begin my second semester of my first year of college. As of now I am taking traditional pre-med classes. I do well, and I enjoy my science courses a lot, but it takes me so much longer to learn the material than that of history or english courses. This causes me an extreme, unhealthy amount of stress due to my anxiety. I have wanted to be a doctor for a while, but I just can't tell if it's worth doing so much damage to my mental health.

Is it wiser to choose a course-path and career-path (more humanities courses, maybe pre-law) that comes very easily to me and only causes me only a tolerable amount of anxiety than to stick it out and become a doctor like I want to? Any tips or words of wisdom? Anything helps xx

Do not go into law (or any other profession) just because plan A didn't pan out. You are a freshman. Keep your options open (i.e. maintain a high GPA), enjoy being a college student, and figure out what you want to do next.

 

[hungrybox]

Go into CS brah

that's where the money is at

trust

 

[Lannister]

My advice is to do what you love, not necessarily what you're best at. I was the same as you, I mostly excelled in English and History and I've always struggled with my science and math classes. But I find science much more interesting. It was totally worth pursuing med school for me, even though the material doesn't come as naturally as it does to most of my classmates.

 

[aymar]

I would also consider the job market and the outlook going forward. There are a surplus of lawyers, but not a surplus of doctors. Becoming a doctor = job security. Becoming a lawyer doesn't always mean that you will be able to find work in the law field.

 

[kay815]

My advice is to do what you love, not necessarily what you're best at. I was the same as you, I mostly excelled in English and History and I've always struggled with my science and math classes. But I find science much more interesting. It was totally worth pursuing med school for me, even though the material doesn't come as naturally as it does to most of my classmates.

+1. Rocked the humanities, struggled in math. Always loved science >>> so the choice, in retrospect, was obvious.

 

[Lost In Transcription]

1) Get the anxiety checked out. For real. No matter WHAT career you do, this will be important! Take care of yourself. Over stress and axiety are not something you "just have to live with" or avoid.
2) Why medicine vs. law? They are completely and utterly different. I hate to say it, but I wonder if you are just picking two prestigious professions for the prestige? If so, do some hard thinking about both of those choices. Neither is easy and neither will be rewarding unless you really want it. There are a lot of careers, especially for someone so early in the process of college.
3) Get out and get experience. Go do some lawyer and physician shadowing. Join clubs. Most importantly, spend time doing something completely outside of these two. Go volunteer at the animal shelter. Go take some classes about environmental science, go do research, etc. Go into this with an open mind of exploration, and you are certain to find something you want to do. That is exactly what college is for!

 

[numbersloth]

My advice is to do what you love, not necessarily what you're best at. I was the same as you, I mostly excelled in English and History and I've always struggled with my science and math classes. But I find science much more interesting. It was totally worth pursuing med school for me, even though the material doesn't come as naturally as it does to most of my classmates.

Did you choose to major in the humanities? Did you do science research? (coming from someone who is great at humanities but like mathematics and the sciences, at least from a philosophical perspective haha)

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

My advice is to do what you love, not necessarily what you're best at. I was the same as you, I mostly excelled in English and History and I've always struggled with my science and math classes. But I find science much more interesting. It was totally worth pursuing med school for me, even though the material doesn't come as naturally as it does to most of my classmates.

Couldn't agree more. I would also prefer to struggle with science than pursue a discipline that's easier, but less interesting.

If anything, an endeavor that generates minimal interest could end up becoming immensely frustrating.

 

[Lannister]

Did you choose to major in the humanities? Did you do science research? (coming from someone who is great at humanities but like mathematics and the sciences, at least from a philosophical perspective haha)

Yeah I majored in Spanish. I did ecology research, but now that I'm pursuing research in med school I kind of wish I had done medical research, since I didn't really learn anything useful in medicine from the ecology lab.

 

[Seldon]

Law is definitely not easier. I'm the first person in my family to pursue medicine. Everyone else is a lawyer and I can tell you, law school is brutal. My uncle told me stories about people vomiting and passing out in the BAR due to stress. My father said the same thing. Another uncle's a law professor and he say's that they give no mercy to students. They're either lawyers or their not. Of the professions you've chosen, neither is easier than the other. I suggest, like so many others here, to choose what you want to do based on the content, not the difficulty.

 

[vernhart]

Law school is... outright different from Medical School. Extremely different.

• LSAT is just as bad of a beast as MCAT is, but for all the different reasons
• Getting into medical school in the US more or less promises security as most people get a residency afterwards. This cannot be said for law school, as graduates have issues finding jobs.
• Being at the top for law school matters, but this is also reflected by admissions standards. Harvard Law School has a higher admissions rate then some D.O. schools, but it's more or less a bad idea to go to law school in an area where you do.
• Far less emphasis is placed on what are considered "softs" while medical school more or less requires you to volunteer and show some clinical experience.

Don't for a moment think that pre-law is easy. Law school is difficult/stressful. Getting into a law school may look easier, but when it becomes so important to get into a T14, it can become just as stressful as pre-med. Law school is also very much not easy.

