Quite Angry w/ Pre-Med Advisor

[sistermike]

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Ok I am a freshman in College (woo.. yes i have a long ways to go before i start applying to med school). But I talked to my pre-med advisor today & he made me angry. I told him that I plan on taking all of the prequisites for the MCAT & for Med School but do not want to major in a science field. He totally shot me down & told me that it was a horrible idea and I would never ever get into med school. So obviously my pre-med advisor is not that well of a advisor. He told me that he would help me through the process, but he told me that he wouldn't really help me with my class selections because my idea won't work out in the long run. But where I am going (although not a top school), 90% of the pre-med students are accepeted to med school. Should I just drop the pre-med advisor and just advise myself or do you guys think I should actually follow this guys advice so my chances of getting into med school are "greater"?

 

[womansurg]

His advice is completely wrong. Med schools often prefer students who have had a varied background. So long as you do well in your science prereqs and MCAT, it will only be looked on favorably that you majored in something nonscience.

What are you wanting to major in?

 

[thesaint]

hi,
i totally i understand where u are coming from. In my situation my Pre-med advisor did not believe in non-science premeds but also did not have a high regard for doctors!!!!!!!!! CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!! He was a stuck up PHD and felt Doctors were below them!!! anyway i ended up majoring in what i loved and chose my own pre-med advisor!!!

The key thing is to look for someone that understands you and mentor you through out the process not someone that will criticize you and belittle your ideas. At the end of the day your pre-med advisor is your best shot at a marvelous recommendation letter!!!!!!!!!!!!

just my .02 cents, good luck!!!!!!!

 

[woolie]

My recommendation is to somehow learn how to work with and around this guy. Be an anthro major if you really want to, but also do the premed courses. When he gives you a hard time you can smile and say, oh my gosh, you're probably right ... and then just keep going. Since you are a freshman, he may be just trying to weed people out so it's probably not aimed at you in particular.

Maybe by sophmore/junior year when he sees how well you are doing - on your own - he will give in and support you. Do what you think is right for you, but see if you can somehow keep him in the picture. Things should turn around as you get closer to graduation.

I also agree with thesaint, and try and find as many people as possible who will support you ...

 

[dara678]

Your advisor doesn't know anything. It shouldn't matter that you're majoring in a nonscience fields; all med schools care about is that you do well in your required premed classes (bio, gen chem, orgo, physics) and your MCAT. Sometimes, advanced knowledge about bio and other sciences may be detrimental when doing the MCAT as well (you start thinking too much).

 

[greenwitch]

Sistermike,

does your school write or compile a committee letter of recommendation for med school? if so you need to work with your pre-med advisor to some degree. many med schools expect a committee letter if your school offers one (and expect a darn good reason if your school does offer one and you decide to forego working with your official premed advisor).

if you think this person's advice is bunk (which it sounds like to me!) find other people to give you advice about med school. you'll show that you can take initiative and that you are serious about pursuing medicine. but do not cut the pre-med advisor completely out of the picture. in the years ahead he will be a valuable resource.

are there other official pre-med advisors that you can "adopt" as your own? that's what i would do in your shoes.

good luck!
greenwitch

 

[HessExpress]

Hey Sistermike....if I was you I would report this so-called advisor to the academic dean...Your advisor obviously is not qualified for the position, or is just a disgruntled professor. I'd pick my non-science major with premed concentration over a science major anyday, and my premed advisor totally backs me up...He himself is a professor in my major of study (psychology).

Good luck with the major-discriminating professor!

 

[sistermike]

Originally posted by womansurg
His advice is completely wrong. Med schools often prefer students who have had a varied background. So long as you do well in your science prereqs and MCAT, it will only be looked on favorably that you majored in something nonscience.

What are you wanting to major in?

Well I planned on majoring in an allied health profession type deal. I was looking into Communication Disorders or possibly Health Administration. I plan to minor in Spanish and Chemistry. I also considered double majoring in Spanish & some sort of health program. All I know is I want a major I am interested in, but at the same time I an fall back on if I wish not to pursue my MD degree.
I explained all of that to my pre-med advisor and he told me that I could get a great job with a biology or chemistry degree, and I persisted to tell him that sure I love science and what not but I would not want to pursue a further degree in biology or chemistry and do research or what not. Well he totally disagreed with me and then persisted to tell me that even if I do a non-science major, I am going to need to take intense biology courses (biochemistry, celll biology, etc...) or I would never ever pass the MCAT. I told him that what I have read up on (i've researched all of this to the max) does not require that I have extrememly indepth science classes to do well on the MCAT. But of course he disagreed. I think I will just get a new academic advisor (health professions advisor) and explain my situation, follow what I believe will work best for myself, and get involved with pre-med societies so I can have some help along the way.

