Medical School?

Question

I am currently a Junior in college and, as a lot of my friends are, am at a crossroads in choosing my "path" in life. I practically have a minor in Psych already, and a part of me wants to continue on and get my BA or BS in Psych, but another part of me wants to major in Bio and go on to be an MD. Any advice on either way, such as career potential, level of difficulty, experiences yourself, or anything? Thanks!!!

Answer 1

Bio needs to be apart of you, at least for myself and many I have talked to that are now physicians. It's a passion most say. Follow what drives you the most. I have fooled myself for a very many years, trying to find the easy way out. Plenty of easier paths , but will they satisfy you in the end? Soul search a bit, take some bio courses as you move on to the BS in Psych. The most it will cost you is some extra classes and time, of which is not a big deal when it comes to your future. Also consider internships with social work and general practitioners. And don't stress it, see what comes more natural. Healers are shrinks too! With everything I have been through I could use a good one! LOL Good luck

Answer 2

You can go to medical school with a BS/BA is psychology, the only requirements for entrance to med school are 1 year of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. There are other requirements such as english, math, etc but those differ from school to school. However, I know a lot of people that major in psych that are currently applying to medical school. Sometimes admissions committees even favor those that don't major in biology or chemistry because it's a little different and you'll learn the bio/chem in med school. Both majors often require further education to be of any importance (it's nearly impossible to find a good job with a BS in biology if you decide that medicine is not your thing). If you enjoy psych major in psychology, but you don't have to rule out pursuing a career in medicine. See if you can find an internship with a doctor, volunteer or work at a hospital, and shadow as much as possible to see if you really do enjoy it. You can also take some of the prereqs for medical school to see if you like the science aspect of it. You've got plenty of options and it does not have to be an either-or answer! Good luck!

Answer 3

I would get the MD if I had the money. You will have WAY more opurtunities having an MD than having a degree in psychology. The market is flooded with psych degrees. If you major in psych you most likely will end up working in something not related to it. Also if you care about money, you will make way more money with an MD. The bad part about the MD is that it will cost you more money, and time to get it but it should pay off in the long run.

Answer 4

Go work with a doctor for a while. Follow him / her around for a week. Get up at 5 am, do rounds at 6 am, have office calls until 5 pm, and get home at 7 pm if you're lucky. Enjoy those weekend / holidays on call too.

It's a brutal lifestyle. I don't know of any doctors who are happy with many aspects of their life. They are literally trained to be workaholics during residency, and continue those 80-hour weeks for years after they get their paper.

Then there is the money part. Yes, doctors can make good money, but they also have killer debt loads. Once you enter med school, you'll be so heavily in debt that only a MD degree will pay those debts.

Then you get to deal with stupid hospital administrators, insurance company paperwork, legal requirements, and oh yeah, the occasional lawsuit from a 400-pound lady who is angry because you told her that she was "fat".

If you are BORN to be a doctor, please be a doctor. However, if you're not BORN to be a doctor, you have no business being one.

Answer 5

And just what kind of job are you going to get as a psych major with a bachelor's degree? Who is going to pay you for that (lack of a) skill? How are you going to get a job when there are literally millions of psych majors out there who took it because it's an easy way to drink and screw your way through college?
Major in something where there is an UNMET DEMAND FOR SKILLED EMPLOYEES! Most things medical and nearly all things engineering qualify. Psych is a poor choice if you plan on making a living.

Answer 6

Major in psych AND apply to medical school. You can do both, and medical schools will like you for it. You can do ANY major and be eligible for medical school as long as you complete the medical prequisite coursework.

Preqs include:
Baccalaureate coursework must include:
1 year general chem (with lab)
1 year organic chem (with lab)
1 year general biology (with lab)
1 year intro. physics (with lab)
1 year English
1 year calculus
Suggested coursework includes: psychology, statistics, biochemistry, humanities

Answer 7

doctor