In the past month I had a complete awakening. I had done great in all of my classes, but I was so miserable. I was so tense, I was constantly complaining, and I made excuses for all my behaviour - "I'm premed! You've got no idea what it's like!". Basically, I hated every moment of my life. So, I decided to go talk to my physics professor. I'm switching out of biology and chemistry (which I think are boring as hell) and now going into mathematics and computer science. Rather than waste my life away studying **** I hate I'm going to do something I'll enjoy. I still want to apply to go into medicine, but rather than doing all this monotonous stuff I'm gonna actually enjoy my life. Farewell to all the premeds in my classes. I hope you all rot in hell. ;-)
good luck in podiatry school. By the way, you don't have to be premed to get into medical school. Many schools don't even offer that as a major. Choose the area you like and apply yourself.
If you hate Biology and Chemistry why would you even consider applying to medicine? You'll have 4 years of unhappiness!! Also why tell the rest of us to 'rot in hell' that sounds very childish and rude. Are you ready for medicine? you have to be compassionate and kind.... you might want to think twice about your career choice. Sounds to me like you should be stuck in a lab running test tubes all day long, away from society.
Do you think that you won't be studying Biology and Chemistry for the remainder of your life if you are a physician? You better think about an attitude adjustment or a new career.
I think someone was having a bad day here. I think if smuwillobrien feels this way, then it is a good thing that he is changing his major . But with an attitude like this maybe a walk away from medicine is also in order. At least until he cools down and has respect for his fellow students. Perhaps the screw you , premeds wasn't directed to us here on SDN, but rather to his classmates at his school.
I thought the wink at the bottom made the post tongue-in-cheek? Maybe I'm wrong. In any case, I can understand how dealing with a few personality types prevalent among pre-meds can provoke these kinds of feelings. I just don't lash out at random people, my boyfriend usually receives the brunt of my rantings And can you really major in pre-med?! What happens if you don't get into medical school? Weird...
Just remember what premeds become (the successful ones anyways)... You're not escaping them for long.
I totally understand where the OP is coming from! In fact, I had pretty much decided against my inclination for medicine because I couldn't stand the other premeds in my classes. Granted, I was a bio major anyway, so deciding to pursue this little dream of mine didn't require a change. Maybe its not like this everywhere, but I get tired of premeds freaking out about every exam, here's the thought process"Oh &^%$! I only made an 89 (even though the class average is 60), there's no way I'll ever get into med school now, that could be a B. Maybe I can still drop this class, that way I can still get a 4.0... Maybe I can argue or suck up to the professor, and he'll raise my grade then I can lord it over all of my other premed friends.... blah blah blah I just find most of these people to be exhausting and self-centered. Thank goodness I've found some exceptions to this, and I just keep thinking, I hope these are the types of people who actually get in. Alright, enough whining from me about other people. (I really, really love WiFi -- I'm writing this while taking notes for my Evolution lecture)
apparently someone missed the lesson on how to "play well with others". you are going to have a very hard time dealing with the rest of the world if a few premeds throw you into such a state. as for spending all your time studying . . . that should have been a clue early on because most people who end up in medical school (notice the non-use of the term premed) maintain a pretty balance lifestyle, equal parts of work and play. good luck with your future plans and I hope your learn to cope with adversity a little better.
i don't understand why people who want to be doctors major in bio, chem, etc. anyway...take advantage of your undergrad period and do something else with the time...just take your pre-reqs and a few useful fillers (like biochem, genetics, and physiology)
to the op, i say go for it. i started out a bio major and hated it. i hated the classes and hated the obnoxious premeds. i became a philosophy major and enjoyed the rest of my undergrad career. dont buy into the bs others are spewing. for one thing, very few of them are in med school (neuronix is one of those). the bio and chem that you learn in med school is more applicable and you learn it in a completely different context. i have to say that most, but unfortunately not all, of the obnoxious premeds do not make it to med school or chill out once they get there.
FYI: check out the signatures . . . about half the people who have posted are heading to med school next year. To the OP: If you hate what you are studying by all means change, but if you are changing majors because you hate the people then you should rethink it.
By all means, enjoy college. I was a computer science major and enjoyed everything. Just make sure you get A's in pre-med classes. Plus, if you don't get into med school, you will have a career. I ended up working for 7 years before reapplying. Made a few bucks, got married, travelled all over Europe, etc. Now I am ready to start med school. Try to enjoy life as much as possible. You only get one. Just make sure not to slack off -- that can jeopardize your dreams.