 

[cracker69]

i had the same deal. started out w/ a biology major, but changed to finance after my freshman year. my advisor said this was a bad idea and that med school would be more difficult to get into because of it. i quit listening to that crazy ho and guess who got into med school on his first try. me.

dont listen to ur advisor


69

 

[LukeWhite]

Mike,

I know a Japanese and premed major. A Spanish minor will be looked on VERY highly by many medical med schools. In fact, I can't think of any major or minor that could by itself advance your application further.

As for the whole premed thing. My premed advisor for much of my time at a school that should have had better was awful. My experience is that SDN in aggregate is by far the best premed major you could possibly hope for.

Good luck! (And go for a Spanish double-major if your schedule permits. It'll stand out and make you a much better doctor.)

 

[bonjuju]

Hey sistermike.
My background is a BS in Dance and a BFA in Painting. I'll be starting med school this August.
Do what interests you, it will make you more well rounded. Ace your pre-reqs and study hard for the MCAT's, and you'll probably have some ad-coms who are very interested as to why you chose the path you took. Be prepared to relate it to your ability to study and practice medicine.
Best of luck!

 

[badgergirl]

Originally posted by sistermike
Well I planned on majoring in an allied health profession type deal. I was looking into Communication Disorders or possibly Health Administration.

As someone who was a communicative disorders major, let me tell you -- it can definitely be done! I laughed when I read your original post because the whole time I was thinking about my experience, which was very similar to yours. My advisor was like "You want to do what???" when I said I was premed, so I never went back and figured it out on my own. I considered getting a certificate (my school's version of a minor) in linguistics or religious studies, but opted instead to load on some of the heavy-duty science courses that aren't required. Since com dis didn't overlap with a single premed requirement, I definitely had my share of full semesters (and had to do a summer for breadth reqs), but I enjoyed my major and was able to get into speech research. I took genetics, biochem, and comparative anatomy to flesh out my science background, but otherwise tried to take some other fun things like ethics and abnormal psych to be as well-rounded as I could. Undergrad is your chance to follow whatever interests you, and if it's allied health or spanish or whatever, do it!! 😀 Good luck!

 

[ironey]

Ummmm, I have a BM - that's a Bachelor's of Music. I did half of my pre-med requirements at a Community College. I met with a pre-med advisor only once and was as disgusted as you were. I kicked some a$$ on the MCAT, got good grades, and was accepted at 2 of the 5 schools I applied to ( I got one waitlist and I refused one of the interviews offered after I'd been accepted at the school of my choice).

What does that tell you about having no chance???

IMO, pre-med advisors (and music advisors as well) are paid to discourage students from entering the field. PM advisors regularly encourage students to branch out into allied health.

If YOU believe that you'll make a great doctor, work hard, ignore the guy in the advising office and let the admissions committees decide whether you're fit for medical school. From what I've experienced, ad coms seem to like interesting people who have demonstrated ability to learn quickly and apply what they've learned.

 

[Happy613]

mike,

just to add my experience to the overwhelming chorus on SDN of :"your advisor is an idiot."

I double majored in government and Near Eastern studies. I took only the pre-med classes plus biochem and a few more bio courses here and there (which being upper level where way more easier than intor bio). And I got into med school on my first shot.

My advisor was very supportive of my decision and she felt that it made me a more interesting applicant.

The only concern is that you don't want to piss this guy off since he might have some input in the letter your school sends out (if they do that). That being said, tell him you respect his advice (however idiotic) but that you think that by being a non-science major you will be more able to become the type of physician you want to be (or something like that).

good luck, and never listen to these people......

 

[drymarchon]

I would like to give back by telling you that your advisor is an IDIOT!!! Major in whatever makes you happy, but just do well and you will not have a problem.

I majored in both economics and business and took the same path as you are contmeplating only completing the premedical requirements and I ended up get accepted to top schools so not only can it be done, it can be spun as a positive and differentiate you from other applicants.

Best of luck and don't listen to your ill informed advisor.