Randomly Switched to Pre-med

[Dunkinplankin]

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I was a second year student in NYU stern, and just switched over to Gallatin school of Individualized Studies, and going in to Pre-med track starting coming semester. 😀
I did have a strong chemistry and biology background[top 100 for Chemistry Olympiad.regional], and always wanted to be a surgeon since I was a kid, but something happened my senior year of high school that made me become a finance major. Loved the studies, hated the classes. Although I ended Stern with a 3.7 GPA, I wanted to pursue what I really wanted to do... go to Medschool.
What should I do now? I mean. I'm from California, so all my connections are back home (was a research boy at UCSF in high school). I do not know a single doc, don't know anyone yet who's in premed.
I mean.. What should my aims be for classes and opportunities? Should I have already shadowed couple docs and receive research opportunities by now?

WILL I BE ABLE TO FINISH PRE-MED courses by the end of my senior year and be able to graduate on time with others of class of 2015? or am i gonna have to take extra semesters?
(20 units max in NYU, and probs 4 units for classes and 2 units for lab).
I no nothing of this field yet. please help me out guise 😀
Cheers
OH and i'm also hoping to go to Stanford Med...
[for those who think this is another generic post. i'm sry forgot to watch the "youtube"video and forgot to search first. just joined today...]

 

[mzarrowsmith]

something happened my senior year of high school that made me become a finance major.

You watched "American Psycho","Wall Street", and "Boiler Room"?

When you apply to med school, the question you will have to answer convincingly is: "Why has this finance tool suddenly decided to spend a life serving others instead of making lots of money?"

 

[kickster]

I was a second year student in NYU stern, and just switched over to Gallatin school of Individualized Studies, and going in to Pre-med track starting coming semester. 😀
I did have a strong chemistry and biology background[top 100 for Chemistry Olympiad.regional], and always wanted to be a surgeon since I was a kid, but something happened my senior year of high school that made me become a finance major. Loved the studies, hated the classes. Although I ended Stern with a 3.7 GPA, I wanted to pursue what I really wanted to do... go to Medschool.
What should I do now? I mean. I'm from California, so all my connections are back home (was a research boy at UCSF in high school). I do not know a single doc, don't know anyone yet who's in premed.
I mean.. What should my aims be for classes and opportunities? Should I have already shadowed couple docs and receive research opportunities by now?

WILL I BE ABLE TO FINISH PRE-MED courses by the end of my senior year and be able to graduate on time with others of class of 2015? or am i gonna have to take extra semesters?
(20 units max in NYU, and probs 4 units for classes and 2 units for lab).
I no nothing of this field yet. please help me out guise 😀
Cheers
OH and i'm also hoping to go to Stanford Med...
[for those who think this is another generic post. i'm sry forgot to watch the "youtube"video and forgot to search first. just joined today...]

Definitely doable, but as a science major it would be very difficult. Finishing your major will be harder than finishing the premed requirements I would imagine. As far as a schedule for your classes, my advice would be:

Soph spring - 2 bio classes + lab
Summer - Gchem 1/2 +lab
Junior yr - Ochem 1/2 + lab (and calc 1/2 if you haven't taken it)
Senior yr - Physics 1/2 + lab

I think that would be the best way to fit it in, but just my 2 cents so take it or leave it. You'd have to take a year off between graduation and med school. As far as EC's, start volunteering a few hours/wk and those will add up quickly (clinical/nonclinical) and shadowing if you can fit it in here or there (~50 hrs is sufficient). And I think that you're in for a rude awakening if you have your heart set on 1 med school, especially when that school is Stanford.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

You watched "American Psycho","Wall Street", and "Boiler Room"?

When you apply to med school, the question you will have to answer convincingly is: "Why has this finance tool suddenly decided to spend a life serving others instead of making lots of money?"

BECAUSE... money isn't everything bro. I've been reading SEAL autobiographies and apparently one guy left Wall Street for Coronado to train as a Navy SEAL. Unless he did it for the Chargers Cheerleaders then obviously finance wasn't for him, and OP probably has his reasons for abandoning finance.

 

[mvenus929]

1) Have you taken any science classes to date?
- Generally, you'll need 1 year of general biology, 1 year of general chemistry, 1 year of organic chemistry, and 1 year of physics, all with labs. Some schools also require biochem, which would be worth taking.
- Some schools also require social sciences, and this will be one of the areas tested on the new MCAT (I forget when that starts... I keep seeing it in the e-mails I get from the med student organizations).

2) Get involved in something healthcare related. It's not bad that you haven't done anything yet, but the sooner you get started, the more experiences you'll be able to put on your application when the time comes and the better able you will be to articulate why you want to become a surgeon (or other physician).

This means: shadowing, working (I recommend something hospital based working with patients or physicians directly), perhaps volunteering (ONLY IF you can find something you're interested in. Don't go volunteer in the hospital just to get checked off).