Did you take the LSAT? imo it was nowhere near the MCAT. I've always been a math/science guy and I found it quite a bit easier to do well on the LSAT. Within 2 weeks of LSAT prep and I was in the 170s, whereas MCAT took 3 months to score 96th percentile. I'm very happy I made the switch bc law school was just too much reading for me...but I have to be honest and say I think he/she is correct in thinking law would be the easier path, especially if that is what he/she is good at. Not correct necessarily in thinking taking the easy way out will mean more happiness (realize your limits OP, but don't do something *just because it'd be easier)

 

[cbrons]

Look at the job prospects for law school grads.

Sent from my SM-N910P using SDN mobile

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Look at the job prospects for law school grads.

Sent from my SM-N910P using SDN mobile

It's also a pretty miserable field.

 

[numbersloth]

Also would like to point out that law is really a field that is at high risk of encroachment by automation. Medicine is inherently not since humans are essential to the practice of medicine at multiple levels (though I do think we can make the healthcare system much more efficient).

 

[AnotherLawyer]

Did you take the LSAT? imo it was nowhere near the MCAT. I've always been a math/science guy and I found it quite a bit easier to do well on the LSAT. Within 2 weeks of LSAT prep and I was in the 170s, whereas MCAT took 3 months to score 96th percentile. I'm very happy I made the switch bc law school was just too much reading for me...but I have to be honest and say I think he/she is correct in thinking law would be the easier path, especially if that is what he/she is good at. Not correct necessarily in thinking taking the easy way out will mean more happiness (realize your limits OP, but don't do something *just because it'd be easier)

It's an apples to oranges comparison. Someone who kills CARS will probably kill the LSAT. But someone who is weak in CARS can still get a solid MCAT score by developing a strong command of the sciences and P/S. Such a person, though, will struggle with the LSAT. The MCAT will require more time to do well, obviously, because it tests a broad swath of content, whereas the LSAT tests none. So for someone like me, for whom reading comp comes easily, I rather take the LSAT any day. But for the 131/127/131/129 guy, who crushed the MCAT, the LSAT is going to be a struggle.

Also consider this:

In medicine, the big hurdle is getting into medical school. Once you do that, you are all but assured job security, geographic flexability, and a comfortable income.

In law, the best case scenario coming out of undergrad is getting into a T14 (and preferably T6) law school. This will give you a very strong shot at BIGLAW. But BIGLAW is a pyramid scheme, so while associates are making bank while their med school peers are still broke, by the time the med folks become attendings, the vast majority of associates are getting kicked off the partnership track and are having to downgrade to less lucrative firms. A lucky few will settle into stable well paying in house gigs.

The more common scenario is going to a non-top law school, in which case you will be in fierce competition with your classmates because outside the top schools only the VERY top of the class has a shot at BIGLAW and good government jobs. If you make it, see above. If you don't, you'll end up at a smaller firm making less than you could have made without a law degree. Some of your class will be flat out unemployed and end up seeking non-legal employment.

Aside from the getting in part, law does not strike me as the easier path.

 

[vernhart]

It's an apples to oranges comparison. Someone who kills CARS will probably kill the LSAT. But someone who is weak in CARS can still get a solid MCAT score by developing a strong command of the sciences and P/S. Such a person, though, will struggle with the LSAT. The MCAT will require more time to do well, obviously, because it tests a broad swath of content, whereas the LSAT tests none. So for someone like me, for whom reading comp comes easily, I rather take the LSAT any day. But for the 131/127/131/129 guy, who crushed the MCAT, the LSAT is going to be a struggle.

Also consider this:

In medicine, the big hurdle is getting into medical school. Once you do that, you are all but assured job security, geographic flexability, and a comfortable income.

In law, the best case scenario coming out of undergrad is getting into a T14 (and preferably T6) law school. This will give you a very strong shot at BIGLAW. But BIGLAW is a pyramid scheme, so while associates are making bank while there med school peers are still broke, by the time the med folks become attendings, the vast majority of associates are getting kicked off the partnership track and are having to downgrade to less lucrative firms. A lucky few will settle into stable well paying in house gigs.

The more common scenario is going to a non-top law school, in which case you will be in fierce competition with your classmates because outside the top schools only the VERY top of the class has a shot at BIGLAW and good government jobs. If you make it, see above. If you don't, you'll end up at a smaller firm making less than you could have made without a law degree. Some of your class will be flat out unemployed and end up seeking non-legal employment.

Aside from the getting in part, law does not strike me as the easier path.

If you are talking about just for making money then yeah, but just bc you don't make partner doesn't mean you don't find a fulfilling job that pays fairly well. I could ramble about the milestones that doctors face and the quality of competition, but let's just agree to disagree.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

If you are talking about just for making money then yeah, but just bc you don't make partner doesn't mean you don't find a fulfilling job that pays fairly well. I could ramble about the milestones that doctors face and the quality of competition, but let's just agree to disagree.

We'll leave fulfilling out of this because that's arguably too subjective. But there is no disagreeing with the fact that the chances of finding employment as a doctor as a U.S. medical school matriculant is orders of magnitude higher than the chance of finding legal employment as a U.S. law school matriculant.

 

[vernhart]

We'll leave fulfilling out of this because that's arguably too subjective. But there is no disagreeing with the fact that the chances of finding employment as a doctor as a U.S. medical school matriculant is orders of magnitude higher than the chance of finding legal employment as a U.S. law school matriculant.

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