Take this advice with a grain of salt, I'm surely the last person who should talk about planning ahead and such. Anyways, if I were you I'd sit down and figure out what I want to do. Getting into medical school isn't as easy as just writing the MCATs, people who want to get in prepare for it starting in high school. You're a smart guy but you have no background in biology; that will hurt your chances a lot. You have no volunteer work that applies either. Even just writing the MCATs is a big commitment, you'll have to learn organic chemistry, biology, physics and math.
Thing is, it's not as if I haven't given this some thought: I can't graduate this year unless I either take a course in Block Week or two in Spring. Thus, if I end up making this a degree in five years, that effectively leaves two semesters next year where only one half-course space is occupied for this degree, and I can occupy the remaining eight with the two semesters of Chemistry and Biology recommended by the Department, supplemented with a Renart or Bishop Caroll Math 31 course. As far as volunteer work, I'm planning on joining the Reserves simply to save for having to look for a summer job next year; when I get my INTR degree, I'll automatically become an officer, which not only looks good on the resume but may fulfil that requirement: if I'm not only a student but a part-time soldier, what else might I do for the benefit of society except direct my remaining time and unfocused talents upon medicine?
I am going to play Devil's advocate here for a second, bare with me. I do this as a pessimist and as a prick who is angry at the University at present. I also miss my beard
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I'm fully aware that to Sci-types a SocSci GPA is about as impressive as a statue made of toilet paper rolls; however, as a requirement for the MD Plus program is simultaneous acceptance into both the Faculty of Medicine and whatever the second faculty is, my current GPA would certainly help with acceptance into one, which would leave me time to focus on acceptance on another.
As far as funding: I have yet to take a student loan, as the Bank of Dead Grandparents has not become insolvent to date; that said, my credit is good, and I'd be willing to go into debt for a degree that would assuredly earn me money(for my MD I'd focus on being a GP, which is always in demand somewhere).
For the "narrowing" of my knowledge, I'd have you know that I ultimately asipre to be a polymath, for as Socrates said:
"I have examined the poets, and I view them as people whose talent makes an impression on them and on others who claim to be wise, who are taken to be such, and are nothing of the sort. From poets, I moved on to artists. No one knew less
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Kent makes good points. Correct me if I'm wrong but you didn't take biology in high school. This puts you at a massive disadvantage and I don't think you can take bio courses without bio 30, remember most of the first year courses are designed for people getting a degree in bio. Organic chemistry (the bane of the MCATs I've heard) is hard as hell when it's a requirement let alone when you're not pursuing a career in science. It's also getting late in your degree, switching/adding a new course load will be difficult at best, you'd be starting at high school and competing with people who have being doing science for 4 years; I'm sure you're smart enough to do it but it's not worth it if the only reason for it is to fulfill some silly (for lack of a better word, I'm tired) desire to "benefit society". The best way you can benefit society is to do what you really want to do, not what you think people expect you to do. My advice as a friend is to wait until you know what you want to do, pushing towards a degree as labor-intensive as
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Bio 30 would be at worst the equivalent of a Block Week course, and I have no doubts as to my ability to pick it up in short order. I may not have taken the highschool course, but the reading I've done in the meantime, and the level of focus I'd be able to achieve without highschool social concerns getting in the way leads me to believe that I could catch up quickly.
As far as chemistry goes, I scored Honours in both 20 and 30 having taken them a year early. While I have no illusions as to university-level chemistry being much more difficult than highschool, I've nonetheless proven something of an aptitude for the discipline.
Finally, as far as my motivation goes... I've always had medicine as a possible option at the back of my mind, even if I have to get another Bachelor's degree to enter into it. At the moment my focus is entirely upon finishing my current degree... after that, I'll give far more focus to the possibility of entering medschool.
I don't want to debate you on your course in life. No one, and I repeat emphatically NO ONE has the right to do that, but; a simple question.
Do you want to be a GP?
For 85% of our friendship you have wanted to be a pilot, for 13% you wanted to be a lawyer (and for 2% I believe you wanted to be a time traveling communist revolutionary). I have only heard you mention Med School since christmas, although maybe I am a poor listener.
I want to be able to stir up shit both within the institution and without, be as adept at making Molotov cocktails as I would be treating those injured by their use, with the ability to extricate myself via air once my stated goal is complete.
Truth be told, this is all really just an exercise in the hypothetical; my concern at the moment is to finish my degree, then I'll focus on planning what my next step is. This is one option that I hadn't considered before, and it excites me a little; there's no guarantee I'll pursue it, but I'll explore it nonetheless.
Alright contrary to most of the advice given on here, I think its a good decision. There is a lot of truth in people expressing concern about bio-chem and the fact that this will be more difficult then you can plan for. Science is not like arts where at 9pm the night before you can write a paper. Especially for Bio-chem, if you can't write the test the day before the test and do well, you wont do well
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Comments 17
A Masters in something and a medical program of some sort?
Are you thinking of going into medicine?
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As far as funding: I have yet to take a student loan, as the Bank of Dead Grandparents has not become insolvent to date; that said, my credit is good, and I'd be willing to go into debt for a degree that would assuredly earn me money(for my MD I'd focus on being a GP, which is always in demand somewhere).
For the "narrowing" of my knowledge, I'd have you know that I ultimately asipre to be a polymath, for as Socrates said:
"I have examined the poets, and I view them as people whose talent makes an impression on them and on others who claim to be wise, who are taken to be such, and are nothing of the sort. From poets, I moved on to artists. No one knew less ( ... )
Reply
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As far as chemistry goes, I scored Honours in both 20 and 30 having taken them a year early. While I have no illusions as to university-level chemistry being much more difficult than highschool, I've nonetheless proven something of an aptitude for the discipline.
Finally, as far as my motivation goes... I've always had medicine as a possible option at the back of my mind, even if I have to get another Bachelor's degree to enter into it. At the moment my focus is entirely upon finishing my current degree... after that, I'll give far more focus to the possibility of entering medschool.
Reply
Do you want to be a GP?
For 85% of our friendship you have wanted to be a pilot, for 13% you wanted to be a lawyer (and for 2% I believe you wanted to be a time traveling communist revolutionary). I have only heard you mention Med School since christmas, although maybe I am a poor listener.
Reply
Truth be told, this is all really just an exercise in the hypothetical; my concern at the moment is to finish my degree, then I'll focus on planning what my next step is. This is one option that I hadn't considered before, and it excites me a little; there's no guarantee I'll pursue it, but I'll explore it nonetheless.
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