Wondering if Pre-Med is the way to go.

[bunsofawesome]

Hello everyone,
I'm a 2nd year engineering student at a random southern university. I recently decided after visiting some actual engineers/our engineering campus, that its not the right path for me. And am looking more into the pre-med path for a few reasons and was hoping you guys could help me out.

My situation:
~3.0 gpa (could be pulled up to a 3.5 as the rest of the classes I have to take as a bio major are breezy) already have a minor in physics

-Not many ECs but working to get caught up on that with shadowing/volunteering this summer. Main thing is I've held an officer position of a sports club (which I plan on doing a sort of outreach thing with elementary schools next year)

-Wanted to be a doctor since I was little, when I got in as a freshman the 10 years of school scared me away.

-Very interested in biomechanics and interaction between bones/muscles/tendons also with the functioning of the cns/hormones.

Based on the above what sort of positions should I look into for shadowing? My aunt is a neurosurgeon and has urged me to stay away from that.

Has anyone else ever switched to a pre-med track this far down the road?

I have always tested well in math/phy/chem with little difficulties but am planning on working very hard to get my GPA as high as possible. I skipped or slept through most of high school and came out with a 3.6

Also I was wondering, Im trying to catch up to the 4 year track over the summer, if I took 2 classes at a smaller college closer to home would that have a negative impulse on my med school admission?

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[MilkmanAl]

Very interested in biomechanics and interaction between bones/muscles/tendons also with the functioning of the cns/hormones.

This statement makes it sound like you'd be more interested in a biophysics PhD than med school. Orthopedics would be a decent place to start shadowing to see if you prefer the practical application or the discovery/research aspect. PM&R would also be good. For the neuro side of things, hang around a neurologist. Surely your aunt will know plenty of them.

It sounds like you're on the ball with the GPA and EC's stuff. keep at it, and you'll be in good shape.

By the way, I didn't really "switch" to bio but instead did both bio and physics all the way through.

 

[AH3]

Try shadowing an orthopedic surgeon. If your interested in sports as well, maybe you could find an orthopedic surgeon who works mostly with athletes, such as for a professional team or a university. Try out neurosurgery too, despite what your aunt says. You are the only person who can really decide what you are interested in. Shadowing isn't a commitment anyways, it's a few hours.

If you get your GPA up around a 3.5 you should be in decent shape. An upward trend would certainly help and maybe you could take some easy electives to help bring it up more.

If you take classes at a small/community college near your home, I'd suggest taking non-prerequisites. I don't know how admissions committees look at that, but I'd say it's safer to take the organic chem, physics, and a majority of the bio at your main school. I just know some people who took organic at a community college over the summer since it was a lot easier there, and I'd imagine adcoms see right through that.

 

[bunsofawesome]

Thank you very much for the above posts.

Milkman, is a biophysics degree in demand I can only think of a few things that it might be used for.

The classes I would be taking at the college are Bio 1 and 2 and chem 2. I'd still be taking the harder bio/chem classes at the uni.

 

[skiddoc]

You might also try taking an endocrinology class and seeing if that is for you, as well as shadowing an endocrinologist. You seem to be interested in some very divergent specialties which should give you lots of options to explore. Good luck!

 

[Jihad]

I'd say that you should take courses in the premed track. However, I wouldn't assume they are 'breezy' with your gpa. You will need to ace them to get into an acceptable range for med school. If you can't get A's (not B's) then you should abort the mission in favor of a back up.