So many minors/certificates, but none I'm truly interested in...Can someone help me?

[Hunter the Bean]

Hello everyone!

I just finished off my freshman year at UF, and it was a great experience. I am on a Pre-Med track with as a Biology major and no current minor. I graduated with my Associate's Degree while in high school, and now I am running out of elective credits; therefore, I need to pick up a minor or certificate. I was considering a Psychology minor, but my university does not offer it. I've always been interested in Biology and Psychology, and I am not very sure on what other minors or certificates to sign up for. I've thought about an Emergency Medical Services certificate, but I am required to have some work experience in that field. I've also have seen minors in Health Services, Public Health, and Nutritional Sciences. The Nutritional Sciences minor sounds interesting, but all the coursework seems to be at a difficult level, requiring Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry (I'm taking General Chemistry 2 this new semester). I do not know what to do, and none of my college's advisors are helping me...one actually kept telling me "I don't know what you should do."

In this upcoming semester, I am taking Integrated Principles of Biology 2 + lab, General Chemistry 2 + lab, my last elective (Psychology of Pseudoscience - online), and Behavioral Neuroscience (an additional life science course that goes towards a 12-credit requirement for my Biology degree). Behavioral Neuroscience seems like it will be a bit difficult so I am planning on switching it out with a course that counts toward said minor or certificate.

Please help, I've been stressing about this since the Spring term, and no advisor has been able to help this summer...I understand that a minor/certificate should be something you are interested in and that med schools do not really pay attention to things like that, but I want some insight into what I should choose.

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[Catalystik]

Hello everyone!

I just finished off my freshman year at UF, and it was a great experience. I am on a Pre-Med track with as a Biology major and no current minor. I graduated with my Associate's Degree while in high school, and now I am running out of elective credits; therefore, I need to pick up a minor or certificate. I was considering a Psychology minor, but my university does not offer it. I've always been interested in Biology and Psychology, and I am not very sure on what other minors or certificates to sign up for. I've thought about an Emergency Medical Services certificate, but I am required to have some work experience in that field. I've also have seen minors in Health Services, Public Health, and Nutritional Sciences. The Nutritional Sciences minor sounds interesting, but all the coursework seems to be at a difficult level, requiring Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry (I'm taking General Chemistry 2 this new semester). I do not know what to do, and none of my college's advisors are helping me...one actually kept telling me "I don't know what you should do."

In this upcoming semester, I am taking Integrated Principles of Biology 2 + lab, General Chemistry 2 + lab, my last elective (Psychology of Pseudoscience - online), and Behavioral Neuroscience (an additional life science course that goes towards a 12-credit requirement for my Biology degree). Behavioral Neuroscience seems like it will be a bit difficult so I am planning on switching it out with a course that counts toward said minor or certificate.

Please help, I've been stressing about this since the Spring term, and no advisor has been able to help this summer...I understand that a minor/certificate should be something you are interested in and that med schools do not really pay attention to things like that, but I want some insight into what I should choose.

There's no point in us throwing ideas out there if you school doesn't offer it as a minor. What is available to you?

How about anthropology or astronomy? Those sound fun and interesting (to me).

 

[Toutie]

Does your school require you to have a minor or certificate?

 

[MyOdyssey]

Hello everyone!

I just finished off my freshman year at UF, and it was a great experience. I am on a Pre-Med track with as a Biology major and no current minor. I graduated with my Associate's Degree while in high school, and now I am running out of elective credits; therefore, I need to pick up a minor or certificate. I was considering a Psychology minor, but my university does not offer it. I've always been interested in Biology and Psychology, and I am not very sure on what other minors or certificates to sign up for. I've thought about an Emergency Medical Services certificate, but I am required to have some work experience in that field. I've also have seen minors in Health Services, Public Health, and Nutritional Sciences. The Nutritional Sciences minor sounds interesting, but all the coursework seems to be at a difficult level, requiring Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry (I'm taking General Chemistry 2 this new semester). I do not know what to do, and none of my college's advisors are helping me...one actually kept telling me "I don't know what you should do."

In this upcoming semester, I am taking Integrated Principles of Biology 2 + lab, General Chemistry 2 + lab, my last elective (Psychology of Pseudoscience - online), and Behavioral Neuroscience (an additional life science course that goes towards a 12-credit requirement for my Biology degree). Behavioral Neuroscience seems like it will be a bit difficult so I am planning on switching it out with a course that counts toward said minor or certificate.

Please help, I've been stressing about this since the Spring term, and no advisor has been able to help this summer...I understand that a minor/certificate should be something you are interested in and that med schools do not really pay attention to things like that, but I want some insight into what I should choose.

All of the options you've listed sound very premed-esque.

Consider studying something that's not in the premed wheelhouse - business, political science, a foreign language, etc. There are so many possibilities. Why waste your limited time for collegiate studies on a schedule that's so heavily skewed toward the premed mainstays?

It might expand your horizons as well and make you a more interesting candidate - particularly if you truly engage with something outside the premed realm that you're introduced to via your minor.