Computer science (and bio) here too smuwillobrien, comp sci rules, if you're like me and you enjoy it, it's a major that appreciates creativity and will sharpen your problem-solving skills. Best of luck ~lubdubb
Right on, sister. And if you think a bio major is monotonous (with diverse fields like ecology, microbio, zoology, botany, evolution, etc.), you're going to have a rough time studying one organism for four years.
Behavior isnt caused by your major or your degree choice, trust me. Behavior is all you. And you will be studying that **** for the rest of your life if you do become a doctor. And guess who goes to med school? 100% premeds, that's right. And most of them were science majors. Have fun.
FYI, I absolutely love bio, and there are things in bio that you don't necessarily study in depth in med school. Even if they did overlap, what's wrong with studying it in undergrad if you love the subject?
Wow, are they really that bad? I've never had a bad experience with a fellow premed before ... but i'm not one of those gunner types, so maybe i just never associated with them ...
I started off an engineering major, and found it to be a turn off. Picked biology because it interested me. Decided to take a professions course in biology to figure out what careers I could do with the degree. Started volunteering, research, and reading about medicine. Decided that was the direction I was to take. So far every step has felt as though it was in the right decision. MDTom's Rule #1: when picking a direction in life: Make sure you like or at least can stand what you are going to do for the rest of your life. Rule #2: make sure it will provide some sort of base-level survivable income. everything else is the icing on the cake-of-life.
I did know a bunch of pre-meds that were all backstabbing, gunners who were only out for themselves, but I didn't let them drive me away from a subject I liked. I loved my Bio classes. I guess the OP had had enough of being around those folks. Too bad he didn't look for someone else in the class that wasn't like those other premeds. But I would worry about his abilty to go to med school and deal with the same type of people there. To smuwillobrien: I would suggest strongly you learn to overlook those around you. It is going to be a very bumpy ride for you in med school if you can't block out those around you who are idiots. The world is full of people we don't want to associate with, but it is up to you to learn to deal with such people. I know that it is rough, but you can't always walk away and distance yourself from those around you who don't act like you want them to act. Most of us have been there, and we undestand what you are feeling. But you can't let other people interfere with your life. Good luck.
Good choice; go do something you like. I don't especially like the typical premeds who are so worried about their grades that they won't help out others in their classes. But then it just makes it more enjoyable to beat them on the tests anyway. I find most biology and chemistry (well the med school prereqs, e.g. general biochemistry and ochem) boring because it's not all that challenging. Med school is two years of those classes (some of which I actually find enjoyable because I'm interested) and then you get to actually do things; then it's rotations and clerkships. Doctors don't study cell bio and anatomy for the rest of their lives.
I've read more than one post that said something to the effect of "once your a doctor you don't have to study that stuff anymore." That's right--they call those doctors quacks. You don't just graduate from medical school with all of the knowledge that you will need to be successful for your entire career. Think about doctors who graduated 20 or 30 yrs ago and the changes that they've seen. You do have to study things like cell bio and anatomy even if it is only a refresher. You don't have to love the subjects, but you do have to have a tolerance for them. If you don't you're in for a shocker. Medicine is about using scientific knowledge to help real people.
It's pretty hilarious to read through some of the responses. A lot of people on here seem to think they're Dr. Phil, and a lot of people read too much into my post. I'm not leaving biology or chemistry because of the people (I do think they're obnoxious though). I'm leaving because I want to pursue other interests. All the classes I've taken were simple, and I could have been learning something interesting and taught myself this material in my spare time. The intention of my post was to inspire those who are doing these biology and chemistry routes because they feel they have to, to get out of it and do what they like. As for the people who've discerned that I'm manic depressive, that I'm schizophrenic, or that I've got no social skills - Haha. Great doctors you'll make you pompous morons. How about you follow the advice one poster gave me: "Pull the stick out of your ass". P.S. That's what I hate most about these idiotic premeds. They all claim to be so altruistic, but it's just a front.
I did engineering and computer science in college. They are not easy majors. If you're a glutton for punishment, then go for it. But I think the joke is going to be on you later.
Most people with an attitude like you have, come to SDN for help and advice. They are respectful of those who try to help them, BUT you have basically spit in our faces. You are the one with the problem, not us. You have no right to say we are being pompous morons. What a jerk you are and have been during your thread. I take back any advice I gave you. I agree with oldtimer, in the end you are going to be the one who suffers.
Perhaps your 'good' intentions got a little overshadowed by the eloquent title of your post, which you proceeded to post on a PREMED message board...
True story... Happened in China loooong ago... Premed approached an old wise man, said he was gonna change his major to computer science. He asked the old man, will I find many people I like in this new major... the old man asked if he found many people he liked in his old major. Student said no, they were jerks... Old man told him he would find many jerks in his new major too. 2nd premed asked the same question, only he responded he found lots of nice friendly people in his old major... Old man told him he would find lots of nice friendly people in computer science. I always have a feeling that the people posting about how they cant stand their "premed" class mates... probably wouldnt like any classmates. I would explain more but Ive got to get back to worrying about 89%s and kissing butt. see ya.
Even though it makes me look like a complete dingus I thoroughly enjoyed your post, tugbug. Perhaps I've some thinking to do. ;-)
Bio is not monotonous. Some of the courses you mentioned are the ones that are monotonous. Zoology--just a semester-long exercise of memorizing acanthocephalans, scaphopoda, etc. and those other names I really don't care about. Botany---same as zoology. Ecology--crap about environment. Evolution--useless argument on pure speculative theory. The only fun thing you mentioned was microbiology. I'm a bio major and a couple of people who are in my zoology and botany class and also taking organic II with me are barely passing the latter. Why? Because they only know how to memorize. I am a math minor and I get an aspect of where the OP is coming from. I have gone too deep into bio that changing majors won't be a good thing to do. Actually, the only nice things in biology, in my opinion, are molecular genetics, immunology, physio and other cellular and molecular oriented stuff. The rest--boring macro-oriented garbage. Actually human biology is alot is more interesting, and that is why medicine poses alot of fun.
Wow, the OP's a real dick. More than half the posters were just being nice and open-minded (benefit of doubt, good change, I agree, etc..). Whew, sure you dont want to stay a premed? Seems like you'd fit right in. Then again I dont know you so maybe you're just constipated. Good luck with your new major .
Well said! Perhaps you should be an English major. The biggest misconception premed students have is that they MUST go bio or chem majors...WRONG! Go with what you love, but you better get awesome grades.
I don't think that the issue is whether or not you have to be a bio major. The issue is whether or not you can get along with a group of people who are. I think that people should do a major that they enjoy and are comfortable in. However, bio is a big part of medical school. If you have an absolute disdain for it, you might be miserable if your career calls for you to constantly study it. I agree that many classes like evolution and ecology are pure BS, but others (like cell and molecular bio, histo, physiology, developmental, and genetics) are very important in becoming a good physician.
Hmmm... Well, now I certainly am not an expert by any stretch. But from what I do know thus far, ALL you technically need to know, you will learn in medical school. And that is why your major is not necessarily any indicator of what kind of doctor you will become. And this is why there is no defacto major for medical school. I chose not to be a bio or chem major simply because I want to be well rounded. Taking care of the med school pre-reqs alone is a significant amount of science. And you will get even more in medical school. So why not pursue a major that focuses on the non-sciences? Besides, many bio majors have to take plant and animal bio courses that have no direct relevance for being a people doc. There are many reasons why people choose to become doctors, and out of which there is a myriad of roads to take. Some people have zero bedside manner skills and live to be a research doctor...others want to be in pediatrics because they love children. Your love of being an MD need not extend from a love of science so much as it is a love of learning and practicing medicine.
And another point I forgot to bring out is this excellent quote from a book about going pre-med: "Many people in medical school are illiterate in anything outside of medicine because they overloaded in the sciences while in college at the expense of their intellectual and personal growth in other areas."
hmmm, perhaps you missed the part of the interview process when they grill you on outside interests/pursuits. maybe thats why every tells people who are applying to do things outside of medicine! I was a bio major, I also happen to be a musician, an athlete, a pop culture junkie, and a symphony goer. Don't paint everyone with the same brush because there always far more exception than you thought!
And I think you are being a bit paranoid about what adcoms are thinking. They don't want some mindless automaton science machine. They want and need, flesh and blood, intelligent, well-rounded students that have a significantly good chance of being an excellent doctor. The misconception is built upon the fact that people feel a need to paint themselves with the broad brush of science and only science. Thus, they neglect the very things that could balance out themselves and their application. Of course there are exceptions that find a balance outside of academia , but I was not speaking to them. I was merely backing up the original posters sentiment.
